Halton Council appoints Cityheart for Foundry Lane project

Halton Borough Council has appointed Chester-based Cityheart as its development partner for the Foundry Lane residential regeneration project in Halebank.

This follows the granting of outline planning permission on February 1 for the first phase of the project, which will see 86 new homes built on the former Stobart offices and Tarmac site.

The second phase of the project will then result in a further 274 modern and affordable homes.

Cllr Ron Hignett, Halton Borough Council’s executive board member for the physical environment, welcomed the news.

He said: “This important regeneration project will breathe new life into the area and build on the existing strong local sense of community and neighbourhood.

“The project will be challenging, for example there are real issues such as contaminated land and flood risk to be dealt with.

“But this represents an exciting opportunity to improve an area that has been in need of regeneration for many years now.

The former Tarmac site on Foundry Lane (Image: Google Maps)

Mark McNamee, managing director at Cityheart, added: “It is fantastic to have been chosen by the council as its partner and to be working in Halton and the Liverpool City Region again.

“Cityheart has a successful 15-year track record of working with the public sector on placemaking and re-purposing schemes all over the country.

 “This is a significant project for the region, providing a much needed and affordable new residential district which can act as a catalyst for further investment in the area.

“Cityheart will now work with the council and architect, Corstorphine and Wright, to draw up plans for the second phase, which has a project value of up to £50million and will see a further 274 homes being built.”

A detailed masterplan to ensure the area can realise its full potential over the next five years is set to be drawn up and is expected to be made available later in the year.