Ambitious plan puts community at heart of Bold Forest Garden Village
Putting the needs of the community at the heart of development, with plans for a new primary school and healthcare facility, is a key focus of the ambitious Bold Forest Garden Village Masterplan Framework that will support the delivery of circa 3,000 new high-quality homes.
Article date: 21 January 2026
Councillors at St Helens Borough Council approved the Masterplan Framework at Cabinet, which focuses on how this allocated site will be sustainably created in a landscaped-led development.
The masterplan also identifies several character areas, providing opportunities for different parts of the site to be shaped so that they feel locally distinctive.
Councillor Richard McCauley, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: "We want to thank the many people who took part in the public consultation and have helped to shape the Bold Forest Garden Village Masterplan Framework. This plan is about shaping delivery of the site in a positive way that will support not just the new development but the wider area, and the experiences of residents has helped us enormously.
"With a site of this size there are tremendous opportunities to create a high-quality development that can adapt and support the new community it creates. It's vitally important that we continue to deliver high-quality new homes to meet the demand for housing in the borough, and successful delivery of this Local Plan strategic housing site allocation will help realise deliver on our pledge. And with at least 30 per cent of the site earmarked for affordable housing it will help many of our residents move onto or up the housing ladder."
The Masterplan Framework focuses on making sure that the right infrastructure is in place, which is why it includes a new local centre, alongside green spaces, funding for secondary school and SEND education, sport and leisure facilities and transport and infrastructure updates for the whole area.
There will be further studies this year including detailed design guidance and transport modelling that will aid the masterplan and infrastructure delivery.