More than half-a-million pounds in government grant money has been secured to help transform part of Widnes into an ‘intergenerational neighbourhood’.

Halton Council has had a £517,500 bid approved for its Kingsway Quarter scheme, which will see the current Kingsway Leisure Centre torn down once the new Moor Lane Leisure Centre is up and running.

The site, Broseley House and neighbouring vacant land where the police station and law courts used to sit will all make way for a ‘residential-led’ development including elderly accommodation.

The successful bid to the Brownfield Land Release Fund was revealed at a recent meeting of Full Council, where executive board member Phil Harris told members: "This is intended to be a new intergenerational neighbourhood and will include accommodation for older people, as well as housing to enable children, young people and families do thrive."

He said options were also being explored to transfer solar energy there from the council’s solar grid.  Halton Council wants expand its solar power network with a new solar farm on a 28-acre patch of land – roughly the size of 15 football pitches – on the contaminated former at St Michael’s golf course north of Ditton Road.

At the recent meeting, councillors also signed off on allocating £750,000 from Halton’s capital budget to bulldoze the leisure centre, with a start date pencilled in for next spring. The council is currently consulting on a town centre strategy which will help inform the future of what Widnes town centre looks like, with a public consultation now in full swing.

Urging members to back the Kingsway scheme, Cllr Harris told the meeting: "Time is of the essence. And while we have a way to go on the development of a new Widnes town centre strategy, we need to also make progress when the opportunity allows for encouraging growth in the local economy.”

He added: “When completed. This site will increase footfall within the town centre and improve local economic activity for pubs, shops and other businesses within the town centre.”

Kingsway Leisure Centre was built in the 1970s and later extended in the late 1980s but is set to replaced by a new facility on Moor Lane, which has an opening date pencilled in for next year.

Earlier this month, the Government announced that £68m of Brownfield Land Release funding will go directly to 54 councils which will be able to use the money to turn surplus land into new homes. The funding will mean councils can clear empty buildings, former car parks and industrial land to make way for the new properties.

Halton's scheme will also feature some involvement from neighbouring Riverside College, with apprentices and students set to work on the project in some capacity.