Storm over plan for
new business park
by David Skentelbery
CONTROVERSIAL plans for a major new business park, offering jobs for up to 4,000 people, are to be put to Warrington?s development control committee next week.
The second phase of the Lingley Mere Business Park, at Great Sankey, would include more than 28,000 sq metres of office space and parking for 970 cars.
Great Sankey Parish Council has lodged objections, as has borough councillor Keith Gleave.
There are also 25 objections from nearby residents who raise worries about traffic chaos, loss of green areas, road safety problems for school children and unsightly industrial buildings.
All the objectors raise concerns about the existing Royal Mail depot and the traffic it caused.
The parish council claims the depot generates one traffic movement every two minutes.
Coun Gleave says there is already too much traffic on Lingley Green Avenue.
He said: ?There will be an increase in 24-hour noise, dust, dirt and exhaust fumes.
?The roads are already in desperate need of repair and the six storey buildings proposed are far too high for a residential area.?
He calls for a service road linking the Royal Mail base with the M62 Junction 8 to reduce the impact of traffic.
Both Coun Gleave and the parish council express concern about the cumulative impact of the development with the Omega employment area, Chapelford UrbanVillage and other developments in the area.
Planning officers are recommending the scheme be approved, subject to an agreement from the developers to contribute towards the cost of infrastructure improvements. A figure of ?1.8 million is mentioned ? plus ?20,000 for a feasibility study on the introduction of a controlled parking zone should overspill parking occur and ?160,000 to introduce the zone should it be necessary.
They point out that the site was approved for employment uses as long ago as 1987.
“Shiver my timbers” –
teacher is a captain!
by David Skentelbery
BY day, Stephanie Kidd is “Miss” to the primary school children she teaches. But out of hours she’s “Captain Kidd” – in charge of 100 soldiers and six field guns.
The 26-year-old from Sankey Bridges, Warrington leads a double life as teacher and battery commander with 103 Regiment Royal Artillery, based in Manchester.
Now her achievement in rejuvenating her Territorial Army battery after the Sergeant Major and Battery Captain were deployed to Iraq have won her a prestigious military medal.
Only one Napier Medal is awarded annually to an officer in the Regular or Territorial Army, within the Royal Artillery, who has made the most significant contribution to their Battery. This year it went to Captain Kidd.
When she is “Miss”, Captain Kidd is a teacher at Beechwood Primary School, Runcorn.
But for five and-a-half years she has also been a part-time soldier in the TA and at the start of last year was a junior officer in the Liverpool Gunners (208 battery).
She was unexpectedly catapulted to temporary Battery Commander when those above her were sent to Iraq.
Normally, she would have had to wait another two years for promotion to Captain. But despite her inexperience in regular Army terms, she took up the position without hesitation.
She immediately started reviewing all procedures and implementing “best practise” improvements. In six months, she oversaw the rejuvenation of the battery, boosting attendance and recruitment. Morale, seen as the key component for the TA, is rocketing.
Stephanie modestly gave credit to her key staff, but her citation read: “This merely bears witness to her self-effacing style that soldiers respond to so well.”
The citation continued: “She achieved these results with a deft personal touch and in recognition of the disparity between her own experience and that of the majority of her subordinates.
“Captain Kidd’s contribution to the Royal regiment is therefore not one of particular flamboyance, physical courage or sporting glamour. Rather it demonstrates the commitment, time management and raw, continuous enthusiasm of a superb Territorial Gunner officer and it is for these reasons that she received the Napier Medal.”
Back at Beechwood Primary, “Miss” Kidd said: “Soldiering and teaching are quite similar – they are both organising jobs. I have found the children love to hear about the TA – and my teaching experience helped me in the TA.”
And, of course, her promotion to “Captain Kidd” did bring the inevitable jokes.
“The first thing that happened was that someone put a Skull and Cross Bones in my office,” she laughed.
The drivers who
park on the street
by Lesley Wilkinson
JUST over half the people who work in shops and offices in Stockton Heath arrive by car – and nearly half of them park on the streets, a survey has revealed.
Two members of Stockton Heath Parish Council visited 96 premises in the village and took information on 625 employees.
