Plans unveiled to build 400 homes on Uni of Chester Padgate campus

David Wilson Homes says it is ‘delighted and proud’ to announce its intention for a new housing estate at the University of Chester’s former Padgate Campus, off Crab Lane.

The university closed the site in 2021 after the decision was taken to relocate facilities to a newer site in Warrington town centre.

Plans were being ‘finalised’ in August last year as work began to clear out accommodation quarters, with the deserted site put up for sale back in April 2022.

The only part of the site still being used is the sports facilities for Warrington Wolves which uses the site as its training base.

The university operates in the town from a former tax office on Barbauld Street, renamed the Sarah Park Redmond House, as well as from a new base in Time Square.

Real estate agents Cushman and Wakefield were assigned to sell the 33 acres of land on Crab Lane, and this was acquired by David Wilson Homes.

Education operations have now ended at the Padgate campus

The developer says plans for the campus will ‘repurpose an underutilised site and provide much-needed high quality housing’, as well as ‘helping to support the future of Warrington’s sport in delivering new and upgraded sports facilities across the borough’.

The proposed development will deliver approximately 400 new homes, catering to a diverse mix of homebuyers and delivering a range of sizes and tenures.

It is said that the scheme will be complemented by parking, improved pedestrian and cycle links and extensive landscape planting, delivering more than 2.6 hectares of open public space for the wider community to enjoy and delivering biodiversity net gain.

David Wilson Homes says it is working closely with Warrington Wolves, the club’s charitable foundation and other sports clubs to secure the long-term future of Warrington’s sport.

Talks are ongoing to develop a sports mitigation strategy which will set out the framework to re-provide upgraded sports facilities across Warrington, including the planned relocation of Wire facilities at Victoria Park.

Residents are being invited to have their say on the plans, with a public consultation running from Tuesday, January 23, until Friday, February 9.

To find out more about the consultation, as well as view an interactive virtual exhibition of the proposals, visit padgatecampus.co.uk

How the new homes could look if plans go ahead

This website also provides a platform for residents to submit feedback on the plans.

A spokesman for David Wilson Homes said: “We are delighted to introduce our plans for a new residential development at the former University of Chester Padgate campus.

“We believe this redevelopment would provide a new lease of life to a previously developed site and secure a future for Warrington’s sports offer.

“We are committed to engaging with residents to ensure the community is involved as our plans progress.

“We are looking forward to receiving feedback from the local community to help shape what the future of the site could look like.”

Following the consultation period, all feedback will be analysed before a formal planning application is submitted to Warrington Borough Council.

Residents can also provide input via email at contact@padgatecampus.co.uk or by calling the community information line, from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5.30 pm, on 0161 711 0292.