News

Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has hosted a spellbinding Halloween community celebration at its Fox Wood development in Halsnead Garden Village.

On Saturday 25 October, the free event welcomed families and residents to enjoy an afternoon of spooky fun and seasonal festivities. Children took part in themed games hosted by costumed mascots, while families explored the development and soaked up the festive atmosphere. The event was filled with excitement, as neighbours of all ages came together to enjoy the half-term weekend.

Guests tucked into sweet treats and hot food from local caterers , while little ones enjoyed Halloween makeovers with face painting and glitter art, adding to the festive spirit. A cosy gazebo provided a warm and welcoming hub where families could relax , chat, and take part in the activities together.

Lucy Houlihan, Marketing Manager for Taylor Wimpey North West, said: “It’s always wonderful to see our residents and their families come  together to celebrate the seasons and enjoy the fantastic community we’re building here.

“Events like this really capture what Fox Wood is all about, bringing people together and creating a real sense of community. It’s been lovely to see so many families enjoying the day and getting to know their neighbours.”

Knowsley Council’s Cabinet has approved a proposal to expand nursery provision at St Leo’s and Southmead Catholic Primary school in Whiston.

Halsnead Garden Village has created demand for more nursery provision in the local area, with a further 65 additional early years places needed.

Section 106 developer contributions (£1.499m) have been secured from housing developers at Halsnead Garden Village to deliver more places. The funding will be used to deliver 28 additional places which will be available in time for Easter 2027:-

• 15 additional places for 2 year olds
• 13 additional places for 3 year olds alongside the 26 current places available for 3 year olds

Additional places for 2-year-olds will be provided at Cronton CE Academy and Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Cronton. Together, both schools will provide 25 additional full-time places. This provision is expected to be available by September 2026. In addition, 13 full-time places for 3 year olds have already been provided at Whiston Willis Primary Academy, with effect from September 2024.

Cllr David Longergan, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “It’s really important that early years provision is accessible to our residents.

“The additional places will enhance the quality and availability of early years education, in an area where forecast demand exceeds current supply.

“Increasing the number of nursery places in Whiston and Cronton will allow local families to access high quality early years provision in their local community, reducing travel implications and ensuring children stay in their communities and reduces travel burdens.”

The Meadows, Linden Homes’ new development at Halsnead Garden Village, has welcomed its first residents, with young couple Beth and Jordan moving into their three-bedroom home.

The collection of three and four-bedroom homes launched earlier this year as part of the Halsnead Garden Village development. Since opening the show homes in July, Linden Homes has taken several reservations, with The Mountford house type proving particularly popular.

Beth and Jordan are the first homeowners to move into the development after purchasing a Mountford house type. This is the second property the couple have owned, after moving from Runcorn to be closer to Beth’s family and workplace.

Speaking about their experiences, Beth said: “We have always dreamed of owning a new-build home and we fell in love with Linden Homes when we attended The Meadows’ pre-launch event earlier this year. We reserved our home off-plan in May and moved into it at the end of August. We’ve now got our dream double-fronted home, with the utility room that I’ve always wanted!” 

Linden Homes, part of Vistry, is recognised for its high-quality homes, designed for flexibility and backed by a 10-year warranty. It is bringing 54 three and four-bedroom homes to The Meadows, with prices currently starting at £255,000.

Zac Worthington, Managing Director at Vistry Merseyside and Cheshire West, commented: “It’s amazing to see The Meadows development come to life as we welcome our first residents. Hearing the positive experience Beth and Jordan have had as they settle into their dream Linden home fills me with pride. This is testament to our highly skilled sales team which offers a friendly and supportive approach to home buying. A big congratulations to Beth and Jordan on their brand new home – we wish them many years of happiness here.”

Knowsley Council has launched a consultation seeking the views of the public into future improvements at Stadt Moers Park.

Stadt Moers is Knowsley’s largest municipal park and the council has launched the consultation to help shape plans to develop the park into a vibrant and inspiring destination serving Knowsley residents, and the wider Liverpool City Region.

The consultation will ask for people’s views about how the park could be further improved, including what they think about children’s play and youth facilities, buildings, landscaping, natural habitats, as well as events and activities at the park.

Residents can complete the consultation online before 1 November or they can come along to a series of daytime and evening drop-in sessions during September and October. The drop-in sessions are on:

Tuesday, 16 Sept, 7pm – 9pm: Prescot Community Church, Old Colliery Road, Whiston, L35 3SX

Thursday, 18 Sept, 11am – 3pm: Huyton Leisure and Culture Park, Longview Drive, Huyton, L36 6EG

Saturday, 20 Sept, 9am – 12 noon, Stadt Moers Park Environment Centre, Pottery Lane, Whiston, L35 3RG

Monday, 22 Sept, 7 – 9pm: George Howard Centre, Lickers Lane, Whiston, L35 3SR

Thursday, 25 Sept, 1 – 3pm: The Old School House, St John’s Road, Huyton, L36 0UX

Wednesday, 1 Oct, 7 – 9pm: Stadt Moers Park Environment Centre, Pottery Lane, Whiston, L35 3RG

Information from the consultation will help shape a Masterplan for the park. Details of the Masterplan will be shared during a second consultation phase later this year. The Friends of Stadt Moers Park will be key partners in developing the Masterplan.