The research, by Coun Graham Roughsedge and Coun Sheila Dean, was carried out to highlight parking problems in the village.
Of those questioned, 372 drove to work, with 179 of those parking on the street and the remainder using public or private car parks. A further 122 people walked to work, 16 used the bus and only eight cycled.
Coun Roughsedge said: “More complaints are received from residents of Gaskell Street and East Avenue about major parking problems, and the survey show they are the highest for on-street parking.”
Many streets are affected by double-parking daily, he added, and there was no land in the village for additional parking. Suggestions for a multi-storey car park were a “non-starter.”
The number of restaurants in the village was seen by many as contributing to parking problems and Coun Roughsedge suggested signs should be put up saying “Restaurant Parking” to direct people to the two car parks in the village.
“Safety, security and lighting on the car parks needs to be improved, along with posters at the restaurants advising drivers of the penalties for illegal parking,” he added.
Residents fear noisy
night life in village
by Lesley Wilkinson
WORRIED residents of Stockton Heath believe the village could become a centre for noisy night life.
It would only take a nightclub to open and the village could become another Bridge Street, Warrington, members of Stockton Heath Parish Council were told.
Mrs Joan Pearson expressed concern about changes taking place at The Viper Lounge, in Victoria Square.
She said the original licence application described it as a “champagne and smoked salmon type? establishment.
“Last November there was a further application for an extension of opening hours until 1am. It was said at the licensing committee that they were winding down the champagne and smoked salmon, and concentrating on snacks and music,” she said.
“It seems the village is going down the same route as Bridge Street, Warrington – only we do not have a buffer zone between clubs and houses.”
Another resident, from Grappenhall Road, was concerned that the premises could become a nightclub in the future.
“It is very popular with young people. We hear them going home late at night. I am concerned as the premises has the right layout for a nightclub,” he said.
Councillors point out that they had objected to later opening hours for premises in the village.
?2.2 million scheme to
make motorways safer
by John Hendon
A ?2.2 million scheme to improve safety and ease congestion on the M62 at its junction with the M6 near Warrington starts tomorrow (Friday).
The Highways Agency will realign both the eastbound and westbound merge and diverge lanes along with revised signing, resurfacing and safety fencing works.
On the M62 westbound at Junction 10, ?tiger?s tail? chevron road markings will be provided at the link road to the
M6 southbound. This will reduce the potential for accidents caused by weaving traffic and help ease congestion and improve traffic flow.
A section of the link road from the southbound M6 onto the eastbound M62 at Junction 10 will be realigned to increase the merging length onto the M62.
Highways Agency project manager Paul Elliot said: ?Road safety is our top priority. These improvements will make this busy junction safer by reducing the potential for accidents and relieving congestion.
?The ?tiger?s tail? chevrons will reduce the danger caused by drivers realising they are in the wrong lane and, at the last minute, weaving across traffic.
?Junction 10 is extremely busy during peak periods. Work will therefore be carried out mainly at nights and weekends to reduce disruption to a minimum.?
Work will start tomorrow evening and is expected to last for about six weeks.
The eastbound and westbound slip roads at Junction 10 will be closed for night working at the following times: Monday-Friday 9pm to 5am; Friday-Sunday: 7pm to 6.30am; Sunday-Monday: 7pm to 5am.
During weekdays, all lanes will be open along with the M6 link. At nights, the number of lanes on the M62 will be reduced. A 50mph speed limit will be in force during off peak working and there will be some hard shoulder running during off-peak closures.
The eastbound slip road running from the M6 at junction 21A to the M62 will be closed for night working and advance signing will advise road users wishing to use the M6 southbound to M62 eastbound to use alternative routes.
Diversions will be signposted.
Not so rosey future
for hanging baskets
by Lesley Wilkinson
THE future watering of hanging baskets and planters in Stockton Heath is to be reconsidered by the parish council.
Members heard that Warrington Borough Council can no longer provide the service, even if the parish was prepared to pay.
A private company could maintain the displays at a cost of about ?3,400. Members agreed to ask the Village Committee to consider quotes for the service.
