AN online protest petition has been launched following the news that behind-the-scenes talks have been going on over a plan to build 1,000 houses on land at Peel Hall, Warrington.
The petition has been organised by Warrington North MP Helen Jones who said she was “outraged” that council officers had been negotiating secretly with a developer.
Earlier plans for housing on the site were thrown out some 11 years ago following a major opposition campaign.
Ms Jones said: “As I made clear when I first discovered talks had taken place, I am outraged that planners at the council have engaged in these talks without informing senior councillors of what they were doing.”
“I know that the local community shares my opposition to any development on Peel Hall and I’m asking residents to sign the petition I have set up online at www.warringtonlabour.com
“We need to send a clear message to the council officers and to the developer that we don’t want this development.”
Ms Jones said she had support of borough councillors from the Poplars and Hulme wards, who would fight to keep the area free from development.
A borough council spokesperson said it was not unusual for officers and prospective developers to hold talks prior to a formal planning application.
Pictured: MP Helen Jones MP with Cllr Brian Maher and Cllr Steve Roberts at Peel Hall.
AN online protest petition has been launched following the news that
behind-the-scenes talks have been going on over a plan to build 1,000
houses at Warrington.Online protest over 1,000 homes plan
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Gary Skentelbery
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.
26 Comments
Once again it is clear that the planning department feels it does not need to inform the elected members of major developments, if i was a councilor I would be even more convinced that John Groves needs to go
I note that the MP is having a go at council officers here – not elected members. I am pretty sure that prior to her own party not gained control of the council she would have been having a go at councillors rather than officers. But for the avoidance of any doubt, negotiations between developers and officers prior to a planning application happen all the time – it is the normal procedure. So while these talks are, technically, “behind the scenes” there is nothing untoward about it. Simply a matter of officers being helpful to applicants.
Helen Jones MP is up to her usual trick of creating confusion and concern by misrepresenting normal planning meetings as a ‘threat’.
Her Peel Hall campaign is deceitful and inaccurate and being used as part of the Poulton North by-election campaign,
Lib Dem policy was not to build on this land. Lib Dems fought for this in the High Court. No LibDem was told of the first routine meeting with a potential developer which was held two days before the May 5th election. Two more meetings have been held under Labour’s watch since they took control of the Council.
The proposal put was not for 1000 houses but from a local amateur and youth football club that was being offered additional football fields. A development of no more than 150 houses was being asked for to make the donation of the fields possible.
Planners have made the Council’s policy of not building at Peel Hall clear, but are duty bound to explore the potential community benefit of what was being offered.
A very different story to the one put about by Helen Jones and her henchmen.
I followed the link and as Emanon says there they slag of the previous administration of the council. Call me sceptical but it seems to me like an email harvesting expedition. Surely as the political group leading the council they should know whats going on, but its hard to slag yourself off.
Is the Warrington North MP paid a fee every time she uses the word “outraged”?
“The proposal put was not for 1000 houses but from a local amateur and youth football club that was being offered additional football fields. A development of no more than 150 houses was being asked for to make the donation of the fields possible.”
Hope I’m wrong but this sounds fishy straight away. Why would this developer come over all philanthropic all of a sudden?
Don’t ask me, ask the current portfolio holder or the officers involved! The first I heard of the offer was in an opposition spokesman briefing on 13th July when I asked about what the Labour candidate in the Poulton North by-election was going on about in a leaflet. However, it is perfectly normal for anyone to put any hypothetical idea for a planning application to planning officers beforehand and it is entirely proper for them to respond, even if they say “no chance”. People don’t seem to understand a planning system that allows anyone to apply for anything they like and ask questions about it beforehand. There is nothing unusual, secret or underhand in this.
Deceitful mock outrage, to create unnecessary and unfounded anxiety amongst residents, is the stock in trade of Warrington North Labour.
This comment beggars belief! The latest Lib Dem leaflet fell through my letter box at the weekend and deliberately misleads residents about Peel Hall Park and the planning inquiry. Sorry Mr Barr, but Labour called for an external inquiry in April and then announced it at the first Council meeting after taking control. Anyone can see that it didn’t happen because of your bungled attempt at a motion – it was even your own Mayor that ruled it out of order!
Just like the stories of Warrington Hospital closing were the stock in trade of the failed Dr Crotty and Warrington South Lib Dems? Classic Lib Dem tactics – maybe Labour have learned something from you lot after all?
