Plans have been submitted for up to 190 new homes on a 20-acre undeveloped site at the Halsnead Garden Village development in Knowsley. The first phase would see 93 properties built, followed by a further 97 homes in the second phase.
Location and Context
The site lies south of Whiston and north of the M62. Its western side features broadleaf woodland and a body of water known as Big Water, remnants of the historic Halsnead Park estate. To the east is the Fox's Lane residential development. The parcel is part of a larger scheme set to deliver up to 1,600 homes, alongside employment land and a country park.
Halsnead Garden Village was first granted garden village status by the government in 2017, becoming one of 14 locations in a national pilot. Since then, several rounds of planning applications and construction have taken place, with the first residents moving in in 2022.
Phase One Details
All 93 properties in the first phase would be market housing, with no affordable homes. Each would have three, four, or five bedrooms. The homes would range across 10 different design types, mostly two-storey, and all would include parking spaces and garages. Some houses would have fully-exposed brickwork, while others would be partly covered by white render.
Phase Two and Affordable Housing
The second phase would comprise 25% affordable homes, subject to a viability assessment. These houses are expected to provide for “medium density families”, although their exact layout and structure have not yet been decided.
Environmental and Community Features
Developer Taylor Wimpey has said it plans to incorporate tree-lined streets, grass verges, accessible woodlands, water features, play areas, and allotments into the new development. Bat and bird boxes, amphibian refugia woodpiles, hedgehog highways, wildflower meadow grassland, and green corridors for badger movement are also promised. The new primary school in Halsnead will act as a community hub, and the homes will be close to potential employment opportunities at Jaguar Land Rover and Knowsley Business Park.
Developer Contributions
Taylor Wimpey has said that developer contributions would consist of a roof tax covering education, health, green infrastructure, and off-site highways, equating to £12,142 per plot. Mitigations would be put in place to address noise impact from the nearby M62. Knowsley Council must now review the plans and come to a decision.
