Row over luxury flats
plan leads to delay
by David Skentelbery
PLANNING bosses at Warrington are to visit the site of a controversial plan to convert an office building into luxury flats after hearing of strong objections from nearby residents.
Members of the borough?s development control committee will go an inspect the building at the junction of Whitbarrow Road and Brookfield Road, Lymm ? former home of the old Lymm Urban Council.
The building has been standing more or less empty for more than a year and is in a deteriorating condition.
Developers say the only way of saving the locally listed building is to convert it into five apartments.
A similar application was thrown out by the committee a year ago. But the applicants say efforts to market the building for office use have come to nothing.
Planning officers say conversion would go against council policy based on the current oversupply of housing land in Warrington. But they point out that exceptions can be made where an important building which might otherwise be lost could be saved.
Residents say there would be insufficient parking space for residents of the new apartments and their visitors and that the building is, in any case, not suitable for conversion.
They warn of increased traffic congestion at a busy junction, increased noise, inadequate parking and loss of privacy.
The issue will now be decided at a future meeting of the committee.
Students celebrate their
record breaking success
STUDENTS and staff at Warrington?s Priestley College are celebrating news of yet further record breaking achievements following the publication of the 2007 A-level results.
The Loushers Lane college had an overall A-level pass rate of 99.7 per cent which was up 0.4 per cent from the comparable results last year.
On top of the overall pass rate, there were some more remarkable achievements too with 37 out of 40 A-level courses landing an unblemished 100 per cent record, while 74 per cent of A-Level students had A-C grades.
Individually there were some other superb performances. Students Heather Anderson, Danny Cheung, Katie Harris, Kieran Hawkins, Claire Martin, Peter Ogden, Samuel Royle and Talya Underwood all landed four A grade A-levels.
Their results were matched by vocational students Rachel Corcoran, Jack Moores and Meriel Taylor who all landed triple distinctions for their courses on top of an A grade A-level.
The college says these achievements are down to the way students are allowed to mix their programmes across a range of different qualifications.
BTEC National results were also at a record high with almost all courses achieving a 100 per cent pass rate.
Principal Michael Southworth commented; “we always look forward to this day in the educational calendar as it gives us an opportunity to celebrate some outstanding success stories.
“To see an increase in our overall pass rate is obviously very pleasing and I take this opportunity to congratulate all of our learners as they prepare to progress onto the next stage of their education or employment.”
Warrington students at schools and colleges outside the borough have also achieved good results.
Sarah Mayne, from Warrington, who attends Manchester High School for Girls, clinched a place at Oxford to study Biological Sciences with three straight A grades, and additional A and B grades at AS Level.
Harriet Johnson from Lymm, also at Manchester High School for Girls, achieved three straight A grades, and additional A and B grades at AS Level. She heads to The University of Leeds to study Mathematics and Philosophy.
Former Lymm High School student, Charlotte Lucas, now at Sir John Deane’s College, Northwich, is celebrating after gaining four straight As in Geography, Economics, Psychology and General Studies.
Chris Mayne, from Warrington, also at Sir John Deane’s, achived five straight A grades in Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Geography and General Studies while classmate Simon Murawski, also from Warrington, gained three As in Biology, English Language and General Studies and two Bs in Physics and Math?s.
Kelly sets her sights
on a national award
by Gary Skentelbery
STUDENT singer Kelly Sykes has set her sights on a national music award. Kelly aged 22, from Orford, has been entered into the Access to Music award by tutor Sue Quin in the Outstanding Vocal Artist category. Kelly, who received a distinction for her vocal artist level three course at Warrington Collegiate, while also completing hairdressing at the Winwick Road campus, said: “I was really shocked. “I was sitting in the audience at the recent opening of the Hilary Tucker arts centre, waiting to get up and sing when they announced it. “I could barely sing I was so excited.” Former student Alison O’Toole won the 2005-2006 best vocal artist award at the ceremony last time around and Sue Quin is hoping to replicate this success with Kelly. “Not only is Kelly a distinction student, she has also managed to pass hairdressing qualifications this year. “She is an outstanding vocalist and person and she really deserves this award,” she said. The ceremony will be held in London in November. The National Music Award has been established by Access to Music to recognise the creation of outstanding music.
Lions fundraising buys
new scooter for disabled
by staff reporter
FUNDRAISING by Stockton Heath and District Lions has provided a new scooter to assist disabled people in the extended Golden Square Shopping Centre in Warrington.
Dorothy Carter from the Lions presented the new ?800 Shoprider scooter to Warrington Disability Partnership’s vice chairman Victor Pomfrett at Golden Square.
The scooter will enhance the range of services the newly re-located Shopmobility has to offer disabled people shopping in the mall and town centre shops.
Victor said: “This scooter will be a great asset to sustaining our level of service and supporting the town centre economy. On behalf of WDP I thank the Stockton Heath and District Lions for their generous donation.”
How to get around on
the day of the festival
by Lesley Wilkinson
PLANS for the management of the Creamfields music festival – to minimise noise, traffic disruption, litter and security problems – have been outlined by Warrington Borough Council.
Creamfields will be held on the Daresbury estate on the Bank Holiday weekend, Saturday August 25 from 3pm. It is expected to attract up to 49,000 people. The main concert finishes at 11pm but other musical entertainment will continue until 4am on the Sunday and traffic is expected to take several hours to leave the site.
Special bus services will operate between the site and main local railway stations and town centres across the region.
Warrington Borough Transport will provide a shuttle service from the bus interchange from 12noon until 10pm. The return service will run from 11pm until 7am the next morning. Traffic from Warrington will be directed to the event via the A56 to parking areas opposite Holly Hedge Lane.
Traffic from Runcorn and Halton will be directed from the Daresbury Expressway via the A56, Newton Lane, Summer Lane, Pilmoss Lane, Hatton Lane and Daresbury Lane.
All other destinations accessed via the motorways will be directed to use junction 11 of the M56, then via the A56, and the route above.
There will be two temporary car parks with 12,000 spaces.
Signposts will direct cars from Warrington to a car park opposite Holly Hedge Lane. Drivers from all other areas will use a car park off Daresbury Lane.
To eliminate noise nuisance, organisers promise to manage noise levels by complying with the Noise Council’s Code of Practice on Environmental Noise Control at Concerts (1995). Both Halton and Warrington councils will also monitor noise.
Event organisers have agreed to clean the site and surrounding areas by 12no
on on Sunday 26. A video survey of the site and surrounding areas will be carried out to ensure it is returned to the same condition.
Organisers will employ security to protect properties near the site. Individual security guards will be allocated to the properties on the A56 Chester Road that are directly opposite the site.
There will be additional security arrangements on site including an increased number of stewards, improved lighting and CCTV coverage.
A helpline will be available for residents to ring from 10am on Saturday until midday the following day. Call 01925 740 786 for help advice or to lodge a complaint.
Shoppers can drop
in for a cuppa
by Lesley Wilkinson
SHOPPERS in Culcheth who fancy a cuppa and a chat will be welcome at the new Open Doors sessions at Culcheth Methodist Church.
The sessions, at the Ellesmere Road building, start on September 8 and run from 10am to 12noon.
Everyone will be made welcome and there will be a range of low cost treats, including tea/coffee, teacakes and free biscuits.
John Gregson, a lay pastoral assistant, said the idea of the coffee mornings was to enhance the church’s role in the community.
“We decided to invite people into the building, with no strings attached. People can just come along and visit on a Saturday morning, as if it is a community centre.”
“There will always be someone on hand to chat to visitors.”
During the sessions the worship area of the church will be open for private prayer or meditation.
