A new hotel, housing and restaurants are likely to be included in an ambitious regeneration scheme close to Warrington town centre.
At its meeting on Monday, the council’s cabinet gave approval for the council to enter into a Government grant funding agreement, which would enable the Bank Quay Gateway project to be ‘developed towards concept stage’.
According to a report to cabinet, the award of grant funding to initiate the project ‘removes a number of uncertainties and risks’ associated with the Bank Quay Gateway future proposals – and the council will manage the grant award and spend of budget grant ‘through a project approach to minimise risks of budget spend and audit’.
Asked to confirm how much grant funding it will be receiving, the council says this ‘cannot be confirmed as it stands’. This information is included in the Part Two report to cabinet, which is not public.
In February 2024, it was reported that council leader Cllr Hans Mundry secured support from regional leaders for a new transport hub in the town. It was reported that Cllr Mundry has been working to secure the future of Warrington as a regional and national transport hub sitting at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse Rail.
The plan would connect Manchester, Liverpool, Chester, North Wales and the wider North of England through Northern Powerhouse Rail to the West Coast Main Line which stretches from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh. This would be achieved through a new Warrington Bank Quay ‘low level’ station to be built alongside the existing station.
Asked when it expects the ‘low level’ station to be open, a council spokesman said: “The development and delivery of the Northern Powerhouse Rail scheme will be led by the Department for Transport and no detailed programme has been set for the delivery of the scheme.
“We are awaiting more details of this from the Government but this would be a major transport scheme of national significance and would take time to develop and deliver. Realistically, it is a medium to long term scheme most likely delivered in a 15-20 year timescale.”
Furthermore, asked if the Bank Quay Gateway plans still also include proposals for a hotel, retail, restaurants and offices – as previously reported – the spokesman said: “The Warrington Bank Quay Gateway represents an exciting opportunity for the delivery of regeneration and economic growth for Warrington.
“The final makeup of proposals to be delivered is still to be confirmed but would certainly be likely to include those proposals, plus the delivery of new housing.”