Cllr Shelley Powell, Knowsley’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods said: “We want the park to be a key element in the regeneration of the local area, supporting the quality of life of local residents, bringing communities together, linking them to local amenities and workplaces, as well as delivering social, educational, health and economic benefits to the area.  It is essential that the proposals for the park are shaped by the local residents it is there to serve.”

Here’s more information about the consultation. For further details contact Knowsley Council’s Environmental Sustainability Service on Tel: 0151 443 3682, email: ess.enquiries@knowsley.gov.uk.

A Halsnead Garden Village housebuilder is continuing its support for Knowsley Flower Show for the third consecutive year with a £1,000 donation, helping to celebrate the annual community event.

This year’s Knowsley Flower Show, taking place on Sunday 3 August, marks the event’s 27th year.

Taylor Wimpey is supporting the council-led event, this time as sponsor of the Healthy Lifestyles and Environments Zone, a key feature of the show that promotes wellbeing, sustainability, and greener living.

To mark the occasion, Cllr Shelley Powell, Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods at Knowsley Council, paid a visit to Taylor Wimpey’s Fox Wood development at Halsnead Garden Village. During the visit, Cllr Powell met with members of the sales team and was given a tour of the site, including the newly created green open spaces that echo the community spirit celebrated at the show.

Cllr Shelley Powell, Knowsley Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods said: “The Knowsley Flower Show is one of the longest standing and biggest cultural events to happen in the borough. Thousands of people attend the show each year and it’s important to us that this event remains free of charge so as many people as possible can be a part of it. We couldn’t do that without the support of fantastic companies like Taylor Wimpey providing support and sponsorship year after year.”

Jennifer Burns, Sales and Marketing Director at Taylor Wimpey North West, said: “We’re thrilled to be sponsoring the Knowsley Flower Show for the third year running. It’s a fantastic celebration of local creativity, community and green living, which are values that align closely with what we’re building at Halsnead Garden Village. We’re proud to support an event that brings people together across the community.”

To find out more about the Knowsley Flower Show, visit: www.knowsleyflowershow.com

Homebuyers will have the chance to look around two brand new show homes at the Linden Homes’ latest development, The Meadows, at Halsnead Garden Village.

The three-bedroom Eveleigh and Mountford house types have both been selected to showcase Linden’s signature modern design. Design experts, Lifestyle Interiors, have consciously planned the show homes to offer homebuyers a glimpse at the lifestyle on offer in a Linden Home.

Linden Homes is bringing 54 three and four-bedroom homes to The Meadows at Halsnead Garden Village, with the first completions expected later this year.

It is currently offering its Deposit Assist scheme on selected plots at The Meadows. This means if a friend or family member contributes a minimum of 5% towards a homebuyer’s deposit, Linden Homes will gift £2,000 to the contributor and the buyer will also receive £5,000 to help with moving costs.

Zac Worthington, Managing Director at Vistry Merseyside and Cheshire West, commented: “Opening show homes at a new development like The Meadows always feels like a celebration. We can proudly show homebuyers the quality of the properties we are bringing to Whiston and help them visualise life in a Linden home. We’ve already seen our first reservations at The Meadows, and I’m looking forward to many other homebuyers finding their dream home here.”

To register your interest in a tour visit: https://www.lindenhomes.co.uk/developments/merseyside/the-meadows-whiston

An agreement between Knowsley Council and a local angling association will ensure a key area of open space can be managed and maintained as part of the green space offer at Halsnead Garden Village.

The Council has secured a long-term arrangement with Prescot Angling Association for the lake known as Big Water and the surrounding woodland known as Old Wood.

As a result, the Council will be commencing an ongoing programme of maintenance works and improvements to the landscaping and facilities in and around Big Water to enhance the quality of this exceptional local open space.

The agreement represents a key milestone for Big Water and the wider Garden Village site. As well as making the area more attractive and more accessible, the Council’s management of the site will also help tackle issues around fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour.

The Council will initially be focused on a deep cleanse of the area to remove litter and fly-tipping, as well as carrying out some necessary vegetation management, tree health and safety works around the car park area and walking routes around Big Water. This will be followed up by ongoing maintenance works by Council teams going forward.

