Welcome to Barratt and David Wilson Homes consultation website for land south of Cherryfield Drive in Kirkby.

The land is the next piece of the jigsaw of Kirkby Town Centre’s renaissance.

In August 2022, Barratt and David Wilson shared its vision for this land to deliver new homes, attractive public open space, parks, public realm and pedestrian links into the town centre for existing and new residents.

A range of feedback was received via the ‘in person’ town centre consultation events and this consultation website which have helped shaped the plans for the site.

A planning application was submitted to Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council on February 9th 2024, and subsequently validated on May 14th 2024.

The planning application can be viewed via the Council’s planning portal using application reference number 24/00068/FUL.

Background

The site is a large irregular shaped parcel of land located to the south of Cherryfield Drive in Kirkby.

The southern sector of the site comprises maintained grassland with an area in the southeast of the site having recently undergone the felling of semimature and mature trees. The central sector of the site is currently unmaintained vacant grassland. Within the north of the site, is an area of active car park and former roadways and hardstanding associated with previous development. Knowsley community College is located in the north west of the site. There is an additional area of vacant land with areas of hardstanding associated with former development, with a small building fronting Cherryfield Drive.

Site history

Historical mapping indicates that the site was undeveloped until the 1960s, with the subsequent construction of the college campus in the north western sector and a school in the south-eastern sector. Circa 1961, historical mapping shows earthworks associated with the adjacent landfill site, by 1976 the landfill is no longer shown.

Residential dwellings and retail buildings, including a fuel station and electrical substations, are shown at the northern site boundary pre-1961.

Aerial imagery indicates the south-eastern sector of the site was cleared pre- 2011; the hotel pre-2012; the residential housing pre-2015, the college in the north-west pre-2016; with the remainder of buildings in the north of the site demolished by pre-2019 and pre-2021.

There is currently no evidence of the petrol filling station above ground however it is understood the underground storage tanks are still present.

At present, the site is largely vacant, with the former roads and hardstanding at the north of the site and areas of car parking associated with then now demolished school and college.

A building associated with the former college remains in the north-western sector.

In 2020, Knowsley Council asked residents, businesses and visitors ‘What makes a good town centre’?

The responses received have been helping to shape plans for the town centre ever since.

In the last two years, Kirkby Town Centre has undergone a remarkable transformation.

  • The opening of a new retail development including Morrisons Supermarket
  • New businesses opening, providing a greater variety of shops
  • More free car parking
  • Work has started on a new train station at Headbolt Lane
  • Kirkby Cinema and Leisure project
  • Expanded and enhanced CCTV network
  • Plus 500 new jobs have been created with more to come

People also asked for;

  • A range of new eco-friendly homes (energy efficient, affordable and extra care)
  • Attractive public open space, parks and public realm
  • Improved pedestrian and cycle links to the town centre

The land south of Cherryfield Drive is the next piece of the jigsaw of Kirkby Town Centre’s renaissance with Barratt and David Wilson Homes selected as the Council’s preferred development partner for the site. In August 2022, Barratt and David Wilson shared its vision for the land to deliver new homes, attractive public open space, parks, public realm and pedestrian links into the town centre for existing and new residents.

Public Consultation was undertaken between August 11th and September 5th by Barratt and David Wilson Homes to determine the views of the local community on what they would like to see in any residential development on land south of Cherryfield Drive.

A further round of Public Consultation took place between 4th November and 21st November 2022. During this stage of the consultation, Barratt and David Wilson Homes sought the views of the local community on more detailed plans for the site. The feedback has been considered by the project team and within the submitted planning application.

The Consultation was publicised via Posters in the Town Centre Shop Unit, Kirkby Town Centre Management Team communication channels with retailers and workers, social media (posts and paid for advertising).

A range of feedback was received on Housing, the Town Centre, Infrastructure, Green Space and Transport via the ‘in person’ town centre consultation events and the consultation website.

Barratt and David Wilson are well established brands in the local and national market place with a track record of developing key flagship schemes. Between our two divisional offices that operate in the North West we have delivered well in excess of 2,000 homes since July 2022.

We are looking forward to another successful year and are committed to our growth plans.

Our ability to create added value by constructing highly attractive homes and our track record for delivery means that we are welcomed by Local Authorities and local communities alike. We have a well-established team with a wealth of knowledge and skills in housebuilding who put customers at the heart of everything we do. Every site we develop seeks to enhance the local community by safeguarding the environment, establishing a local supply chain and building high quality homes to a high specification.

