News

Planning Go-ahead for £7m Widnes Leisure Scheme

Source: Widnes Waterfront

Outline planning permission has been granted for a five-screen cinema, an ice rink, bowling alley, climbing wall and restaurants as part of a major new leisure development at Venture Fields, Widnes, to be developed by Widnes Regeneration Ltd, a joint venture between St Modwen Properties PLC and Halton Borough Council.
Loughborough-based cinema chain Reel Cinemas has already signed up, as has Leisure Living Ltd. which operates the Blue Ice Plaza ice rink in Solihull, West Midlands. Negotiations are well advanced with operators for the bowling alley and the climbing wall.
It is hoped a start can be made on the £7 million development in early summer for an opening in autumn 2008.
Richard Bakes, development manager of St Modwen, said: “Venture Fields is shaping up to become an exciting family-orientated leisure complex that will appeal to a very wide cross-section of the public in Widnes and the surrounding areas.
“The Venture Fields site is one of the flagship sites forming part of the Widnes Waterfront programme.”
Councillor Tony McDermott, Leader of Halton Borough Council, commented: “Venture Fields is potentially the most exciting leisure development to come to Halton for many years. Not only will it mean many new jobs for local people, it has the facilities that will improve the quality of life for many people throughout the Borough. This is a key project which I’m sure will become a great success for Halton.”

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