MORE than 500 new homes will form part of a massive new housing development close to Warrington town centre.

The scheme will be built on the former Spectra Packaging and Drive Time driving range sites off Slutchers Lane – if approved by council bosses.

Countryside Properties has applied to Warrington Borough Council to build 513 homes, a mix of two and two-and-a-half storey houses and three to four storey apartment buildings with two, three and four bedroom homes.

Warrington Guardian:

How the homes could look

They would be built at the back of the existing Centre Park business park and some will front on to the Mersey opposite Chester Road.

Access will be via the new Centre Park link road. Due to open next year, council chiefs say the almost £20 million project will help resolve congestion around Bridge Foot in the town centre.

The road will drive through the middle of the new estate.

As well as houses, public open space will also be created.

In the planning documents, a spokesman for Countryside said: "The mix of properties reflects the need for quality, family housing within the area.

"The development at the land at Spectra Park will provide an attractive, high quality designed area to live.

"The scale and character of the proposals will ensure that the scheme will contribute to and enhance the immediate and surrounding area.

"The careful consideration of the structure, massing, streetscape, landscaping and materials ensures that the development is in context with the next area creating an attractive, distinctive and aspirational scheme."

Warrington Guardian:

The map of the site

The application also includes a traffic impact assessment.

It predicts an extra 95 vehicles coming out of the new Chester Road junction in the morning rush hour and 111 in the evening rush hour.

At the Wilson Patten Street/Slutchers Lane junction, there is forecast to be an extra 113 vehicles using it in the morning peak hour and 123 in the evening rush hour.

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You can see the application in more detail at warrington.gov.uk.