Chapelford Village

Located on the site of the old Burtonwood Air Base, this is a huge development project over 92 hectares which work started on back in 2003 and will finish by 2008.

In total, Chapelford Village will have 2,000 new homes hitting all sections of the market, from low-cost and shared ownership, to large, four and five bed detached.

Also included will be shops, community facilities - including a school and healthcare - a railway station and a public park

Omega Opportunity

The Omega Opportunity is a 226-hectare (558 acre) site, comprising the former Burtonwood Air Base adjacent to and bisected by the M62 motorway.

The Omega Opportunity will provide 650,000 sq m (7 million sq ft) of offices, manufacturing, technology and distribution space along with some ancillary uses such as live/work units, leisure/retail facilities, hotel and conference facilities. Approximately 24,000 jobs are likely to be created over the life of the scheme.

http://www.omegaopportunity.com/images/gallery/artist1.gif
http://www.omegaopportunity.com/images/master/plans_main.gif
http://www.omegaopportunity.com/images/gallery/dvd3.jpg

Trinity Green

Located near the town centre this is a mixed development of apartments, semi detached, terraced, and townhouses.

http://ssw.countryside-properties.com/trinitygreen/images/siteplan_general.gif

Golden Square

The town centre is currently undergoing a huge redevelopment to double the size of Golden Square to 640,000 square feet. That will increase the number of shops to over 140 (up from 80) with new malls being built.

The old multi storey car park is being demolised to make way for a Debenhams and new car parking spaces (1,700) will be provided over 4 levels.

Before
http://www.goldensquareshopping.co.uk/webimages/Map_before_the_dev.gif

After
http://www.goldensquareshopping.co.uk/webimages/Map_with_the_dev.gif

http://www.goldensquareshopping.co.uk/webimages/page%20banners/Mall%20Perspective_small_web2.gif
http://www.goldensquareshopping.co.uk/webimages/page%20banners/Warrington_Midland%20Way_small_web3.gif

Spring 2007 is the completion date.

Warrington Interchange

As part of the redevelopment the 30 year old bus station is going and a new one is opening up across the road. Currently open is a temporary bus station on the site, which is going to be built up into the new station called Warrington Interchange.

It will include


Electronic bus information screens
Single level access for all buses
Real Time Passenger Information – giving the traveller up-to-the-minute information
Links to and from Warrington Central Station
Travel Information Office
Retail outlets
Fully integrated CCTV between Warrington Interchange and Golden Square


http://www.austinsmithlord.com/data/cawbs1l.jpg
http://www.austinsmithlord.com/data/cawbs2l.jpg

Warrington Collegiate

Warrington Collegiate is building a new £27 million campus. The striking curved glass and brick structure, featuring environmentally friendly energy systems, replaces the apartment-style building which has been a part of Warrington’s landscape for more than 30 years.

The project is the largest development of its kind in Warrington and will revolutionise education facilities in the town. The new campus will include a £3.5m Business School, a theatre, a training restaurant, hairdressing and beauty salons and a major construction skills centre.

http://www.warringtonfirst.com/news/news_2_big.jpg

This is currently being built, anyone who has seen the current tower block will understand how good it will be that the old tower will come down.

Fire Regional Control Centre

Nine control centres will replace the existing 46 local fire service control rooms across the country. Warrington has been chosen as one of the locations, here is an artists impression and an overview of the site it's going on.

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/matt.lister/firecontrol.jpg
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/matt.lister/firecontrol2.jpg
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/matt.lister/firecontrol3.jpg

Cheshire Lines Building

Built in the 1800's, the Cheshire Lines warehouse, served as a goods distribution centre for the railway system from Warrington. The building has been derelict for decades.

Developers David McLean Homes will convert the existing building in Winwick Street into apartments and build another four apartment blocks on the site - bringing the total number of flats to 221.

This is how it looks at the moment

http://www.urbanunderworld.co.uk/chesh_end.jpg

The Wireworks

Joint venture between Modus and Iliad. The scheme comprises of 7 acres of prime mixed residential and commercial development, in one of the country's most dynamic and successful business locations Warrington, Cheshire.

600 apartments (a mixture of 1, 2 and 3 bed properties), built to a high specification, are proposed together with underground and multi storey parking for over 1,000 vehicles.

