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Following a successful £20m Levelling Up bid and an extra £8m of investment from St Helens Council, Earlestown is set to benefit from a huge regeneration project in the coming years. The regeneration plans focus on improvements to the market square, town hall, and railway station, and the council is set to consider the appointment of vital contractors at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, April 23. Market square is the central area of the regeneration plans (Image: St Helens Council/ ECF) Preston based Eric Wright Group are poised to undertake the extensive public realm improvements in Earlestown, which will see the historic market square transformed into a modern, multi-use space.
The plans for this space include a new market area, complete with Sankey Viaduct inspired canopy to allow up to 60 traders to operate all year round. There will also be space for 40 uncovered stalls as well as more dwelling and play areas, with the "flexible" space also having the potential to hold special events. With plans to construct a modern market for all weathers, the proposals will see a market canopy Town Hall improvements is another vital part of the regeneration plans (Image: St Helens Star) The council's cabinet will also consider the appointment of HH Smith & Sons, who have already undertaken enabling works at Earlestown Town Hall, as the contractor for the complete internal refurbishment of the historic landmark site.
Designed by heritage architecture specialists Butress, the Town Hall works will include the creation of community meeting rooms, flexible workspaces and a new courtyard garden and café area, together with public toilets and a Changing Places facility. The building’s main hall will be brought back to life as a performance and events space in order to boost Earlestown’s evening economy. Enabling works has been carried out at Earlestown Town Hall in recent months (Image: Cllr Gomez-Aspron) At the Cabinet meeting, the council will also review an additional £1.
132m funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to undertake carbon-reduction works at Earlestown Town Hall as part of the building's refurbishment. Intending to improve energy efficiency and save costs, this will replace the existing heating system with air source heat pumps and include complementary measures such as modern insulation, efficient LED lighting, lighting controls and an upgraded electricity supply. The Cabinet meeting will also discuss the approval of grant funding of up to £5.
383m from the Earlestown Town Centre Investment to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, via a Grant Funding Agreement, for the appointment of Merseyrail Electrics 2002 Ltd as the preferred delivery partner for the railway station. The Earlestown Railway Station project comprises of three work packages, including the repair of the Grade II Listed station building, landscaping works, and general station improvements. Subject to approval, works on both elements of the Earlestown regeneration programme will begin in the coming months.
Earlestown station building is claimed to be one of the oldest in the world (Image: St Helens Council) Councillor Richard McCauley, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Growth and Regeneration at St Helens Borough Council, said: “This raft of appointments and funding opportunities represent a transformational moment for the future of Earlestown. The anticipated approval of the plans at the April 23rd Cabinet meeting will be a landmark occasion, and we’re really excited about the incredible wide-ranging opportunities for our community that will be created by the delivery of this extensive programme of works.” Matt Whiteley, Senior Development Manager at ECF, added: “This latest milestone in our plans for both the Market Square and Town Hall represent another important stage in our plans for Earlestown.
"Approval for these appointments from Cabinet will be another step forward towards our goal of long term and sustainable transformation of Earlestown, making it more attractive for local people and visitors alike. ".