Proposals

The Masterplan layout has been informed by technical work undertaken by the project team, dialogue with Knowsley Council and feedback received from the previous consultations and is a response to the constraints and opportunities of the site. The proposals include:

  1. Circa 807 energy efficient new homes incorporating a mix of Barratt and David Wilson Homes brands
  2. A policy compliant 81 (10%) affordable homes
  3. A mix of 1 - 4 bedroom mews, semi-detached, detached properties and bungalows
  4. Highways improvements to Cherryfield Drive and road access links on both Cherryfield Drive and Bewley Drive
  5. Homes which are in keeping with and link appropriately to the surrounding area onto all streets, pedestrian routes and open spaces
  6. An improved flow of streets and spaces, that link to the surrounding area, creating an improved flow of streets and spaces with the town centre
  7. Reduced need for car use with easy access and links to local bus and railway stations
  8. Clear safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists and easy access to the town centre through a series of walkable, easily accessible landscaped green links running across the site
  9. All green spaces designed to have natural surveillance, making them safe walkable routes
  10. Sensitive boundary treatments, for example low walls and hedges around properties with existing residents and a minimum privacy distance in compliance with adopted separation distances

  11. Provides new links to the surrounding green infrastructure network to create and improve connectivity between them, including;

    • North to south green pedestrian link from the bus station to existing Greenspace
    • North to south green link from the town square through the site to the Leisure Centre and existing Greenspace
    • North to south Pedestrian and cycle link from Bewley Drive to Town Centre
    • East to west link from Webster Park to existing Greenspace
    • East to west links north and south of leisure centre from Cherryfield Drive to existing Greenspace
  12. Landscaped green edges with a variety of planting options which enhance biodiversity
An aerial view of the planned site showing how the site will be used
Illustrative view of house styles - Barratt Homes (North of Site). Shows various designs of homes. Illustrative view of house styles - David Wilson Homes (South of Site). Shows various designs of homes.
A series of images showing various types of houses

Eco-friendly homes

A ‘fabric first’ approach is about designing homes that are not only energy efficient and low-carbon, but are comfortable and economical to run. Smart techniques in a home’s fabric include air tightness, high levels of insulation and high performance windows and doors.

All new homes will be designed to meet an Energy Performance Certificate Rating A as a minimum.

Cherryfield Drive improvements

The application proposes to improve the connectivity of Cherryfield Drive through the resurfacing of the roads and pavements, new crossing points to tie into new green links from site, a re-design of the car park access and junction, drop off/pick up point and the potential inclusion of a taxi rank.

Highways and access

There are several vehicular access points proposed to the site including an access point from Bewley Drive to the south-west, an access point from Cherryfield Drive to the east and 2no. access points from Cherryfield Drive to the north.

The planning application is supported by a comprehensive Transport Assessment and Travel Plan to ensure the most sustainable development possible.

Trees and ecology

The site has been subject to a full ecological assessment and a tree survey submitted in support of the planning application. The tree report will detail the impacts of the proposed development on tree cover, including remediation works required to make the site safe, and will propose measures for the safeguarding of retained trees throughout the construction phase. The ecology report will include an assessment of the habitats present on the site and any mitigation required.

Tree planting and landscaping works will be undertaken on the site to integrate and enhance the green infrastructure provision on site and identify opportunities for biodiversity enhancements.

The development will provide a substantial financial sum of money to Public Open Space improvements in the area, which will be secured by a S106 Agreement.

The proposals will provide significant socio-economic benefits to Kirkby Town Centre and the wider area:

  • £103.7M investment into construction of development;
  • 196 direct contrition roles and indirect/induced jobs per annum;
  • £95.5 million gross valued added (GVA) from jobs
  • £20.7 million of brought into the local economy annually due to spending by new residents
  • 60 full-time equivalent (FTE) roles created in the local economy through additional spending
  • £1.7m per annum in additional Council Tax Revenue
  • 81no. (10%) affordable dwellings
  • In excess of £1.7M to open space improvements at Valley Park & Webster Park

The developer aims to be a considerate constructor. In addition, a planning condition will be included within any planning consent which will require a Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP) which will be agreed with Knowsley Council before construction can start on site. The purpose of the CEMP is to set out how the developer plans to avoid, minimise or mitigate effects on the surrounding environment and local residents living closely to the site.

Barratt and David Wilson Homes (BDW) are national housebuilders with a track record of delivering high quality and complex development projects. BDW are committed to ongoing engagement with local residents at every stage of the process from pre-planning, planning and construction and will put measures in place to ensure construction is carried out with as little disruption as possible to local resident’s everyday lives.

Subject to planning, BDW is aiming to start on site for demolition and remediation in early 2025, with a build period of around 7-10 years to completion of the development.

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