New leisure/commercial/retail facilities will provide the perfect mix of uses for town centre living, which will be anchored by a multiplex cinema

http://www.modusproperties.co.uk/images/homes-photo1.jpg
http://www.thisischeshire.co.uk/cheshire/images/warrington2009.jpg

Times Square

http://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/images/buildings/newtimesquare.jpg

Source: David Skentelbery http://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk

A MULTI-million £ development to replace Warrington’s Time Square shopping centre has been unveiled.
New Time Square will be an exciting 11-storey mix of shops, restaurants, a multiplex cinema and luxury apartments. Construction could start as early as 2007 – subject to planning approval.

There will be underground parking and a new bridge link to the existing multi-storey car park on Academy Way.
The scheme – the second to be drawn up for the Time Square site in recent years – has been developed by a team consisting of The Big Apple Warrington, Amstone, Dalgleish Retail Property Insight, Lowry Homes, Signet Planning and Leach Rhodes Walker Architects.

A spokesman said the development would be designed to complement the existing surround retail property, including Warrington Market, and would aim to encourage shoppers to stay on into the evening. “It will be designed with the whole community in mind, family focused, combining shopping and leisure facilities and creating a new town centre leisure destination.” Central to the scheme will be a landscaped public square where people can meet or enjoy alfresco dining at one of the many restaurants.

Only a month ago, Manchester-based Modus Properties, announced a similar scheme for land off Winwick Street, Warrington.

This project also involved shops, a cinema, hotel, restaurants, offices and luxury apartments. It differs from the New Time Square project in that it involves land which has already been cleared of old, largely worn-out buildings while the new scheme involves replacing an existing shopping centre.

Woah?!! A tower for Warrington... Now C'mon!! If theres availability and demand for something that size so close to my hometown then they can plan and build one similair for lil old Wigan :D:D lol..

Seriously, those plans and projects are great stuff.. The shopping centre looks better than what they're building here anyway, nice lil interchange too.. :) Welcome to the forum anyway, newbie :P:)

These projects are typical of Warrington... business parks, shopping centres and retail parks :sleepy:
That last tower looks interesting though.

That Golden Square thing looks like shit... why are we still building crap like that! Mind boggling

That Golden Square thing looks like shit... why are we still building crap like that! Mind boggling

I'm confident that it will look good when it's finished, it will be better than what was there (disused land, a horrible looking multistorey and a 1970's bus station)

I've added 2 more projects to the topic with Warrington Collegiate, and the Cheshire Lines Building.

I'll get one of my cameras and take photos at some point.

Warrington is going to end up being like Mississauga in Canada :ohno:

I'm confident that it will look good when it's finished, it will be better than what was there (disused land, a horrible looking multistorey and a 1970's bus station)

I've added 2 more projects to the topic with Warrington Collegiate, and the Cheshire Lines Building.

I'll get one of my cameras and take photos at some point.

but why not revert to a multi-use traditional street layout? Indoor shopping complexes are too dominating and sterile. You cant get long-term use out of them, far too limiting

but why not revert to a multi-use traditional street layout? Indoor shopping complexes are too dominating and sterile. You cant get long-term use out of them, far too limiting

We have multi-use street layout on quite a number of streets in the town centre with a lot of the big names but then the Golden Square also works alongside that as does Cockhedge Shopping Park and the Indoor Market.

the shopping centre is going to look really good where is the tower planned for?

where is the tower planned for?

It's planned for Winwick Road across the road from Warrington Central Train Station and near Warrington Interchange and The Halliwell Jones Stadium, so it's right in the Town Centre.

They knocked down some old buildings a couple of months ago and at the moment it's a temporary car park. It will look really impressive in that location.

It's planned for Winnick Road across the road from Warrington Central Train Station and near Warrington Interchange and The Halliwell Jones Stadium, so it's right in the Town Centre.

They knocked down some old buildings a couple of months ago and at the moment it's a temporary car park. It will look really impressive in that location.
winick street i think you mean thanks for the info.

http://www.modusproperties.co.uk/images/homes-photo1.jpg
anyone got more on this... like architect?

Well it's a joint development venture between Modus and Iliad I don't know about the architect though or if they do their own.

Also added information about the Fire Regional Control Centre that Warrington has just been awarded.

thanks matt, ive emailed them

Any information that you get from them could you possibly forward it to me please.

