PLANS have been approved to create a new car park behind a huge residential development in the town centre.

An application was submitted to Warrington Borough Council in March relating to land off John Street, next to the ongoing Cheshire Junction scheme.

This has now been given the green light by the local authority’s planning department.

The car park will be on the east side of the development, opposite the junction with Ashton Street, occupying a 2,320-square-metre piece of currently vacant land.

It would be for the provision of private residents only, with parking associated with the neighbouring John Street residential scheme.

The £56million accommodation block is expected to bring 362 new flats in an eight-storey building, alongside a car park with 796 spaces.

Builders first moved onto the site in early 2019 and the project had been well under way, however work on the scheme stalled and construction was halted in February 2021.

In December that year, it was reported that the developer behind the unfinished apartments scheme, the High Street Group, was applying to go into administration.

But an update was provided on the development in December last year by Warrington Borough Council chief executive Steven Broomhead.

He said: “The development on John Street has now recommenced on site.

“Any significant modifications to the approved plans would be subject to a further planning application, but as yet, no other planning applications have been received.”

These latest plans, submitted by applicant EDRRI John Street Warrington SARL, are for use of land next to the site as a surface car park providing 70 parking spaces.

The proposal also sought permission for the erection of access barriers, with the car park as a whole being in operation for a temporary period of up to five years.