Ecclesia Park

Location
St Helens
Client
Torus
Contract Value
£4.8m
People

The Brief

Ecclesia Park is a £4.8m development of 36 homes in Gillars Green, Eccleston, St Helens. Delivered for Torus Homes with contractor HMS, it replaces four vacant apartment blocks with a mix of bungalows and two- to four-bedroom detached and semi-detached houses.

The scheme marked Torus Homes’ first outright-sale development in St Helens, alongside other tenure options to widen access to home ownership. Its setting combines access to nearby countryside with established schools, local amenities and transport links.

Homes for different life stages

A range of house types for families and single occupants

Our Role

BTP acted as lead architect, working in partnership with Torus and HMS to transform this long-vacant residential site into a new neighbourhood.

Our approach brought together a varied mix of homes, combining the practical requirements of different household sizes with high-specification interiors, private gardens and allocated parking.

A fresh start for Gillars Green

Four vacant apartment blocks replaced by 36 new homes, transforming a long-empty site into a neighbourhood of houses, bungalows and private gardens.

Design Development

The redevelopment offered an opportunity to rethink a site previously occupied by four apartment blocks that had stood empty for four years. Replacing these buildings with houses and bungalows introduced a different residential scale, giving residents individual homes with their own outdoor space.

The mix of detached and semi-detached houses provides accommodation for different family sizes, while bungalows broaden the choice for buyers seeking single-storey living. Together, these property types create a more varied development and offer options for people at different stages of life.

Private gardens extend living space outdoors, providing room for recreation, planting and everyday family activities. Allocated parking accommodates residents’ vehicles within the development, while fitted kitchens and bathrooms contribute to the homes’ high internal specification.

Bringing previously developed land back into use also makes effective use of a site within an established community, placing new homes close to existing services and transport connections.

Colin Lafferty, Senior Development Manager

Torus

“BTP worked closely with Torus and HMS to transform an underused development site with long term empty homes attached, into an attractive neighbourhood of 36 homes for shared ownership and outright sale. BTP worked in collaboration with St Helens Council and our approved contractor, HMS, to put forward a modern design for family homes in this area. BTP’s practical, collaborative design approach helped create a varied mix of houses and bungalows that offer quality, comfort and choice for our customers. ”

Outcomes

Ecclesia Park has replaced four long-empty apartment blocks with 36 new homes, restoring residential use to the site and improving the choice of housing available locally.

Architecturally, the transformation moves from apartment blocks to a mix of individual houses and bungalows, with private gardens and a more varied domestic scale. The completed development combines practical interiors, outdoor space and parking within a well-connected residential setting.

All 36 homes were handed over to Torus in early 2024, completing a significant investment in the regeneration of Gillars Green.

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Director
Manuel Atkinson

BA (Hons), M.Arch, ARB, RIBA, Dip.DEA

Director
Manuel Atkinson

BA (Hons), M.Arch, ARB, RIBA, Dip.DEA

I joined BTP in 2008, qualified as an Architect in 2013, and progressed to Director in 2017. Over my career, I’ve built extensive expertise across the full range of design criteria for housing, later living, and care environments, including HQI, DQS, Lifetime Homes, HAPPI, NDSS, and Building Regulations accessibility standards.

Sustainability is a core part of my professional focus. I am an accredited Energy Assessor for both new-build and existing homes (OCDEA / DEA) as well as a certified Home Quality Mark Assessor and PAS2035 Retrofit Designer / Assessor. Within BTP, I lead many of our sustainability initiatives; developing strategies to help clients realise their ambitions, meet zero-carbon targets, and align with the Future Homes Standard.

Since 2013, I have also played a key role in enhancing BTP’s BIM (Building Information Modelling) capability. I have achieved multiple BRE qualifications, including ISO 19650 accreditation, enabling me to manage BIM processes and workflows effectively across our projects.

In 2024, I joined the RIBA Principal Designer Register, gaining Principal Designer status with High‑Risk Building (HRB) expertise for both CDM and Building Regulations following rigorous training and examination. I now act as Building Regulations Principal Designer across a range of new‑build and refurbishment schemes, providing trusted guidance to clients and development teams.

My advanced knowledge of BIM, sustainability, and the Building Safety Act also sees me deliver regular training, CPD sessions, and workshops for Registered Providers and contractors.
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Architect
Oli Martin

BA(Hons), M.Arch, ARB
Architect
Oli Martin

BA(Hons), M.Arch, ARB

I am an ARB-registered Architect at BTP Architects, primarily working on new-build residential, social housing and extra-care projects. I hold a BA (Hons) and M.Arch from Liverpool John Moores University and joined BTP in 2022, qualifying as an architect in 2024.

My approach is grounded in clarity, proportion and considered design. I am interested in housing that is composed and enduring, architecture that prioritises long-term value and resident wellbeing over fashion or novelty. For me, good residential design is measured, durable and carefully integrated within its wider community.

I am developing in the role of Project Architect and have particular strength in drawing and technical coordination across all RIBA stages. I enjoy the analytical side of projects, testing layouts, refining detail and working through complex requirements to arrive at clear, buildable solutions that respond to both client and community needs. I have also begun contributing to projects involving Higher Risk Buildings, engaging with the evolving regulatory framework and its implications for residential design.

Outside of practice, I enjoy spending time with my family, travelling and listening to podcasts focused on history, politics and wellbeing. I am also a lifelong supporter of Liverpool F.C.
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Architectural Assistant
Amy Greenwood

BA(Hons), M.Arch
Architectural Assistant
Amy Greenwood

BA(Hons), M.Arch

Enjoying the work / life balance of a supporting role, I have chosen to remain an architectural assistant and job runner. Having been at BTP since 2008 I have worked with most of the architects over the years. In doing so I have gained experience, knowledge and skills in each of our main sectors, including residential, ecclesiastical, conservation, remediation, judicial and custodial projects.

Outside of work, my teenage sons keep me busy, I enjoy encouraging their passions whether that be cheering at a football match or listening to them about game design. When I get a moment to myself, you'll find me listening to an audio book, tending the garden.