Obviously this will not be coming to Warrington now, but a couple of years ago there was a big fuss about a new communications centre for NATO. The UK was said to be the preferred location and Omega was supposedly on a shortlist of 3 sites for the 1m sq ft centre.

What happened to this? Was it built elsewhere in the world or did NATO decide they didn't need a huge new communications centre afterall?

A MULTI-million £ scheme for a cinema, hotel, restaurants, shops, offices and luxury apartments in the centre of Warrington has been announced by Manchester-based Modus Properties.

The plan involves land off Winwick Street - the last remaining undeveloped site in the town centre. Modus, in a joint venture with the Liverpool based Iliad Group, known as The Winwick Partnership, will shortly submit a planning application to the borough council.

It involves about 600 high specification apartments, a multi-screen cinema, hotel and numerous restaurants.
Modus say the proposals will provide a "perfect mix" of uses for a town centre site. It is the second time Modus has put forward proposals for the site - a sprawling area of derelict buildings, demolition sites and former industrial premises.

In 1999 they proposed a £25 million scheme, also involving a multi-screen cinema, but also including bars, restaurants and a bowling alley. But talks between the council and the company broke down and Modus pulled out of the deal.

The new scheme provides excellent links to Warrington new town centre bus station - already under construction - Warrington Central Station and the existing Golden Square, which is also undergoing a major expansion. A spokesman for Modus said: "Subject to the progress of the application, it is hoped that construction would commence by the end of 2006. Modus/Iliad will ensure that the construction programme is managed in such a way as to minimise any impacts upon neighbouring businesses and others within the remainder of the town centre.

Modus director Mike Riddell said: "This scheme will transform Warrington. We are delighted to be working with Warrington Council to provide this development, which could become an inspiration for future urban regeneration projects across the UK. "The scheme will create a distinctive and cosmopolitan environment that will provide unique opportunities for life in Warrington."

Modus will be holding a public consultation at the Pyramid Arts Centre, Warrington on Friday, September 9 when interested parties will be able to view the plans and other images which will accompany the planning application. They can also meet members of the developer's professional team and ask questions about the proposals.

Picture shows an artist's impression of the new development.

http://www.thisischeshire.co.uk/cheshire/images/warrington2009.jpg

Source: http://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk

- I might go to that on Friday to have a look at the plans.

warrington is undergoing a boom at the moment there is construction all over the town.

well i didnt hear back from modus, their loss. i must add these warrington ones though - or caw

warrington is undergoing a boom at the moment there is construction all over the town.
Pity that most of it is not the best of quality.

Warrington is going to end up being like Mississauga in Canada :ohno:
It'll end up being better than Sheffield. :(

It'll end up being better than Sheffield. :(
Warrington will never be better than Sheffield, simply because of the structure of each town. Sheffield is vibrant and historic. Warrington can be nice, but it cant have that warm vibe that Sheffield has.
But Preston council have threatened that we will be better than Sheffield by 2012 :laugh: (no joke lol)

http://www.modusproperties.co.uk/images/homes-photo1.jpg
anyone got more on this... like architect?

Falconer Chester of Liverpool

and here is Warringtons latest development site- the Greenalls distillery exploding on saturday night, as viewed from my house on Gainsborough Road!

http://tinypic.com/eq6m1j.jpg

Christ...

Times Square

http://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/images/buildings/newtimesquare.jpg

Source: David Skentelbery http://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk

A MULTI-million £ development to replace Warrington’s Time Square shopping centre has been unveiled.
New Time Square will be an exciting 11-storey mix of shops, restaurants, a multiplex cinema and luxury apartments. Construction could start as early as 2007 – subject to planning approval.

There will be underground parking and a new bridge link to the existing multi-storey car park on Academy Way.
The scheme – the second to be drawn up for the Time Square site in recent years – has been developed by a team consisting of The Big Apple Warrington, Amstone, Dalgleish Retail Property Insight, Lowry Homes, Signet Planning and Leach Rhodes Walker Architects.

A spokesman said the development would be designed to complement the existing surround retail property, including Warrington Market, and would aim to encourage shoppers to stay on into the evening. “It will be designed with the whole community in mind, family focused, combining shopping and leisure facilities and creating a new town centre leisure destination.” Central to the scheme will be a landscaped public square where people can meet or enjoy alfresco dining at one of the many restaurants.

