Monday 17th December 2007

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Hotel, shops and offices
planned for factory site

by David Skentelbery

PLANS for a five storey hotel, shops, offices and apartments on a former factory site near the centre of Warrington are to be considered by the borough council’s development control committee next week.
The scheme, drawn up by local firm Briden Homes, involves the former Thomas Locker site at the junction of Farrell Street and Church Street.
It is the second application the company has submitted for the site – the first having been approved subject to conditions but not implemented.
The new project is also being recommended by officers for approval and involves a five storey, 110 room hotel, five three storey blocks with shops on the ground floor and 17 apartments above. There would be parking for 78 vehicles.
The site is located within the Church Street Conservation Area and there are a number of Listed Buildings on the opposite side of Church Street – to the north of the site – including Cromwell’s House, a Grade ll* Listed Building.
A second application by Briden, involving office development on land immediately to the south, will also be considered by the committee.
The hotel would include a restaurant and bar open to the public. There would be three retail units.
Buildings at the junction of Church Street and Farrell Street would be of five storeys, dropping to four storeys, three and then two storeys as the development extends along Church Street.
A number of objections have been lodged on the grounds of the height of the buildings, traffic problems, loss of trees and shrubbery, light pollution, noise, etc.
Planners say although in the short term there would be a loss of greenery, the scheme incorporates a landscaping scheme which tree planting along Church Street and shrub planting on Farrell Street.
The developers have agreed towards the cost of highway improvement, education provision and a children’s playground.
Six office blocks of two and three storeys would feature in the office development. Main access would be from Farrell Street and the office buildings would be grouped around a courtyard. There would be car parking ? some underground ? and landscaping, including an art feature.

Top accolade for
security firm

by Gary Skentelbery

WARRINGTON based North West Guards Security (Group) Ltd is now officially one of the top security companies in the North West after being awarded SIA approved contractor status.
The Home Office backed accolade has been awarded to just one per cent of the 12,500 security related businesses in England and Wales.
Company chief executive Jeff Greenwood was “delighted” and “honoured” to be presented with the SIA Approved Contractor Status by North West Development Agency chief Steven Broomhead during a special event at the company’s Bewsey Street HQ.
Following an extensive and exhaustive approval process, involving site visits, interviewing staff and customer feedback, the SIA (Security Industry Authority) concluded the company had “good customer relations,” “employed very good staff” and “customer satisfaction was very high.”
Through customer engagement the company, for its size, was also “very generous” in its donations to local charities.”
After receiving the approved contractor status Mr Greenwood said: “We firmly believe in supporting the community where we make our business.
“Without crime we would not have business and while we do our best to protect our local community there will always be those out there out to destroy it. By supporting the local community through local charities and good causes we believe we are putting something back.
“I am delighted and honoured that the North West Development Agemcy have seen fit to present us with this prestigious award.”
In presenting the licence Mr Broomhead said: “The aim of the agency is to grow the ?160 billion economy in the region by supporting businesses like North West Guards who can help the economy grow.
“This is clearly a very good company providing a good one stop shop for total security solutions.
“It is good to see the security industry receiving proper accreditation.”
Other special guests at the awards ceremony were the Deputy Mayor of Warrington Colin Welbourne and his wife Elaine, Colin Daniels, chief executive of the Warrington and Vale Royal Chamber of Commerce Warrington Borough Council leader Ian Marks and Warrington Disability Partnership founder Dave Thompson.

Want to see town?
Get on your bike!

by Lesley Wilkinson

PEOPLE in Warrington are being urged to get on their bikes to get fit and see the town.
Warrington Cycle Forum, in partnership with the borough council, has produced a new cycle guide and map.
Producers say it is a must for everyone in Warrington who would like to cycle, whether for pleasure, health, the environment or just as transport to get around town quickly and easily.
Experienced cyclists have helped produced the booklet, A Guide to Cycling in Warrington. Issue one consists of the knowledge and advice of people from all parts of Warrington.
Ten thousand copies are being distributed to leisure centres, libraries and Contact Warrington on Horsemarket Street. A second issue of the guide will be printed in spring and distributed to every household in the borough.
The guide grades every road in the borough according to the level of experience a cyclist might need to use it.
There are five grades from yellow, which might be quiet residential streets, through green, blue and pink to purple roads, which require a good level of experience and awareness of the road conditions. It also offers alternative routes for those commuting on bikes.
The map with the guide shows the off-road cycle routes and greenways where cycling is permitted, cycle parking locations and cycle shops in the town. There is information on the health benefits of cycling, parking, safety and training, together with advice to both cyclists and motorists. The borough wide overview map includes distance marking and expected times to complete a mile.
A copy of the cycle map can be obtained from Environment and Regeneration, Palmyra House, Warrington WA1 1JN, email [email protected] or ring Contact Warrington on 443322.

