Town to be re-born as port?

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WARRINGTON could be re-born as a port if ambitious proposals for the future of the Manchester Ship Canal are adopted.
Peel Holdings – owners of the 50-mile long canal – have put forward a vision for the whole length of the canal between Manchester and Liverpool.
They have earmarked 50 sites for major projects, including five in Warrington, as part of their Atlantic Gateway initiative
One, described as Port Warrington, envisages a reinstatement of port activity at existing wharves which would provide opportunities for water-borne freight linked to Arpley railway sidings and the West Coast main line.
Port Warrington is included in the updated regeneration framework for Warrington, approved recently by the borough council’s executive board.
Peel has also suggested a major, housing-led development at Arpley Meadows and other proposals at the Arpley Landfill site, Warrington Quays and Woolston Deposit Ground.
The Atlantic Gateway vision has not been welcomed everywhere.
Manchester City Council, while acknowledging there could be opportunities arising from the concept, says it could not support it until more details become available and the concept is better defined and understood.
The city also believes housing issues should be kept separate from the canal concept – which apparently conflicts with the proposal for Arpley Meadows.
Not mentioned in the vision are Warrington’s notorious swing bridges and their possible impact on local traffic in the event of increased use of the canal.
But the scope of Peel’s vision is huge and it is clearly a very long term project.
By then, it is possible that new canal crossings could replace the swing bridges.
The Ship Canal was opened in 1894, with a promise of docks at Wilderspool which were never, in fact, built, although various wharves were built.
Earlier, the Mersey enabled Warrington to be a significant port. In 1697, Thomas Patten improved the navigation of the river as far as Warrington so he could bring copper ore from Cornwall and Anglesey to his Bank Quay works and in 1720 the Mersey and Irwell from Warrington to Manchester were deepened and made navigable by the construction of locks and weirs.
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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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