A major site in Widnes town centre has been earmarked for development of high-quality housing, including accommodation for older people.
Kingsway Quarter – the former site of the police station, magistrates’ courts, Broseley House and Kingsway Leisure Centre – has been confirmed by the Council as a residential-led development.
Cllr Phil Harris, the Council’s lead for Housing Strategy & Development, has announced that the first phase of the development will include an extra care facility like the ones at Naughton Fields and Barkla Fields in Widnes.
Kingsway Quarter presents a unique opportunity to make a significant contribution to regenerating and revitalising Widnes town centre through this high-quality housing-led development which will make a positive first impression on a prominent site close to the town centre.
Extra-care housing can be for people with a range of needs and is generally aimed at older people, with traditional models of extra care housing having a lower age limit, generally of 55 or 60 years of age. For those who might want to downsize and free up family housing elsewhere the site is likely to be ideal.
A positive soft market test for the entire site earlier this year showed substantial interest, and it is expected that the extra care facility for Phase One could accommodate at least 50 plus residents.
Cllr Harris said: “We are eager to progress the delivery of this site given the evidence we already gathered and the preparation of the site which has taken place. We need to crack on and get this first phase of the Kingsway Quarter ready for disposal and building.’’
Public consultation on a proposed scheme will follow as part of the planning application process which will follow disposal of the site.
The rest of the Kingsway Quarter project could deliver another 100 new homes in addition to the extra care scheme, with the final housing mix to be considered later this year
A likely layout for the site is shown in the illustration.
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