Hundreds of homes could be demolished in Runcorn and replaced with fewer new ones after plans were submitted for the next phase of a major regeneration scheme.

Social housing company Riverside has submitted documents to Halton Borough Council for the complete redesign of The Uplands area of Palace Fields. The project would see the demolition of 317 excising homes as well as the Palace Fields community centre, along with the closure of two subways, the construction of 257 replacement homes, new roads, footways and cycleways.

The plans include:

  • Closing the two subways by The Knoll apartments.
  • A green avenue connecting the busway through the estate to Town Park with housing on all sides.
  •  New walking and cycling routes, including one to Shopping City .
  • New Veterans houses .

The new homes would consist of 184 houses and 73 apartments. In its planning documents, the firm accepts there will be a reduction in the number of houses on the new Uplands estate, but claims that only 48 per cent of existing residents it has spoken to have expressed a definite desire to stay where they live now.
It said it would be relocating people to suitable homes in phases over a 10 year period.

The move is part of a wider planned £60m regeneration of Palace Fields, with the council's development management committee having already approved the first phase in August. The first phase includes the demolition of the existing local centre and shops and replacing it with a new centre and stores, bulldozing Bethesda Church and replacing it with a new church building, creating new homes – including a veterans’ village – and redeveloping the derelict Tricorn Pub and stables to create new homes.

The Uplands was built in the early 70s as part of the Runcorn New Town development and Riverside said the redevelopment would improve the look of the area as well as the housing mix.

A design and access statement submitted in support of the new proposals, said:  “This place-making regeneration development proposal will improve the overall sense of quality of the built fabric, the highway network and the landscaping within The Uplands area of Palace Fields.

“This proposal addresses physical attributes within the area which contribute negatively to the current character and builds upon opportunities to improve the sense of quality, creating a vibrant viable and sustainable development designed to the highest architectural and landscape qualities.”

If given the green light by planning chiefs, work on the would start when the local centre is complete, predicted to be around the start of 2028.

In total, Riverside said it plans to to invest around £60 million on the regeneration funded through a variety of public sector organisations, including Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Riverside.