Only a month ago, Manchester-based Modus Properties, announced a similar scheme for land off Winwick Street, Warrington. This project also involved shops, a cinema, hotel, restaurants, offices and luxury apartments. It differs from the New Time Square project in that it involves land which has already been cleared of old, largely worn-out buildings while the new scheme involves replacing an existing shopping centre.

A SINGLE decision on Friday could see the face of Warrington town centre change forever.

A special meeting has been organised by the borough council to decide the fate of two schemes for Winwick Street and Time Square, estimated to be worth more than £100m combined.

More information including artist's impressions at
http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/towncentre these two schemes in the first post are called The Wireworks and Times Square.

Updates on other developments

Trinity Green - Nearing Completion

Golden Square - Has moved onto Phase 4 which will finish in April and then Phase 5 is between April 2006 – March 2007

Warrington Interchange - The structure is nearing completion but there is a lot of internal work now, should be finished on time which is May/June 2006.

Warrington Collegiate - The first phase of the £27 Million development has opened which is The Construction and Engineering Skills Centre

Cheshire Lines Building - The building has been stripped apart internallly and there is scafholding up.

Carrington Park - A development of over 500 homes looked set to be refused after a benefits plan of over £5 Million to improve education provision, health provision, transport provision and play space in the area was turned down. Countryside Properties then offered a further £1 Million and it looks set to go ahead.

I'll try to get some photos at some point.

A SINGLE decision on Friday could see the face of Warrington town centre change forever.

A special meeting has been organised by the borough council to decide the fate of two schemes for Winwick Street and Time Square, estimated to be worth more than £100m combined.

More information including artist's impressions at
http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/towncentre these two schemes in the first post are called The Wireworks and Times Square.

Updates on other developments

Trinity Green - Nearing Completion

Golden Square - Has moved onto Phase 4 which will finish in April and then Phase 5 is between April 2006 – March 2007

Warrington Interchange - The structure is nearing completion but there is a lot of internal work now, should be finished on time which is May/June 2006.

Warrington Collegiate - The first phase of the £27 Million development has opened which is The Construction and Engineering Skills Centre

Cheshire Lines Building - The building has been stripped apart internallly and there is scafholding up.

Carrington Park - A development of over 500 homes looked set to be refused after a benefits plan of over £5 Million to improve education provision, health provision, transport provision and play space in the area was turned down. Countryside Properties then offered a further £1 Million and it looks set to go ahead.

I'll try to get some photos at some point.

So whats the news on that then?


andy

I saw about this on the front of the local papers, but I was walking passed and didnt buy one so I don't know whats happening, either way I cannot feel slightly envious of the amount going on (being fairly close by) but I'm just hoping local competition will cause some rivalry.. n its not like its all dormant here..

As for you, Mr Accura, noticed a lot of anamosity to the Warrington developments, calling them mundane or just general remarks that would make well... me think that Preston was at present on a higher calibre??

From the guardians website:



18:49: Hit and miss for town centre developments
A SPECIAL meeting of Warrington Borough Council's development control committee convened on Friday afternoon to discuss two major planning applications.
The two similar schemes would bring almost £200m worth of investment into the area in total and could change the face of the town forever.
Rival developers looking to regenerate sites at Time Square and Winwick Street have both included plans for a multiplex cinema in their submissions to the council, along with a total of 925 new homes, approximately 20,000 square metres of continental dining areas, cafes and restaurants, as well as shops, a health centre and a hotel.
At Friday's crunch meeting, the proposals for the Time Square plan, worth in the region of £75m, were deferred by the committee, so that the issue of affordable housing could be explored.
However, the plans for Winwick Street, which are estimated to be worth £110m and include a landmark tower, were approved subject to referral to the Secretary of State.
This was despite representations from traders from the market, who did not want the scheme to go ahead with a cinema.
Read Thursday's Warrington Guardian for a full report.

Wilderspool Causeway
Planning Status: Full Permission Granted
108 apartments
Sales Value: £14 Million
Commencement Date: January 2005
Completion Date: December 2005

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid201/p4533b011477e8ba7fe22bb223fe0151d/f00bc085.jpg

More from the Warrington Guardian:

A £110m project to transform a gateway into Warrington has been given the go ahead.

