PLANNING chiefs at Warrington are to visit the site of a proposed development of 10 three-storey “affordable” homes before deciding if it can go ahead.
The scheme is on land adjoining the disused Farmer’s Arms pub in Rushgreen Road, Lymm and has triggered opposition from nearby residents.
More than 40 people packed into the Town Hall to hear the application deferred for a site visit.
Nearby residents say the site should be retained as open land – and they have the backing of local councillor Ian Marks.
He says he supports the principle of quality affordable housing but would prefer to see this site retained as open land.
Eight years ago, two separate plans to build houses or apartments on the site were refused on the grounds the development would have a damaging effect on the open character of the area and harmful impact on trees on the site.
Soon after, a 6ft high fence was erected around the land, despite neighbours protests that it was an eyesore.
Now planning officers – who are recommending the scheme be approved – say it would be difficult to justify refusing consent on the grounds of loss of open space because the site is fenced off and no longer making a positive contribution to the area.
In fact, the fence itself detracts from the visual amenities of the area., they say.
PLANNING chiefs at Warrington are to visit the site of a proposed
development of 10 three-storey "affordable" homes before deciding if it
can go ahead.
Planners to visit affordable homes site
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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.
10 Comments
Yet another farcical situation in which the unacceptable sleight of hand of our planners is all too obvious. It really is time that Warrington received a better, less covert and more transparent service from its planning department. No prizes for guessing who the miscreants are behind this shambles, the “action plan” is typical our terrible twins of planning and a dead give away. Who else would:
1) recommend refusing two separate plans to build on this site because the schemes would damage the open character of the area and have a harmful impact on trees on the site;
2) then despite that recommendation and having the power to prevent it, allow a 6ft high fence to be erected around the land, in the face of protests from the neighbours;
3) then recommend development and in so doing ignore the original grounds for their refusal to develop?
Our planners have an annoying habit of making their recommendations on the basis of one set of circumstances; failing to use their powers of enforcement, are indifferent to developers making matters worse or letting sites degenerate in to eyesores, then riding to the rescue of the developers by reversing the basis of their original recommendation.
Are the genuine concerns of local residents ever going to feature in the borough’s planning decisions?
Not while the developers have season tickets to Old Trafford and pockets full of used notes to spread around B Mused! You don’t honestly believe that our planning department is actually this incompetent do you? Think 7 letters, starting with C, ending in T, anagram of Curt Pro.
Oh, Inky Pete you mean Corporately Organized Regional Ruination by Unacceptable Planning Tactics?
Is Warrington Planning an oymoron?
Our Planning Department really is this bad! Several other Departments are also this bad. As the CE and her Directors are unwilling to act when are our “elected” Members going to take action? It really is time for the Councillors to get a grip of the Directors ect to ensure that the service given its Council Tax Payers really is more transparent and more in line with what its residents want. Currently what residents want does not feature on the horizon and it ought, urgently. If Councillors currently think that they run things then they had seriously better take another look because this is far from the case.
Apparently Warrington is “one of the top 10 worst towns in the country for empty town centre shops” (WW 9/10/2011). It must surely be amongst the top 3 or 4 boroughs in the country for planning maladministration, cock-ups and mismanagement?.
Are the records of the previous two planning applications available? or have they also been shredded? Perhaps we should enter Warrington’s planners for the Guiness book of records – on two counts – firstly for the most incompetent blunder in British planning history – destroying the records and secondly for managing to stay in their jobs after such gross incompetence!!! Maybe we should also nominate WBC councillors – for their incredible ability to turn a blind eye?!!!
You’re right there Sha. How long is it since we were promised a root and branch independent inquiry into the Ombudsman’s damning report, findings and recommendations? Apparently the Council was very miffed with the resulting adverse publicity. But little has changed, not a dickie bird since that promise was announced with the usual meaningless fanfare. Since then WBC has gone in to it’s usual Ostrich Management Mode of sticking its head in the sand and hoping it will blow over. It doesn’t seem to matter which party or collection of them is in power, no one is willing to grasp the nettle of incompetence and apply the weedkiller.
You’re being very generous to them assuming it’s incompetence. There is another possible explanation, and that may be one reason why this independent inquiry appears to have been forgotten. And where are our elected representatives to pursue this? Presumably under the same rock they hid beneath rather than ask questions about some of the strange happenings around the mooted sale of Walton Hall.
You are right. The independent inquiry was publically announced, shortly after the Council accepted the LGO’s justified criticisms unreservedly, months ago. Since then there has been a deathly silence on all fronts. Most responsible organizations in such situations would consider it essential to make interim public statements on progress in an attempt at restoring public confidence, whilst arrangements were finalized. But we have heard nothing. Is this because WBC places little score on how it is regarded by the public? What does that tell you about our local authority? Furthermore, no one appears to have considered the people of Warrington have a right to know what is happening with the arrangements for such an important matter, namely, the investigation into the probity of their Council’s procedures, including possibly the actions of some of its officers and members. From the public standpoint there has been a marked lack of urgency in setting up this inquiry. Does this reflect a collective and increasing reluctance to do what was publically promised? Is some one or are some people trying to water down that undertaking?