Developer Peel Land has opened a public consultation on Haydock Point, a proposed 1.3 million sq ft manufacturing and employment campus near St Helens.
The development would be located north-east of M6 Junction 23, between Haydock Island and Haydock Park Racecourse. Its plans include managed and secure HGV parking, welfare facilities for drivers and an alternative-fuel hub.
According to the developer, the facility would support:
- electric HGV charging;
- hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO);
- compressed and liquefied natural gas (CNG and LNG); and
- infrastructure prepared for the possible future introduction of hydrogen.
Peel Land says electric charging, HVO and CNG/LNG would be available from the opening of the hub. The parking and refuelling facilities would serve companies occupying the Haydock Point development but would also be accessible to other local businesses and public-service fleets.
The developer says the hub is intended to address a shortage of suitable lorry parking and quality driver facilities in the area. The consultation website describes the parking as both managed and secure and confirms that welfare facilities form part of the plans.
However, no information has yet been provided on the number of HGV spaces, the nature of the welfare facilities, the number or power of the electric chargers, or the proposed opening date.
Road changes proposed at M6 Junction 23
The wider project would also involve substantial changes to roads around Haydock Island. Peel Land proposes closing the northern arm of the A49 and diverting the route through the development to the A580 East Lancashire Road. The company says the changes would address long-standing capacity problems at Junction 23 and improve journey times.
“Our HGV hub will help tackle a known problem locally,” said Stephen Wild, managing director of Peel Land Group.
The employment campus is expected to accommodate manufacturing, industrial, logistics and commercial businesses. Peel estimates that it could support 1,845 jobs once operational.
The development would also include a central hub with cafés or restaurants, leisure and health uses, and a crèche. Landscaping and wildlife areas equivalent to more than 17 football pitches are proposed, alongside more than 600 new trees.
Previous scheme rejected
This is not the first attempt to develop Haydock Point. Earlier proposals submitted by Peel and logistics developer PLP were rejected following a lengthy planning process.
The site was subsequently removed from the Green Belt and safeguarded for future employment development under the St Helens Local Plan adopted in 2022, according to Place North West.
The current proposals have not yet been submitted as a formal planning application. The public consultation will remain open until 13 September 2026, after which Peel Land intends to submit an outline application to St Helens Borough Council later this year.