Up to 1,000 jobs could be created when the work starts on the Winwick Street site, near Central Station. Key features of the scheme include a cinema, more than 600 new homes, continental dining facilities, a hotel and a health centre.

But plans for a similar development

on Time Square, near Warrington Market, have been put on hold because of concerns that the developers had not contributed enough towards affordable housing programmes elsewhere in the town.

Warrington Borough councillors met at a specially arranged meeting of the development control committee, on Friday evening, to discuss the proposals for the two major developments.

Despite giving their backing to the Winwick Street development, the scheme is of such significance that it is the Deputy Prime Minister who has the final say on whether the project should go ahead.

The work at Winwick Street will also see the Dallam centre relocated and improved at a substantial cost to the developer who has also put together a benefits package to provide sport, recreation and open space improvements worth £4 million.

The 613 new properties would all be luxury apartments and the site would also provide office space, as well as leisure and retail opportunities.

The scheme was passed despite concerns expressed by traders at Warrington Market that if a cinema was allowed in the Winwick Street development, it would threaten the proposals for Time Square which also include a cinema. That scheme was expected to bring in around 500 new customers to the market.

Further discussions between the developers behind the Time Square application and the council are now expected to take.

http://www.thisischeshire.co.uk/cheshire/images/winwickstreet.jpg

I really should get off my fat bottom and create a Widnes devolpment Thread, it's not like that'll take too long is it?

Anyway, what that got to do with anything as this is just over the border in Warringtonshire, ladies (ladies? Yeah, right) and Gentalmen the most impressive building in Warrington:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/HPIM0765.jpg
Fiddler Ferry Power Station

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/HPIM0762.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/HPIM0763.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/HPIM0761.jpg

Just been on site at the Golden Square centre today (not easy on a Bovis site, it's like the Spanish inquisition getting in). It's massive in there, and is really coming on, due to open in March 07 I believe. Some of the architecture's quite nice too, particularly the Debenhams store, I may not give the Bullring a run for its money but its not so far off. The whole scheme seems well designed and compact, with multi decked car parks with spiral ramps built over the bus station, it's really neat.

Went into the new look bus station yesterday- very impressive, seems more like an airport than a bus station!

Some photos of the Golden Square development from a website I've just found http://www.mywarrington.me.uk

Debenhams
http://www.mywarrington.me.uk/debenhams_061221_2.jpg
http://www.mywarrington.me.uk/debenhams_061221_3.jpg
http://www.mywarrington.me.uk/golden_square_061221_11.JPG

Warrington Interchange
http://www.mywarrington.me.uk/bus_interchange_061221_1.jpg
http://www.mywarrington.me.uk/bus_interchange_060821_16.JPG

Ramp to car park
http://www.mywarrington.me.uk/golden_square_061221_05.JPG

One of the malls
http://www.mywarrington.me.uk/golden_square_061221_01.JPG

[QUOTE=mattlister;11194000]Some photos of the Golden Square development from a website I've just found http://www.mywarrington.me.uk

Debenhams
http://www.mywarrington.me.uk/debenhams_061221_2.jpg

Ive just heard that this building collapsed last night in the winds.

Didn't the roof of the new bus station get ripped off too?

Didn't the roof of the new bus station get ripped off too?

I know all the windows went through on it.

Everytime I go into Warrington it's a bloody nightmare to get through, and there's no space anywhere, so how in the hell theyve got so many projects I have no idea

Everytime I go into Warrington it's a bloody nightmare to get through, and there's no space anywhere, so how in the hell theyve got so many projects I have no idea

Yeah it is very busy all the time St Helens town centre is really easy to get in and out of.

Had a look at the new Golden Square today, put me in mind of West Quay in Southampton. Nicely done, but no shops of any interest whatsoever! Still, a big improvement, and the bus station is very impressive.

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/2001/imag0011uz5.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4973/imag0007pt8.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/914/imag0008mj1.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3417/imag0009bm9.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/5454/imag0010km7.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/9722/imag0006yx8.jpg

I was in Warrington at the weekend and noticed that very rough looking modernist pub/club thing on Chester Road is finally being refurbed. Know anything about it SJW, plans/history etc etc?

Do you mean the one that overlooks the Mersey? Looks like it was built 60s / 70s? Dont know much about it, despite living nearby, for some reason i thought it was going to be demolished. local paper id full of news that the awful "Mr Smiths" is to reopen as a new nightclub. What a shithole, they used to do the "Hit man and Her" from there- says it all!

