Planning chiefs look set to rubber-stamp 38 new homes on the site of a former youth club destroyed by fire.

Halton Council’s development management committee is recommended to approve an application on the site of the former Lord's Taverners Woodside Youth Centre and adjacent land on Palace Fields Avenue in Runcorn.

The centre was ravaged by fire in 2018, with Cheshire Police at the time saying they believed the centre was targeted deliberately.

An application for 48 homes by developers Mersey Regeneration was originally submitted in 2022 but have now been revised, with an application for 38 properties by the same firm set to go before planning chiefs on Monday.

Chester and District Standard: The proposed new housing estate on the site of a former youth centre in Runcorn. Image from planning docsThe proposed new housing estate on the site of a former youth centre in Runcorn. Image from planning docs (Image: Planning docs)

The 3.2 acre site is a mix of greenfield and previously developed land, bound by Palace Fields Avenue to the north and west, with the A533 Southern Express Way to the south and existing residential properties to the east.

The plans would see eight, four-bed homes, 16, three-bed properties, and four, two-bedroom homes constructed. There would be 10, one-bed properties which would be made available for affordable rent.

Two representations have been received raising concerns that the proposal will take up ‘valuable green space’ , that a 'much-needed youth club should be re-opened'.

Government regulations require a percentage of all new build homes to be deemed affordable via schemes such as affordable rent.

Recommending approval, a report to the committee said the affordable housing mix on this scheme did not provide the recommended number of two, three and four bedroom properties, instead only providing one bed homes.

But it added: "Whilst there is an element of non-compliance detailed in relation to housing and affordable housing tenure mix, this is not considered to be contrary to the development plan as a whole.

"The proposed development would provide residential development on an allocated housing site in a sustainable location, contributing to housing need in the borough."

The meeting takes place next Monday (April 8) at 6.30pm at Runcorn Town Hall.