Thank you for visiting our consultation website for the proposed redevelopment of the former Padgate Campus of the University of Chester.
David Wilson Homes is bringing forward plans for a modern, high-quality residential community, consisting of approximately 400 homes.
Our plans include a range of types, tenures and sizes of home, supported by car parking and improved pedestrian links, as well as over 2.5 hectares of public open space, including green lawns, tree planting, extensive landscaping and play areas for children.
We want to create a development which reflects the needs of the local community, and we are excited to be giving a new lease of life to an underutilised site.
Our public consultation has now closed, and we are grateful to all those who submitted feedback. We are now in the process of reviewing all comments received before submitting a planning application to Warrington Borough Council
Our public consultation has now closed, and we were delighted to hear from you during this time.
You can still speak to a member of the project team by calling or emailing us
The former Padgate Campus covers 13.24 hectares and is located off Crab Lane and Fearnhead Lane. The site sits just three miles away from central Warrington. Previously, the site was home to educational and sports facilities for students at the University of Chester, but the University took the decision to close the campus in 2021 so activity could be relocated to state-of-the-art facilities in Warrington town centre.
As such, there are now several vacant buildings on the site. Some of the sports facilities remain, which are currently used by Warrington Wolves and Warrington Wolves Foundation, whilst other facilities like the running track and hockey pitch are not fit for use. We are excited to be bringing a new lease of life to the site, providing much needed housing, whilst also delivering green space for the local community in a prime location.
The masterplan has been designed with a strong landscape led framework with key areas of open space proposed throughout the site in accordance with Council standards. Our focus has been to ensure the delivery of a new, sustainable neighbourhood that integrates into the wider community.
By transforming an underutilised site into a vibrant neighbourhood, we can reduce the pressure of future development on Green Belt land and preserve the natural beauty that surrounds Warrington.
A gateway entrance is proposed off Crab Lane to enhance the aesthetic appeal, leading into a tree lined avenue through the development. Neighbouring properties at the boundaries have been respected and new plots positioned accordingly to minimise the impact on existing residents.
Please click on the glowing markers on the plan to find out more:
A unique mix of around 400 high quality new homes, catering for a diverse range of people, offering a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses
Apartment blocks to the east of the site to reflect the larger buildings across Crab Lane
Adaptable homes which are accessible for the elderly and people with disabilities
A sensitively designed scheme with new tree planting, extensive landscaping and new and enhanced pedestrian links
Working closely with Warrington Council to explore opportunities for a new cycle link along Fearnhead Lane
The development will result in a 10% net gain in biodiversity through the creation of new habitats across the site
More than 2.5 hectares of public open space for the wider community to enjoy and come together, including a number of play areas for children
Attenuation ponds and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems to help minimise any risk of flooding in the area
Vehicle Access Point
Vehicle Access Point
Vehicle Access Point
New electricity sub-station to ensure grid capacity for the new homes and existing community
Pedestrian-only access point
Pedestrian-only access point
Pedestrian-only access point
Pedestrian-only access point
Retention of established trees and the introduction of new habitats and ecological enhancements to support local wildlife, ensuring a 10% biodiversity net gain
New pedestrian links across the site to stitch the new neighbourhood into the existing community and open up previously private land for all to enjoy
Celebrating the site’s heritage by retaining the alumni memorial trees on site and finding opportuniities to further enjoy the University's history at Padgate
Meeting local need for new houses whilst preventing precious Green Belt land from speculative housing development across the borough
A significant investment into Padgate and the wider Warrington area, providing a economic boost and the creation of new employment opportunities
Collaboration with local organisations and governing bodies to secure the long-term of sporting facilities across Warrington
Working with Warrington Council to facilitate a new cycle link along Fearnhead Lane that connects into the proposed development
Homes designed to Future Home Standard, aiming for the delivery of solar panels, non-gas boilers, and access to electric vehicle charging points
More than 2.5 ha of public open spaces for leisure and socialising, including new green spaces and a number of children’s play areas
To learn more about the various technical considerations, please click a tab below.
Vehicular access to the site will be taken from three new priority junctions, two on Crab Lane to the north and east of the site, and one on Fearnhead Lane to the south. There will also be a number of new pedestrian access points around the site to stitch the new neighbourhood into the existing community.
Both vehicular and pedestrian access to the site, internal roads, parking and turning areas will be designed in accordance with current local and national design standards.
A Full Transport Assessment will be submitted with the planning application and our initial work has found that the scheme will have a minimal impact on the local road network.
The site is well-served by public transport, with numerous bus stops located along Crab Lane and Fearnhead Lane, whilst the nearest train station is Padgate Station, only a 10-15 minute walk from the site. Situated on the Manchester to Liverpool line, journey times are around 5 minutes to Warrington Central, 30 minutes to Manchester and 40 minutes to Liverpool.
The development proposal will see the delivery of around 2.5 hectares (just over 6 acres) of public open space. Across the site there will be new play areas for children, new planting, structural landscaping such as fencing, and new habitat creation.
Existing hedgerows and trees surrounding the site are to be retained where possible to create a mature setting for the development.
