Decision over proposed Thatto Heath c-store deferred again

A decision over plans for a new convenience store in Thatto Heath, St Helens has been deferred again.

Cordage 10 Ltd’s application proposing the erection of a convenience store served by a new vehicular access off Lowfield Lane and the creation of a shared car park for use by the convenience store and the retained public house, along with associated landscaping, came before the planning committee at its meeting in April.

It was confirmed that the end user of the store would be Heron Foods.

The committee voted to defer a decision on the application to allow members to carry out a site visit, in order to get further information and a wider understanding.

And the scheme came before the committee again at its meeting on Tuesday.

The application site is located at the junction of Elton Head Road and Lowfield Lane.

Currently, the site is occupied by part of the Boars Head public house car parking facilities and an area of vacant land to the rear.

A total of 35 car parking spaces would be provided to the rear of the site.

But committee chair Cllr Derek Long said the site visit ‘unfortunately’ could not take place on Tuesday.

Cllr Richard McCauley, cabinet member for regeneration and planning, said: “I called for the site visit if you recall and then I only realised this morning it was half term.

“The reason I called for it was so we could see the displacement of traffic and what would be caused.

“So when I realised I contacted the planning officers who subsequently cancelled the site visit.

“My recommendation would be that we defer it again until we can have a look at that but I’ll leave that to the committee, chair.”

Cllr Long said he thinks it ‘makes better sense’ to defer.

The committee voted to defer the application again.