Planners edited residents' objections

ANGRY residents have claimed their objections to a plan to replace an old, out-dated Warrington school were “heavily edited” by planning officers.
People living near Woolston Primary School, in Hall Road, Woolston say a report on their objections, presented to the borough council’s development management committee, “emasculated” their objections.
The committee will meet tonight to consider for a second time a proposal to demolish the school and replace it with a new, contemporary-style building.
An earlier meeting put off a decision to allow members to visit the site.
The existing school is said to have inadequate facilities and poor quality buildings.
A number of nearby residents have lodged objections – and were unhappy with the way their objections were dealt with at the earlier meeting.
They say the deferral has given an opportunity for planners to have a re-think on the proposals.
They say: “The residents are not opposed, as some people believe, to the building of a new school, but only to its location, design and the destruction of mature trees which front our properties.”
Residents are asking for further talks with a view to retaining the existing tree line and maintaining a “green barrier.”
They are also concerned about increased traffic congestion, with roads being inadequate for large vehicles.
The proposals, put forward by the school governing body, are for a single storey school building catering for 210 pupils to replace the existing two-storey building which provides for 256 pupils.
Forecasts are that pupils numbers in the area will fall.
Planning officers say the aim of the new building would be to provide “street presence” to both Hall Road and Barnfield Road through its modern design, while respecting the adjoining residential area.
The new building would be to the south west of the site, on a play area which would be replaced on the cleared site of the existing school. It would tend to be more prominent than the existing building which is a 1950s flat roofed structure.
A total of 51 trees would be removed and 60 new ones planted and the proposals include a hard play area, a multi use games area and an under-12 grass pitch.