Councils join forces to fight employment area plans

CULCHETH and Glazebury and Croft parish councils have joined forces to object to plans for a major employment area at Haydock.
Members of the two councils are worried about the traffic implications of the Haydock Point scheme, on land north east of the A580 East Lancs Road near the A498 Lodge Lane, Haydock.
They are particularly concerned because of two other major employment schemes in the area – the Florida Farm scheme, which has already won planning approval – and the controversial proposals for the former Parkside Colliery site at Newton-le-Willows.
Councillors fear all three projects will result in hundreds of heavy lorries flooding the narrow roads of Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft.
Cllr Jaqui Johnson said: “We are particularly concerned because these scheme are being considered separately.
“We believe they should be looked at together, rather than as three individual schemes.
“Only in that way can the traffic implications be considered properly.
“Our roads are frequently gridlocked as it is and this hampers residents and businesses.
“When there is an incident of some kind on one of the motorways – the M6, the M62 or the M56 – it can cause chaos.
The two councils have suggested that the traffic issues connected with the Haydock Point scheme should be considered alongside the traffic issues of the Parkside development.
As yet they have not submitted an objection to the Parkside scheme, but one is likely.
Another possible course of action is to ask the Secretary of State to “call in” both schemes so they can be considered together.