The public open space will be an important resource, not only for the new residents of the development, but also for the existing wider community across Padgate and Fearnhead, as the site will be opened up for all to enjoy.
A comprehensive survey of existing trees across the site has been carried out and the planning application will be supported by an Arboricultural Impact Assessment report. The report will detail the impacts of the proposed development on tree cover, including remediation works required to make the site safe, and will propose measures for the safeguarding of retained trees throughout the construction phase.
Extensive tree planting and landscaping works will be undertaken on the site to integrate and enhance the green infrastructure provision. Whilst a number of low grade trees will need to be removed, through extensive planting across the site we are aiming to deliver more trees back, planting two new for every one removed.
The site’s heritage is significant and the memorial trees will be retained, and, if they do need to be relocated as part of the development, we will ensure that they remain on site.
The site has been subject to a full ecological assessment and contains a range of habitats. The majority of habitats are typical of the local area and are considered to be of low ecological value.
The site has also been assessed in relation to various protected species including nesting birds, bats, badgers, and great crested newts to ensure that there is no adverse impact on these species.
There will be measures to ensure that a 10% biodiversity net gain is achieved to mitigate the loss of any habitats. The landscaping will include native planting, new Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), ponds and scattered trees, which will provide opportunities for wildlife habitats to flourish.
The site is wholly within Flood Zone 1 and therefore at a low risk of flooding.
A Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy will be submitted with the planning application to demonstrate how the proposed development will not increase flood risk elsewhere and to set out the strategy for foul and surface water drainage.
A Noise Assessment will be undertaken, which assesses the impact of environmental sound on the scheme. It also advises on suitable acoustic design to reflect the local character.
The assessment will be submitted with the planning application, which will detail the results and the recommendations for acoustic treatment across the site.
The main sources of pollution will come from the local road network. However, as part of the application, an Air Quality Assessment will be undertaken to assess the impact of the development on the air quality.
This will be submitted alongside the planning application.
We were delighted to hear from you at both our drop in session at Fearnhead Community Centre on Saturday 27th January and in our webinar session on Thursday 1st February.
All feedback is now being reviewed by the project team and will be summarised in a Statement of Community Involvement which will be submitted to the Council alongside the planning application.
You can still get in touch with the project team by:
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The Consultation
The public consultation opened on Tuesday 23rd January and will run until Friday 9th February 2024, meaning there are three weeks to learn about the plans and submit feedback.
We are consulting with local residents, politicians, business representatives, community groups and local stakeholders – essentially anyone who would have an interest in the plans or could be affected by the proposals.
The easiest way to submit your feedback is via the online form, available here.
Alternatively, you can:
All feedback received during the consultation will be considered by the project team to explore how they can help shape the evolving plans, and then summarised in a Statement of Community Involvement submitted to the Council alongside the planning application.
Once the application has been submitted, the Council will commence its own formal consultation on the proposals, before Planning Officers make a recommendation on whether the plans should be approved or refused. The statutory determination period is 13 weeks so this process is likely to take several months.
The Site
Padgate Campus is a 13.24 ha site located off Crab Lane and Fearnhead Lane, around a 12-minute drive from central Warrington. The University of Chester has vacated the site in 2021 and selected David Wilson Homes North West as its preferred developer to bring forward an exciting new future for the site.
No – this site is not Green Belt land and is located within the Suburban Area of Warrington. The campus was home to educational and sporting facilities to students at the University of Chester but has not been used by the University since all activity was relocated in 2022. Some of the sporting facilities are used by Warrington Wolves RLFC and the Warrington Wolves Foundation, and our team are working closely with both the Club and the Foundation to support their planned relocation to Victoria Park.
The site is not allocated for a particular use in the Local Plan but is within the Suburban Area of Warrington. However, we believe that developing the site would help reduce pressure on speculative Green Belt development in the future by providing much-needed new homes that will alleviate pressure on the existing housing supply.
Sports Facilities
There are now several vacant educational buildings on the site. Some of the sports facilities which remain are still used by Warrington Wolves RLFC and Warrington Wolves Foundation, whilst others like the running track and hockey pitch are not fit for use. Our team is working closely with both the Club and Foundation to support their planned relocation.
Warrington Wolves has already announced its planned relocation to Victoria Park and will remain at Padgate until November 2024. The club’s move represents an exciting opportunity for the town, and the integration between the professional club, its community arm and local clubs will help to drive sports participation and extend the reach of the club across Warrington, providing positive outcomes for the local community.
David Wilson Homes is in the process of undertaking a detailed consultation process with the Council’s Open Space Officers, Sport England, local sports clubs and sporting governing bodies to agree an acceptable solution in terms of mitigating for the loss of the existing sports facilities. This forms part of a comprehensive Sports Mitigation Strategy that is being developed by our specialist sports consultants to set out the framework to re-provide sports facilities across the town.
We have engaged with a number of local sports clubs, including: Warrington Wolves; Warrington Wolves Community Foundation; Lymm Hockey Club; Warrington Hockey Club; The RFL; The Football Foundation and England Hockey to better understand local need and priorities for sport across the borough.
