?5 million road
plan goes on ice
by David Skentelbery
A ?5 million plan for a major new expressway slicing through the Orford area of Warrington ? first conceived 35 years ago ? is to be put in cold storage.
Town Hall chiefs have agreed that little weight can currently be attached to a policy of safeguarding the proposed route of the A50 Long Lane diversion project because there is little prospect of it going ahead in the short to medium term.
If the route was to remain safeguarded, it would have a restraining impact on council plans to redevelop Orford Park with a multi-sport centre and new school to replace Beamont High School.
The road, which would have linked Winwick Road with Birchwood Way, was originally conceived by the former Warrington New Town Development Corporation. Land was reserved for it at the southern end of Orford Park.
But it was retained in the borough council?s own Unitary Development Plan and Local Transport Plan.
The safeguarding policy cannot be dropped completely in advance of a formal review of the council?s development plan ? and this is expected to take three years to complete.
But awards for funding are decided at regional level ? and the Long Lane diversion scheme has not found favour with the Government.
The effect of the council decision will be to clear the way for a more imaginative scheme for Orford Park and, probably, the eventual axing of the Long Lane diversion
New man at
the helm
by Gary Skentelbery
THE multi-million pound re-development of Warrington’s Golden Square shopping centre has a new man at the helm.
Damian Lewis, 34, has been appointed as Development Manager for the ?126 million pound project, which will double the size of the existing centre.
Work is on schedule for a March 22 grand opening, which will see a number of new high street chains opening in Warrington for the first time including Debenhams.
Former soldier Damian (pictured) has been parachuted in to oversee the project following the departure of the previous development manager who has moved on to pastures new.
Having had six months experience at the Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent, as well as retail property development and management experience in his native Australia, Damian is relishing the challenge.
His experience serving in the Australian army will provide precision military planning to help ensure the project completes on time.
“There are always pressures in getting a development of this size finished on time, but the team is comfortable we will make it,” said Damian.
“Everything is well on schedule and Warrington will have a state of the art shopping centre by the Spring of next year.”
There are currently 500 people working on the project which also involves refurbishing the existing shopping centre so it is in keeping with the new look facility.
On top of the multi-million pound investment the new stores will provide a massive boost to the local economy, attracting new shoppers and creating hundreds of new jobs.
School campaigners
launch ?1m appeal
by Lesley Wilkinson
CAMPAIGNERS battling to save Stockton Heath Primary School from demolition are launching a ?1 million appeal tomorrow (Thursday) to help refurbish the building.
And on the same day a new website is launched to publicise their work.
Under the slogan, “The Day of Reckoning is Coming,” the site features a picture of the school and details of the campaign so far at www.savestocktonheath.co.uk
Richie Wells, chairman of Stockton Heath Primary School Action Group, said members have been campaigning for 15 months to save the locally-listed school.
He was hoping local businesses and those who signed the 5,000-name petition against demolition, would support the fundraising.
“Over this period we have seen the original planning application thrown out at the development control committee meeting on March 20 and the executive board decided to re-submit new plans, to again try to demolish the ‘structurally sound’ school and put a substandard new building in its place,” he said.
“The council has stated that this is the only option available with the allocated funds and that there are no extra funds available for the ‘refurbishment option’ adding that this is the best option for our children.?
Mr Wells said a recent independent evaluation of the feasibility studies by Latham Architects had criticisms of both the refurbishment and new build options.
“It is very obvious that the ‘new build’ is not the all singing-dancing school that parents/carers and stakeholders were promised!” he said.
?The ‘new build option’ does not meet the National Aspiration of Inspiring Learning Environments!”
He claimed it would take a lot of work and money to bring the new design up to standard.
“It appears that this type of thing is now happening all across the country as can be seen by the fact that the Victorian Society are now hosting a conference in November about the issues of schools being demolished around the country.
“I have a son, Arron, in year two and a daughter, Rebecca, who has just started reception in the school and feel very strongly, like many other parents, that a refurbished school is the best all round option to meet our children’s needs. We are aware that some parents are for the new build, but still believe the vast majority want a refurbishment.?
The group is applying for Charity Status from the Charity Commission and have set up a charity bank account with a local bank. Details of fundraising and how to make donations will be included on their website.
Building a sense
of community
by staff reporter
A COMMUNITY building campaign at Warrington has won the backing of social landlord Frontis.
The ?Forty Days of Community? campaign has been launched in the town?s WA3 postcode area to build a much-needed sense of community, encouraging people to help others.
