Multi-storey car park to replace Poundstretcher on Parker Street

An application for planning permission has been submitted to Warrington Borough Council seeking consent for the six-storey structure at the junction of Parker Street and Liverpool Road.

The land, bordering Bank Quay Station, is currently occupied by a Poundstretcher store – which would be demolished under the proposals, which comprise of 641 spaces in total.

Submission documents state: “The proposed site sits within the masterplan area as identified in the Warrington Borough Council’s 2020 Warrington town centre masterplan.

“This masterplan predicts new public parking structures at key gateway and transport hubs, replacing existing surface car parks.

“Proposals for a multi-storey car park at Bank Quay are one such key opportunity to meet these predicted parking demands as outlined in the masterplan.

“The site occupies a prominent corner of Liverpool Road and Parker Street, which also form the north and east boundaries.

“A proposed multi-storey car park will support the regeneration of the Bank Quay area and will provide additional parking spaces for rail users.”

Designs also state that the building’s design has been inspired by the town’s historical links to the wire industry.

Concepts influenced by the Warrington Transporter Bridge and a ‘house of cards’ pattern paying homage to Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland were also drawn up during the planning process.

The application adds: “Following discussions at the second pre-application meeting, it was decided that this concept may split public opinion and the town already has several Lewis Carroll-themed installations.

“Revisiting the concept ideas, the third theme – wireworks – was considered to embody a more appropriate Warrington Identity and was developed further.

“At a local level, the re-development and renewal of the site will deliver high quality parking that will contribute to the local economy and accessibility, create a positive statement that will add to the aesthetics of the locality and Warrington as a wider area and improve the use of an underutilised brownfield site which is located in a prominent area.”

Deborah Baker, of planning consultants Zerum Consult, said: "We’ve worked very closely with Warrington Borough Council to get the design and façade treatment right, and I’m grateful for their input.

"The town’s aspiration is to develop one of the best-connected central business districts anywhere in the UK, centred around an expanded Bank Quay Station.

"It’ll be the intersection of HS2 and the West Coast Main Line, and it makes perfect strategic sense to develop the area’s role as a business and residential hub.

"More rail users, office users and residents will need high quality, secure car parking of the type proposed so the scheme meets a readily identifiable need.

"It’ll make it easier to attract other developers and end users if we put infrastructure of this type in place first. 

"If permission is granted, then we’ll be playing our part in a much bigger picture around keeping Warrington fit for purpose for residents and employers alike."