Ill see what i can find out about both sites.

That's the one. Always intrigued me, even as a child. From the state of it this last few years, I thought it was going that way too.

I hadn't realised Mr. Smith's had closed. They used to run buses from Wrexham to Mr. Smith's years ago, fortunately I didn't partake, despite the promise of a glimpse of Michaela Strachan.

Im stopping off at "Bargain Booze" on the way home, ill take a pic with my phone. Looks kind of like a 60s East London estate pub to me, no idea what the clientele was like..I kind of imagine pool playing, gold chains...

Mr Smiths did regular "kiddie discos" until closure, which causes chaos as vast numbers of drunken teenagers poured in from Runcorn and Liverpool- often smashing up the trains etc. I used to travel to work on the train and hated the evenings when they all got on at Runcorn East.

On a better note...

Improvements to Bank Quay Station

A MAJOR facelift is coming to Bank Quay Station and residents will have the chance to see what’s in store.

The council and Virgin Trains are working together to develop improvements to the station building and forecourt.

The improvements will include a major upgrade of the booking and entrance areas allied with improved pedestrian and public transport access on the forecourt.

The improvements, which will start to take shape during the next few months, are being funded by the council, Virgin Trains and North West Regional Development Agency.

To ensure that the improvements meet users’ needs, an exhibition is being held to display the current proposals and take views and suggestions on board.

The exhibition is being held at the Gateway on Sankey Street on Wednesday 20 June between 3pm and 8pm. For those unable to attend the exhibition the plans will be available to view at the council offices at Palmyra House until the end of July.

It is expected that the improvements will be built in two phases. The first phase will see improvements to the booking office and frontage building carried out with the second phase involving improvement works to the station forecourt.


The current programme is to complete all works early next year.
Cllr Brian Axcell, Executive Board Member for Environment Services, said: “This is good news for Bank Quay station and illustrates how we can work with partners to help deliver a user focused improvements. I hope that people do take an interest and take a look at the plans.”

Issued by Joanna Driscoll, Senior Communications Officer, (01925) 442081,Monday 11 June

Nice one. I've been meaning to take a photo of it for ages, but I never get round to it. Never struck me as the most salubrious of pubs to be honest. It would have been handy for pirate videos and duty free cigarettes no doubt.

Bank Quay is one of those stations I've been to a thousand times, but only ever for connections to/from WCML trains. I haven't got a clue what the entrance looks like. Good to see the investment though.

should have taken some shots when it was till in good nick, looks abysmal now..

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/3279/15062007hx8.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/2598/15062007001fh5.jpg

The sign pretty much tells us all we need to know..£33,000 PA to rent.

Acroos the river in Centre park there is a lot of new development, got a brochure from the council last year. All boring office park stuff, but apparently also some resi, which begs the question, who would want to live with an office park on one side and the none too pleasant Mersey on the other?? The river here is a man made cut, incredibly un-scenic.

I donned my dearstalker and managed to uncover the fact it was called The Riverside Inn. I can't seem to find any pictures of it in its pomp however.

Well that dev might be very handy for work for somebody, although I wouldn't fancy it myself. There is some housing on Wrexham Industrial Estate, right between an aluminium recycling plant and an RDC. No river and it's several miles from the town. They're the cheapest houses in the borough, surprisingly enough.

I've heard rumours about Mr. Smiths opening too....

Warrington has to be one of the flatest towns in the UK in terms of highrise residential and busines buildings. Currently the highest building in the town is 12 stories high and this is awful looking considering it was built in the 1960's. Most people have bad visions of highrise but if you look at the modern ones that are popping up in other towns and cities across the UK then surly having them in Warrington would not be a bad thing and possibly would help to reduce the number of people looking for properties to live in.

good point chris, and welcome! its funny how so many phase 3 new towns have a lack of centrality, places like Milton Keynes and Warrington are crying out for some kind of centrepiece, otherwise they are less towns than extensive office parks and suburbs. Warrington has at least a pre 1968 core, but its hardly impressive.

