THE developer behind an unfinished apartments scheme in Warrington town centre is set to enter administration.

An eight-storey block of 362 flats on Winwick Street had been well underway as part of the £56million Cheshire Junction scheme.

Warrington Guardian:

But Newcastle-based the High Street Group, the firm behind the huge project, has now reportedly applied to go into administration.

The company has told investors that it will go to court this month as part of this process, according to industry news site Business Live.

It is understood that the developer encountered ‘major difficulties’ due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A number of its construction sites are believed to have been taken on by other businesses, although it is unclear if Cheshire Junction is one.

Warrington Guardian:

How the scheme could look

This latest blow follows a string of previous setbacks for the troubled former industrial plot, which is located at the junction with John Street.

An earlier scheme was plagued by what would prove to be fatal issues, with its developer John S2 Limited having been placed into administration due to the financial crash of 2008.

The foundations and iron girders of the building – which would have housed 284 luxury apartments, retail units and a play area – had already been installed, but stood untouched for around a decade afterwards.

Firm directors had also mooted a hotel development on the site following the collapse of this ill-fated project.

Warrington Guardian:

The site in 2017

It was in 2017 that the latest plans – which comprise of a mix of one and two-bedroom flats, as well as a commercial unit and a café at ground level, and boast a ‘living green wall’ and a seventh-floor sky lounge – were first unveiled.

Builders first moved onto the site in 2019, with the framework of the building having been largely completed.

But work stalled in November last year amid a dispute between HSG and contractor Nobles Construction.

The two parties had been set for a courtroom battle, but the latter business entered administration itself in June owing a total of £4.3million to subcontractors and suppliers.

HSG said it had appointed a new contractor to the scheme, but little further progress has been made during 2021.

An anticipated completion date of early 2022 had been given, but this now looks highly unlikely.