Plans for a major industrial redevelopment on the former Parkside Colliery site in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside have received detailed planning consent, unlocking the second and largest phase of the project following earlier approvals for the first stage of development. The green light, confirmed by St Helens Borough Council, clears the way for a further 1.6 million square feet of logistics and advanced manufacturing space alongside more than 800,000 square feet already consented in phase one.
Phase Two: A Strategic Expansion
Detailed consent has been granted for enabling and infrastructure works that will support the expansion, with building designs to be settled under future reserved matters applications. The latest approval allows the second phase to significantly broaden the site’s offering, adding manufacturing space to complement the logistics component established in the initial planning consent.
Developer Langtree — in a joint venture with St Helens Borough Council — is already progressing clearance works on the first phase of the site, with the wider scheme benefitting from its strategic location within the Liverpool City Region Freeport, where occupiers can access a range of tax and customs-related incentives.
Economic Impact and Local Opportunity
John Downes, Executive Chair of Langtree, commented that securing detailed consent “will give added momentum to our work on local supply chain engagement, labour recruitment and schools engagement,” highlighting the scheme’s broader socioeconomic role. He emphasised that the introduction of manufacturing space will diversify the types of jobs created on the site, tapping into the region’s established skills base.
St Helens and the wider Newton-le-Willows area is recognised as a historic manufacturing heartland, making it a natural fit for a mix of advanced manufacturing, engineering and logistics roles that are projected to emerge as occupiers move in and facilities begin operations.
Connectivity and Infrastructure Enhancements
A key factor in the site’s appeal is its excellent transport connectivity. The Parkside Link Road provides efficient access to the national motorway network via Junction 22 of the M6 and direct routes to the M62, facilitating freight movement across the UK and to the Port of Liverpool — a major gateway for international trade.
These infrastructure connections are expected to be attractive to prospective tenants, particularly those in sectors with capital-intensive fit-out requirements that benefit from proximity to major transport corridors.
Planning, Partners and Future Steps
A number of professional firms are supporting the Parkside development through planning, engineering, architecture and landscape design roles. This includes planning consultant Spawforths, highways advisers Curtins, project managers Chroma, architects Fletcher Rae, landscape architects TPM Landscape, and structural and civil engineers from Cundall.
While enabling and infrastructure works are now approved, detailed building designs will be finalised and submitted as reserved matters applications. Groundworks and contractor appointments are expected to progress as the project transitions from planning to delivery — a phase that will attract further interest from industry stakeholders, potential occupiers and workforce development partners.
A New Industrial Hub for the Liverpool City Region
The Parkside redevelopment represents a major infusion of industrial land and employment potential into the Liverpool City Region Freeport, reinforcing efforts to repurpose brownfield land for modern economic use. At full delivery, the expanded site will offer more than 2.4 million square feet of logistics and manufacturing space, positioning it among the largest industrial schemes in the North West.
For local supply chains, workers and investors, the scheme’s progression from former colliery to future industrial hub reflects broader trends in regional regeneration and economic diversification, translating decades-old heritage infrastructure into contemporary commercial value.