DERELICT wasteland in Widnes is set to become a new housing development named after a piece of forgotten community history.

Later this year, Russell Homes will start work on a new residential development at the bottom of Page Lane on Warrington Road, Widnes, near what was once known as Marrabone.

Halton Borough Council need the public's help in finding out the origins of the name to uncover its rich history.

This is an area steeped in the town’s industrial past and during the mid-19th century, the farmlands and rural aspect on the banks of the River Mersey underwent a radical transformation and the town of Widnes, as it is known today, began to emerge.

It is believed the word Marrabone was derived from the word Marlybone.

In recent years parts of this former community have already been brought back onto the landscape with the reintroduction of Lea Street, Ellis Street and Pleasant Street on the site of their former locations.

Today the Warrington Road site is derelict, overgrown and untidy with no evidence of the thriving community which once lived and worked there.

The last remaining evidence of this community is Walmsley Street which now serves only as an access road to a service yard on the east of the site.

With planning permission granted for a small residential development the street names have been chosen to reflect the history with Bedford Street and Grove Street, the roads that originally occupied this site, being revived.

Additional names being used are Adelphi Grove, which marks the history of a former public house and Marrabone Street, which pays homage to the areas name.

Halton Borough Council's executive board member for transportation, Cllr Stan Hill, said: "When the newest residents take possession of their homes in 2019, a small yet significant chapter of Widnes’s Industrial history will have returned and hopefully, with it, a strong sense of community.

"The development is due to begin construction in autumn 2018.

"If anyone has any information in regard to the name ‘Marrabone’ then we would like to hear from you."

Anyone with more information can contact Iain Dignall on Iain.dignall@halton.gov.uk.