I have just recently returned to live back in Warrington from Reading in Berkshire and the difference between the two towns is a hell of a difference. For me the bad side is the business parks around Birchwood and Callands as this takes away all the potential for the town centre. I made a point that when people come over the Thelwall Viaduct on the M6 what is the first thing they see when looking over the Warrington skyline. Them bloody Fiddlers Ferry towers and many would argue that its not in Warrington but i am afraid it is:ohno:. Warrington needs to stand up and be seen as it is not a bad town.

I am impressed with the expansion to the Golden Square including the new Debenhams the first ever in Warrington. Also the new bus interchange is excellent looking too. I hope the proposed works on Winwick Street Time Square do actually take place as i fell it will really put Warrington on the map once and for all.

As for Warrington Bank Quay, well whatcan you really say apart from bulldoze it and start from scratch. It is not very welcoming to say the least. Most modern railway stations now have mini shopping centres attached, i think that would be a good idea for Warrington as it will attract more people to the other side of Warrington centre.

Rant over
:nuts:

That side of town really needs a boost, god knows what people think when getting off the train. It has a real feeling of neglect, the Police station could do with a clean up, the buildings opposite MFI look shabby, never mind presenting them as "superb office accomodation". The overwhelming odour of soap dosent help. Attempts have been made at Palmyra Square, but it still looks a bit unconvincing, especially as it has the grand billing of "Cultural Quarter". The town isnt really the sort of place you want want to take a visitor for a night out, it seems to cater primarily to chavvy types. For a town that is larger than Swindon, the centre dosent have much of a sense of place.

Warrington does have a good future if all the plans for redevelopment do finally take place. The proposed Omega site of the M62 will put Warrington firmly on the map interms of employment as commuters from Liverpool and Manchester will no doubt be then working in the town. I would rather see the Omega development more towards Warrington town centre rather then another "Business Park" or "Retail Park" as thats all Warrington really has to offer apart from the Golden Square.

It's great news that the Winwick Road plans have been approved, the Times Square plans have been turned down however.

A CINEMA complex will be built on the derelict land opposite Warrington Central Station.

Plans for a multi-million pound development including more than 600 apartments, shops, offices and a health centre on Winwick Street were chosen over a similar application for Times Square.

The Winwick Partnership's blueprints were given the thumbs up by Ruth Kelly after a government inspector heard three weeks of evidence at The Halliwell Jones Stadium earlier this year.

Nicholas Freeman recommended that planning permission be given for both the partnership's scheme on Winwick Street and Big Apple's vision for another cinema, restaurants, cafes and bars and revamped links and entrances to Warrington Market.

But the former Secretary of State for the Department for Communities and Local Government ruled against the regeneration of Time Square, saying it is not an identified regeneration area.

The Times Square plans might have got more backing if they had put a concert/theatre into the plans instead of a cinema. Something with a capacity similar to The Manchester Apollo (3,500) would be great for Warrington and with events promoter Simon Moran coming from the town I'm sure plenty of music acts would play Warrington, and other acts/events would probably jump at the chance of using it too.

There is a website for the development at http://www.wireworkswarrington.com

ive just read the full article in the guardian, looks ok, and certainly needed in that part of town. the architects renders include people that look distinctly un warringtonian- not a track suit in sight!!

im a bit dissapointed to see that the Cheshire Lines warehouse, despite being turned into flats, dosent appear to have had an exterior clean up, it still looks shabby but with new window frames. a good scrub would work wonders.

Have some picture of the not so new Golden Square stuff:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000846.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000847.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000851.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000857.jpg

The Bus station bit:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000858.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000860.jpg

Pyramid court:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000874.jpg

Little render at the bottom of the picture as to what it'll look like finished.

And da Pyramid, which isn't.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000878.jpg
and the back
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000870.jpg
How old is it BTW?

My second fav building in Warrington, I like the big swags things

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000887.jpg


and err :shifty:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000883.jpg

Sure it's brutal, but is brutal enough?
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000865.jpg
There is some quite nice detail to the concrete, but does anyone notice? Probably not!

Atrocity exhibition
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000863.jpg
Nice art deco(ish) building though

This is a little thing at the back, Like this 30s one too..
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000866.jpg

A couple of redbrick buildings that caught my eye:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000854.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000881.jpg

I like Warrington, it's like a mini city with it's shopping/cultural quarters, and it's home to the Fiddlers Ferry power station, tallist buildings in the north west!

Oh and it can industrial "ugly" too! Always a bonus in my book

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/P1000885.jpg