Russell LDP and Harworth Group have progressed plans for Simister Bowlee, a 242-acre residential allocation in Greater Manchester, by submitting an EIA Scoping Opinion to inform a future planning application. The scheme could deliver up to 1,550 homes alongside a primary school, local centre, transport improvements, sustainable drainage, and open space, with construction potentially starting in 2029.
Greater Manchester Mayor Bev Craig has called for lessons to be learned from the approval of PLP’s Astley Park industrial scheme in Wigan, following strong local opposition over its proximity to homes. An independent audit found Wigan Council followed national planning procedure, but said the developer’s pre-application consultation was wholly inadequate.
Liverpool City Council has approved plans to convert the former HMRC office block at Imperial Court into 95 apartments, allowing the scheme to move toward a Gateway 2 submission to the Building Safety Regulator. The revised proposal includes changes to windows and cladding, with the ground floor retained for potential commercial uses and the scheme located within the Castle Street conservation area.
A revised proposal for a 68-bed care home in Handforth has returned to Cheshire East Council with officers now recommending approval after earlier concerns led to withdrawal. The scheme has been amended to address Green Belt, drainage, tree protection and biodiversity issues, with officers concluding that very special circumstances now outweigh Green Belt harm.
An outline planning application has been submitted for 180 homes at North Lumb Farm near Woodhouses, Oldham, with the applicant arguing the site qualifies as Grey Belt and should be approved in light of local housing need and a shortfall in deliverable supply. The scheme includes 63 affordable homes and areas of green/open space, and is being promoted as compliant with the NPPF Golden Rules.
Cheshire Fresh has submitted an outline planning application for Weavers Green, a proposed 280-acre development north-west of Crewe that could deliver up to 2,100 homes alongside employment space, local facilities and land for a primary school. The site is currently countryside and not allocated for development, but the application is framed against Cheshire East Council’s inability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply.
The Planning Inspectorate has overturned Cheshire East Council’s refusal of Bloor Homes’ outline application for up to 200 homes off Prestbury Road in Macclesfield. The inspector gave significant weight to the council’s shortfall in five-year housing land supply, accepted the site as Grey Belt, and found only minor landscape harm with no highway safety objection upheld.
Henley Investment Management’s proposed 78-storey redevelopment at Regent Retail Park in Salford is set to return to the planning committee after a procedural complaint raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest in the original approval process. The scheme, which includes 3,300 homes and 660 social rent units, remains under consideration while the council addresses the issue.
Knowsley Council has unveiled plans to refurbish Grace Park in Halewood, with proposals including new sports pitches, a clubhouse, improved play areas, cycle routes and better pedestrian access. The scheme also addresses existing flooding problems through sustainable drainage measures and is due to be considered by the planning committee next month.
Redrow and Bellway have each taken early planning steps for substantial housing proposals in the Warrington area, both by seeking screening opinions to determine whether Environmental Impact Assessments will be required. Redrow is proposing up to 450 homes at Culcheth, while Bellway is seeking flexibility for a second phase of up to 250 homes at Winwick, adjacent to its existing St Oswald’s Place scheme.
Torus has applied to Liverpool City Council to amend the permitted opening hours for six vacant commercial units at its Hartley Docks scheme in Liverpool. The change is intended to make the space more attractive to prospective tenants, with supporting acoustic testing indicating the longer hours should not cause material harm to nearby residential amenity.
Construction has started on Tatton Services, a £65m motorway services scheme on the M56 between Junctions 7 and 8, with opening targeted for spring 2028. The development, led by Westmorland in joint venture with Tatton Estate, includes a farm shop, food hall, hotel, filling station and EV charging, and was approved after a planning call-in and inspector decision on grey belt status.