Perhaps you should ask yourself about why the NHS Warrington deficit grew from £13m to £24m in the weeks before and after the election, and where the Labour government was expecting to find the money to pay the annual PFI costs of Whiston Hospital. This crisis has not gone away. Perhaps Helen Jones MP knows how Whiston was going to be paid for, she is ‘outraged’ that the current government doesn’t., If she knows, she could tell them. Bearing in mind that Labour were going to cut the NHS to reduce the deficit and the coalition has ring-fenced the NHS budget.
And what has that got to do with Peel Hall exactly? I was referring to past election tactics – Dr Crotty wasn’t interested in the truth or the detail – and how they show that the Lib Dems are certainly not ‘whiter than white’. It is plain hypocrisy to slate the tactics of others when you are no stranger to them yourself!
This is a Labour fantasy. Labour misled the population about incinerators, about Lysander High, about Walton Hall. Invented scare stories have become the Labour stock in trade. Warrington Hospital was, and is, a legitimate concern. The worst I can think of Lib Dem tactics might have been using local election results in bar charts to drum up support in the General Election. No comparison!
Walton Hall? Yes, the Lib Dem administration’s finest hour! Hilarious!
Anyone know who this football team is then?
“Build it, and they will come…”
LibDem…wouldn’t trust the bug**rs as far as I could throw them!!! I live in Whittle Hall and I was “outraged” to find Cllr Judith Wheeler and Cllr Kevin Reynolds campaigning against the proposed development on Sankey Valley Park…only to discover that it was their own Executive Board that signed off the planning policy for that area. What have you got to say about that Bob?
Winwick are the team.
The MP for Warrington Nrth – did sod all in Government and does sod all now- Steve Roberts – I understand he’s the one that has never said a word at council meetings
HEY BUT WHAT ABOUT THE TWO MEETINGS THAT LABOUR HAVE HAD SINCE THEY TOOK CONTROL –
Did you know about them MP for Warrington Nrth??? Yes or No will do????
And how many Lib Dems have gone to prison????? I’ve lost count with Lab/Tory
Hey I’ve just heard that Cllr T O’Neill votes with the Tories now???
Is it the party connection with Murdoch??????
Bearing in mind the track record of the planning department, it’s not surprising that people are suspicious of them. John Groves is a proven liar. Andy Farrall goes from one disaster to another. And their relationship with certain developers is very questionable to say the least.
The developement of Walton Hall and its associated fictitous accounts and lack of consultation happened on your watch. And, sure enough, another developer was involved.
Anybody would think things weren’t straight in the planning department.
it is apparent that comments made by Ms Helen Jones are not corect and are misleading, it has been practice of Labour people to lie to us ei Irak war, and I do not wish to go on. One thing hasn’t changed and that is deception and spin doctoring. People are not stupid or blind. Stop insulting our inteligence and start being honest with us. It will bite you eventualy, and it will come fast.
Whittle_Wayne – If only you had been told the true facts I guess by Labour – I am more than happy to come around and speak with you on the true facts around Sankey Valley Park. Please feel free to mail me your details you can contact me at [email protected]
BULL!
Have the people of this town all had lobotomies, forgetting which party used our monies to bail out the banks, putting us in this entire debt crisis and all the HIGH priced increases, due to their incompetence? Highest priced fuel in the world.
Peel hall buildings, the residents of the poplars/hulme ward have been signing partitions for the past 30 years or more to STOP any GREEN BELT destruction but hey labour can’t remember past their last FREE Meal. However they got rid of all the planning archives, why? Just what else in this town are the population going to let them destroy? Most of our town’s history has gone.
We fought wars to STOP dictatorship did we not? One councillor in Wales only went to a fancy dress party in a German uniform, he never sat on council again, so WHY DO WE IN WARRINGTON HAVE A NATZI UNIFORM WEARING LABOUR COUNCILLOR?
I’m Bloody well outraged.
(ther’s no fee for my outrage)
Surely the point that matters is consultation and transparency! A point that Officers at WBC seem to have forgotten. Do we live in a democracy? These Officers have been found wanting in the past. However, surprise, surprise they have now been awarded a pay rise for their inefficiency. How good is that?
YES-I want to protect Peel Hall and stop the developers!