PLANS for a new fire station on the outskirts of Warrington look set to get the go-ahead – despite being considered inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
The proposals, put forward by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, are to go before Warrington Borough Council’s development management committee with an officers’ recommendation for approval.
They involve the former lorry park and petrol filling station site at Poplar Park, Cliff Lane, Lymm
A report to go to the committee says the proposal, if approved, would be a significant departure from the development plan.
The site has now been cleared of all structures and appears as a vacant greenfield site.
Fire Service chiefs want to build a 24-hour fire station and safety centre which would have seven full-time staff on site during each shift Up to five vehicles could be kept there.
The safety centre would provide a training facility to be used by specialist personnel by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service personnel and could also be used by school children and groups from across Cheshire and the wider community as part of a statutory duty to deliver education against fire risk.
The safety centre would have five full time staff, occasional staff and volunteers.
Planners say the M6/M56 interchange, which is close by, has been identified as a hot spot for life risk road traffic collisions. It is not within the new fire service response time of 10 minutes.
In addition to this, it will provide a high quality training environment for firefighters as a whole and the special crews to be based at the fire station.
As such there are special circumstances which allow the scheme to be approved in the Green Belt.
If, as expected, Warrington approves the scheme it will be subjected to referral to the National Planning Casework Unit.
Green Belt fire station looks set to go ahead
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
