McCarthy Stone Retirement Living Ltd

Following the aspirations of the Huyton Village Masterplan (SPD) prepared by the Council, McCarthy Stone's scheme in Huyton helped to unlock a longstanding development site to deliver crucially needed specialist retirement accommodation, in a new market for the client. The application site comprised two plots, one cleared brownfield land (formerly the Huyton Fire Station) and the other the active Huyton Ambulance Station. The site was not allocated for a particular use within adopted planning policy; however, it is a gateway site into the town centre noted as having potential for residential in the Huyton Village Masterplan.

In Kirkby, the site occupied a temporary car park within Kirkby town centre, a designated Principal Regeneration Area. The site had ran its course as a temporary car park while the wider town centre was being redeveloped and was therefore not critical to the functioning of the wider town centre. As such McCarthy Stone were able to promote a retirement living scheme compliant with planning policies aspirations for the comprehensive regeneration of the centre to enhance it's viability and vitality encouraging a wider range of town centre uses, including residential. This was further bolstered by the Council’s need for specialist and supported accommodation, also set out in planning policy.

These developments will improve the affordability, flexibility, and choice of later living accommodation in Knowsley in a highly accessible location on the edge/ within town centres. 

During the course of the applications, Planning Potential proactively engaged with LPA officers and McCarthy Stone's consultant team to provide necessary technical information and negotiated reasonable alterations to the original scheme to respond to comments and feedback received to secure Officer support. Key matters included justification for not pursuing a greater scale of development, negotiation around façade and boundary treatments given the prominence of the building on a key town centre gateway junction. Fostering this work-relationship enabled the delegated approval of the application without the need for a legal agreement.

Also advising on the public engagement strategies, Planning Potential proactively consulted with the local communities and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with the general consensus focusing on the opportunity to redevelop a brownfield site.

Summary of achievements

• A coordinated public consultation exercise, securing 80% support for the proposals
• Preparation and submission of a comprehensive planning application
• Project management of the consultant team
• Negotiation / liaison with Local Planning Authority on design and S106 matters, ultimately avoiding a S106
• Securing a delegated planning approval