AN enormous scheme to build 550 homes and a 160-bed hotel in Warrington town centre will come before councillors next month.

Demitrius Limited’s application for the council-owned land which is currently a car park, bounded by Tanners Lane and Winwick Street, was due to come before the development management committee on Thursday.

However an admin error meant the meeting was pushed back and will now take place on October 3.

The outline application proposes the demolition of existing structures and the erection of a mixed-use development comprising four blocks of up to 12 storeys to accommodate up to 550 residential dwellings, a 160-bed hotel and 3,000 sq m if commercial/office/retail floorspace with associated access, public realm works, parking and servicing.

It was initially approved in 2022 but the adoption of the Local Plan means it has to come before councillors again.

It is being recommended for approval, subject to conditions and Section 106 agreement.

According to a report to the committee, the application was initially considered by the committee in December 2022 where members resolved to grant approval subject to conditions and a Section 106 agreement, while discussions to finalise the Section 106 agreement have been ongoing since then.

It says, given that the resolution to grant planning permission was previously made by the committee, it is ‘considered appropriate’ to return the application to members to reconfirm their resolution to grant planning permission subject to a Section 106 agreement and conditions taking into account the recently adopted Local Plan.

Known as the Wireworks, earlier drawings gave an idea of how it could look.

(Image: How it could look)

The report to the committee says: “Outline permission is sought for the provision of a mixed use development which would have a height of up to 12 storeys and would provide up to 550 homes, a 160-bed hotel, and 3,000 sq m of commercial/office/retail floorspace.

“All matters are reserved for consideration under future applications except for access. Access into the site would be taken from Tanners Lane and Winwick Street.

“Following the committee’s resolution to approve the application subject to conditions and legal agreement as set out in the report, discussions have been undertaken on the S106 agreement between the council and the applicant.

“Although the application is yet to be determined, significant weight should be given to the previous resolution by development management committee to grant planning permission for the development subject to conditions and a S106 agreement to ensure consistency in decision making. The viability assessment submitted by the applicant also remains valid.

“The proposed development would provide up to 550 dwellings, a 160-bed hotel and 3,000sqm commercial/office/retail floorspace. Though all matters are reserved apart from access, it is considered that the development will be capable of improving the visual amenity of the local area, providing an acceptable standard of living for existing and future residents, and will not cause unacceptable harm to the borough’s heritage assets.

“There would also be no unacceptable impacts in relation to highway safety, flood risk, drainage or ecology subject to conditions.”