Site Considerations
David Wilson Homes North West has carefully considered the impact that the development may have on the local area and surrounding properties and is carrying out a suite of technical assessments which will be submitted to the Council alongside the planning application.
The scheme design has been designed to minimise any impact to neighbouring properties, enhance the local landscape and stitch into the existing community.
A Transport Assessment is being carried out by Mode which will assess the impact on local roads and any measures required to address the impact. This assessment will be submitted alongside the planning application.
Our initial studies have found that the proposed residential scheme will have minimal impact on the local road network, when compared to the campus development.
Our initial work has found that the scheme will not have an impact on the local roads when compared to the student development. Because of this, the Council’s highways officers have not asked for any further mitigation measures on the local road network as a result of the scheme.
The masterplan has considered vehicle movements and steps have been taken to provide three different access points around the site to disperse flows at peak times.
Each home will include sufficient off-road parking relative to the house size, in line with the Council’s design standards. These parking spaces will also be equipped with electric vehicle charging points.
There will be three primary access points for the site, with two vehicular access roads to the north and east taken off Crab Lane, and one to the south from Fearnhead Lane. The active travel network will be enhanced and improved to provide a network of pedestrianised and cycling routes throughout the site and the surrounding areas.
As part of the planning process, David Wilson Homes North West will work with the Council to understand the current provision of local services and how new homes in the area might affect them. If the Council deem it necessary, appropriate contributions will be made to the Council so that it can invest in local services.
We are keen to hear from residents about what local investment is required so please do let us know your thoughts!
The relocation of the Warrington Wolves RLFC to Victoria Park represents an exciting opportunity for the town, integrating a professional club with its community arm. The scheme will also mean that Padgate will be opened up to the community, with high-quality open space and play areas for use by both the existing community and new residents.
We are also working closely with Council Officers and the Parish Council to understand how the investment, known as a Section 106 payment, can be used to benefit the local area. This payment will sit separately to the sports re-provision, so please share your thoughts on where that money could be invested to best support the community around Padgate and Fearnhead.
A LEAP is an unsupervised area equipped for children of early school age and within five minutes walking time of home. It contains between five and six pieces of play equipment and should be appropriate for the ages of 4-8 years of age, although consideration is also given to younger supervised children. There will be two ‘LEAPs’ provided on the site.
A NEAP is an unsupervised site servicing a substantial residential area. This area would be equipped for older children, aged 8-14 years, and contains between six and nine pieces of play equipment. It would also have provision for slightly younger children. There will be one ‘NEAP’ provided as part of this scheme.
Design Principles
We are proposing to bring forward up to 400 residential homes, offering two, three, and four bedrooms in the form of detached and semi-detached houses, as well as mews properties. These houses will be a maximum of two and a half storeys in height.
We will also be delivering adaptable properties, accessible for the elderly and people with disabilities, as well as three storey apartment blocks (one and two bedroom) to the east of the site.
Yes! We really care about our developments being surrounded by eco-systems and the wider environment via incorporating natural spaces and wildlife habits within a network of green infrastructure connected by footpaths and cycleways. We will retain, enhance and make more accessible natural assets such as trees, hedgerows and water features, where possible.
An energy consultant has been engaged to demonstrate that the proposals will comply with all relevant policies regarding renewable and low carbon energy sources and energy efficiency.
The new homes will all be designed to comply with the latest Building Regulations to ensure they meet the highest sustainability standards. We are also proposing to include solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on each home, so future residents can benefit from clean and reliable renewable energy sources.
Construction
It is anticipated that subject to planning permission being granted, construction will commence late 2024.
It is anticipated that the site will take approximately six years to be built out in its entirety.
The remediation and demolition of the site will take approximately six to nine months to complete. Following this, and following the creation of roads and sewers, the foundations will commence in early 2026. We expect the first occupations to move in mid-2026.
The details of construction traffic and management of the construction process will be set out in a Construction Environmental Management Plan as part of the planning application. This will set out a range of measures that David Wilson Homes will adhere to in order to minimise disruption during construction.
David Wilson Homes North West is part of the wider Barratt Developments PLC which is a housing group with decades of experience building high quality new build homes since 1958. During the 1990s the Barratt Group grew organically, establishing an unrivalled track record of consistent growth. In April 2007, Barratt acquired Wilson Bowden PLC and today the group has a network of 27 housebuilding divisions throughout Britain, selling new build homes under the Barratt Homes and David Wilson brands.
David Wilson Homes aims to provide the highest standard of design, construction and customer service in the business, resulting in a host of major industry awards in recent years.
We have been rated the highest quality national major housebuilder, having been the only major housebuilder to be awarded an exclusive ‘5 Star Housebuilder Award’ by the Homebuilders Federation every year since 2010.
If you are interested in a new home at Padgate Campus, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please register your interest below and David Wilson Homes will keep you updated as the plans progress.
What type of home are you interested in? Please tick all that apply:
The information you provide will only be used for the purpose of this scheme. The data will be held securely in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and General Data Protection Regulation.