Students win funding
for trip to Egypt

by James Parr

ECSTATIC students at Priestley College are celebrating after being given funding by the Golden Square Shopping Centre for an educational trip to Egypt next year.
A group of 29 AS and A level students will go on the adventure to explore the country’s religious history and carry out a number of sociological observation studies.
Funding from Golden Square will prove to be vital for the educational trip, as students will be frantically trying to raise funds themselves.
As well as visiting the world-famous pyramids, the 16-18 year olds will trek through the night to the holy peak of Mount Sinai to watch the sunrise, spend some time with the Bedouin society in the desert and take in other sights such as monasteries and galleries.
Sociology teacher and trip co-ordinator, Claire Colwell said: “I’m delighted that Golden Square and Tom Grainger School of Motoring are supporting our exciting trip to Egypt which is sure to enrich the students’ understanding of religion and society in the area.
“The financial contribution has enabled us to pay for an additional excursion, which is a jeep safari through the desert whilst we are in Egypt. Students are also raising funds by raffling a Ruud Van Nistlerooy signed print, and tickets donated by Warrington Wolves and LA Bowl.”
Marketing manager for Golden Square Ian Cox added: “It’s great to play a part in the education of young people in the local area and we hope that the Priestley College students have a fantastic time away and come back with a greater understanding of the subjects they are studying for

their exams.

Council ensure there
are no bad hair days

by James Parr

TRADING Standards officers in Warrington have been keeping hair dressers on the straight and narrow by checking all their GHD equipment is legal.
Officers carried out the checks following calls from neighbouring councils that claimed there had been a rise in the number of counterfeit straighteners becoming available.
In fact, all the town’s hair salons had legitimate equipment, but were keen to become aware of how to detect counterfeit straighteners.
An increasing number of salons in the town sell the popular straightening irons, which usually retail in excess of ?100.
Some key tips to detecting real GHD straighteners are that they are made in Korea, they are made by TA HSING and are sealed using a glue that cures over 24 hours, so if the seal can be broken without tearing, they are most probably counterfeit.
Borough council executive member for Community Services, Coun Roy Smith said: “If anyone is concerned about straighteners, especially those that seem particularly cheap, they should remember they may not be getting the bargain they hoped for. Risks involved with buying counterfeit irons may include that they don’t heat up enough to straighten the hair, or they heat up too much and create a fire risk.”

New Year start for
major road works

by Lesley Wilkinson

WORK will start on resurfacing two Warrington roads on January 14, and during the eight-week project road closures and diversions will be in operation.
Improvements to Long Lane and Orford Green in Orford will be carried out in phases to minimise disruption to motorists.
The actual start date will appear on signs in the area two weeks before.
A road closure and diversion will be in place to allow reconstruction of worn out sections of the A50 Long Lane, School Road and Orford Green between Winwick Road and Hilden Place.
During closures access to properties and businesses will be allowed where possible. Officers say they are trying to minimise disruption to businesses, residents and schools during the essential work.
The alternative route for traffic will be via A49 Winwick Road, Lythgoes Lane, A57 Manchester Road, B5210 Woolston Grange Ave, A 574 Birchwood Way, A50 Orford Road and vice versa.

Resident wins
garage appeal

by John Hendon

A HOUSEHOLDER in Higher Knutsford Road, Stockton Heath has won an appeal against the borough council?s refusal to grant planning consent to extend his garage.
The council had rejected the scheme on the grounds the enlarged garage would be out of character of the street scene.
But the inspector who dealt with the appeal ruled that the garage would remain in character with the area.

News in brief

Gritting complaint

STOCKTON Heath Parish Council is to ask the borough council to send gritting vehicles down Ellesmere Road, Stockton Heath after receiving complaints from residents that it hasn’t been gritted for seven years.

Hospital lottery

WINNING numbers in the weekly lottery run by the League of Friends of Warrington Hospital were 9, 13, 14 and 16 – but no-one had them so the ?508 jackpot went unclaimed. But two ?25 consolation prizes were awarded – one internally and one to a hospital visitor. A seasonal ?100 prize was awarded internally.

Restaurant refusal

PLANS to convert a hot food takeaway and house in Church Lane, Culcheth into a restaurant, with a single storey extension, have been refused by Warrington?s development control committee.

Mast approved

A TEMPORARY 60ft high anemometry mast, for measuring wind speeds and directions, is to be erected on land next to the M62 at Winwick, near Warrington, following the granting of planning consent.


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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.

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