Warrington-based Frontis will release staff to work as volunteers on projects during the campaign and are inviting all their elderly residents to suggest issues ranging from neglected gardens that have become a burden to heavy shopping that needs carrying home.
Tasks like this will be co-ordinated from the Better Together Centre in the Birchwood Shopping Centre where volunteers are being sought.
Bernadette Bell, neighbourhood regeneration officer at Frontis, said: “I am really pleased we can support this campaign. It will give our staff the opportunity to get involved in something worthwhile for the community and I’m sure it will really benefit our residents who are in need of a helping hand”.
The campaign aims to foster long-lasting relationships across the WA3 area.
Canal crash victim was
keep fit enthusiast
by David Skentelbery
THE man who died when his car plunged into the Manchester Ship Canal at Warrington earlier this week was a keep fit enthusiast who had completed his first marathon race earlier this year.
He was Geoffrey Millington, 31, of Grappenhall, father of an 11-year-old boy.
Mr Millington, a welder, died when his silver Volkswagen Golf GTI left the carriageway in Thelwall New Road, Grappenhall, crashed through railings and plunged into the canal.
Police were called to the scene in the early hours of Sunday morning after a member of the public noticed the gap in the railings.
A police underwater search team was sent to the scene and recovered the man’s body after a search.
Mr Millington was originally from Workington but came to Warrington five years ago with his partner, Lorna. He had worked for Greater Manchester Waste for two and-a-half years.
He leaves his partner, son by a previous relationship Brendan, parents and brother.
A regular a local gyms, he competed in his first marathon at Prague, in the Czech Re
public, in April.
Police are still seeking witnesses of the crash who should call them on 0845 458 0000.
Woman trapped in
car for two hours
by staff reporter
FIRE crews battled for more than two hours to release a woman trapped in her wrecked car at Culcheth, near Warrington.
The car was involved in a collision with an articulated lorry and was wedged beneath the trailer unit.
Paramedics and a medical emergency team from Warrington Hospital treated the woman driver while the rescue operation went on.
A Fire Service spokesman said: “It was a highly technical operation as we had to take into account the weight of the trailer and the effect it was having on the car.
“Fortunately the woman’s condition remained stable all the time so we did not have to rush the job.”
After being released, the woman was taken to hospital.
The collision occurred in Wilton Lane, off Kenyon Lane, Culcheth.
Wolves are Club
of the Year
by Gary Skentelbery
WARRINGTON Wolves have been voted Engage Super League ‘Club of the Year’ following an awards ceremony at the Midland Hotel, Manchester.
The award fully recognises the Club?s efforts off the field in developing The Halliwell Jones Stadium to be a template for sports stadia around the country with its sport/health/education and community facilities all working in partnership for the overall benefit of all sections of the community.
Off the field, Warrington Wolves Community Development Team, winners of The Outstanding Community Programme in Super League for five of the last six years, has now become the Warrington Wolves Community Learning & Sport Foundation. The Foundation is a Charitable organisation, dedicated to ?making a positive impact through sport.?
In addition to the traditional ?Outreach? activities such as the wide-ranging coaching and Assembly programmes delivered into Warrington?s 73 Primary and 12 Secondary schools, The Foundation is now responsible for the day to day running of the unique Community Learning Floor, housed on the first floor of the North Stand at The Halliwell Jones Stadium. The achievements of the Wolves own Playing for Success Centre shows that learning within a unique and stimulating sports stadium environment can build confidence and self esteem in addition to providing measurable academic improvements.
Subsequently, the facility has attracted a wide variety of sporting and academic activities which have proved popular with the Warrington public. Courses as diverse as floristry and Tai Chi and Spanish are currently on the Halliwell Jones Timetable.
Chief Executive Andy Gatcliffe said: ?My grateful thanks go to all employees at the club for their continued hardwork and commitment, as this Engage Super League Club of the Year Award really does demonstrate that the Warrington Wolves profiling continues to grow, both within Rugby League and beyond.”
Mark Hilton, who retired at the end of this season, won the award for ?Support in the Community? for his dedication over the last seven years at the Wolves, which capped a fine career with the club.
Arson attack on
unoccupied flat
by John Hendon
POLICE are investigating an arson attack on a ground floor flat in Gerrard Avenue, Bewsey, Warrington.
Fire crews wore breathing apparatus to tackle the blaze which wrecked 70 per cent of the ground floor.
The flat was unoccupied, the tenant having moved out the previous day. But it was still fully furnished, and much of the furniture was destroyed.
A Fire Service spokesman said the property had been forcibly entered and several fires started in various parts of the flat.
It is understood there had been a dispute between the former occupant and other nearby residents.