The management of Big Water will include the management of marginal vegetation, control of aquatic invasive vegetation in the water body and improvement of water quality. Further tree and woodland management works are also scheduled to be delivered in the autumn/winter of 2025/26 around Big Water and the ancient woodlands within the site ahead of further improvements and ongoing maintenance in the future.

Angling activities will continue to be managed by Prescot Angling Association. Enquiries around the use of angling facilities should be directed to the Angling Association.

Cllr Shelley Powell, Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods, said: “This is a key milestone for Big Water and for the wider green and open space at Halsnead Garden Village. The Council’s management of the site will lead to immediate improvements and help tackle issues around fly tipping and anti-social behaviour. In the long term, Big Water and the surrounding area will become more attractive, more accessible and more sustainable, benefiting residents, visitors and the anglers who use the site.”

Follow Knowsley News and our social media channels for further exciting updates about Big Water and the wider Halsnead Garden Village site!

Working in partnership with Knowsley Council and procurement specialist Fusion21, housebuilder Bloor Homes has surpassed its social value targets at its Elowen development in Halsnead Garden Village, as part of the Council’s planning obligations.

Fusion21 has been working with Knowsley Council using its Social Value Through Planning initiative to support the delivery and monitoring of social value throughout the construction phase of the development.

The collaboration between Bloor Homes, Fusion21 and Knowsley Council has delivered a range of positive outcomes for the community, including:

• 11 employment opportunities created for Knowsley residents
• Three subcontracting packages with Knowsley businesses
• Three new apprenticeship opportunities for young people in Knowsley

The 11 employment opportunities created are helping to fill key roles at the Bloor site as part of the Halsnead Garden Village development, including a local National House Building Council (NHBC) inspector, ceramic tiler, groundworker, joiner, sales advisor and six bricklayers. This has achieved the social value aim of increasing the amount of Knowsley residents working on-site at the Bloor Homes development.

What’s more, two local young people who started as apprentices on the development have now been hired as full-time bricklayers.

A primary focus of this collaboration was to create more opportunities for local residents that will lead to quality full-time employment.

Cllr Tony Brennan, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic, said: “Construction of new housing at Halsnead Garden Village is not only creating much needed new homes, it is also providing employment and apprenticeships for Knowsley residents and creating supply chain contracts for Knowsley businesses. Additionally, the employment site to the south of the M62 will deliver around 1,000 new jobs.

“Halsnead Garden Village is the largest combined housing and employment development in the City Region and will provide a significant boost to the local economy.”

Sarah Maguire, Head of Social Value at Fusion21 said: “At Fusion21, we work with local authorities and developers to ensure construction projects create meaningful, sustainable, and long-term benefits for communities.

“Through this partnership, Bloor Homes has provided jobs, apprenticeships, and opportunities that will have a lasting impact on local people and businesses in Knowsley. This is exactly the kind of positive change Knowsley Council champions through its Social Value Framework.”

James Clark, Managing Director at Bloor Homes’ North West region, said: “We are proud to have exceeded our social value targets in Knowsley, and it has been very rewarding to welcome so many local people and businesses into our team at the Elowen development. We will be continuing our work experience scheme into 2025 and look forward to welcoming more young people to learn about the high standards of building we have at Bloor Homes.”

Knowsley Council’s Cabinet has approved a £1.87m investment to create new primary school places in Whiston to accommodate a growing demand for school places. Funding has been secured from the nearby Halsnead Garden Village development.

Thanks to a collaborative partnership between Knowsley Council and the Wade Deacon Trust and funding secured from housing developers creating new homes at the Garden Village, an additional 90 school places will be created at the ‘Outstanding’ Whiston Willis Primary Academy

This expansion is being funded by £1.35m in Section 106 developer contributions, with the remaining £521,000 provided by the Wade Deacon Academy Trust.

Cllr David Lonergan, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “Having reached the milestone of 200 occupied homes at Halsnead Garden Village, I am delighted that we are able to provide additional school places in readiness to meet increasing demand.

“We not only wanted to ensure there was sufficient capacity for current and new residents but that we also supported existing local schools – that we know are well regarded and performing well – to expand and welcome more children and help integration into our communities. This is just the first phase of our plan. We will continue to monitor demand to ensure additional places will be created when they are needed.”

In all, it is anticipated that over £6.5m will be secured in Section 106 developer contributions from the Halsnead Garden Village development to fund the creation of new primary school places.

The Council is keen to support established schools in the local area that are judged to be “Outstanding” or “Good” by Ofsted that can accommodate an increased intake.

Halsnead Garden Village is the largest combined housing and employment development in the Liverpool City Region, delivering approximately 1,600 new, quality homes and at least 22.5 hectares of employment land.

Halsnead Garden Village will also provide 33 hectares of new greenspaces and a new, 28 hectare Country Park.