JMA have been working closely with St Helens Council and The English Cities Fund to produce a new vision and masterplans for St Helens Town Centre and the historic market town of Earlestown.

Our approach is to encouraging people back into the town centre by providing positive spaces that people enjoy spending time in. Key to this was a thorough analysis of the historical assets of the towns and a rigorous understanding of what doesn’t work – in order to fix the problems and build unique sense of identity of both towns.

St Helens

The new masterplan increases permeability through the town centre, connecting Church Square back with the town and its key arrival points and public spaces.  A new street connects a new bus interchange with Church Square, opening up the view of St Marys Church tower, drawing people into the retail core and improving wayfinding. The urban character of the George Street and residential scale is reintroduced to Hall Street with active frontages, not the blank facades of the current Hardshaw Shopping Centre. Hall Street is extended through Church Square down to The World of Glass, linking and putting it back in the heart of the town.

The town is to be repopulated with a significant housing investment. New homes will be town houses or apartments above retail. The retail offer will be transformed away from shopping centres dominating the town centre at present.

The Market Hall is strategically located at the heart of the masterplan, activating Church Square with space for the stalls and events to spill out into the square and New Market Street. The Bus Station is overlooked by a new hotel conveniently located next to the transport hub and providing 24 hour activity and passive surveillance.

The de-engineering and rerouting of Chalon Way opens up this side of the town and the canal basin, drawing it back into the town centre. The new Discovery Park provides a green amenity space and positive edge to the town and rail line. The Park creates a new setting for the historic Quaker Meeting House linking it with The World of Glass and beyond to The Totally Wicked Stadium and Glass Futures. The character and scale of the George Street Quarter is pulled south along the eastern edge of the park, with the new streets linking it up with Church Square and the New Hall Street South, Improving permeability.