Prison farm shop to go-ahead

A PLAN to set up a farm shop in the grounds of a prison at Warrington has been given the go-ahead – at the third time of asking.
Members of the borough council’s development management committee approved the proposals at Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institution, Appleton Thorn, after twice deferring a decision because of local objections and worries about traffic issues.
A nearby resident and borough councillor Brian Axcell had lodged objections on the grounds the development would be an unacceptable commercial operation in the Green Belt and would cause harm to the living conditions of a neighbour.
The traffic worries related to the fact that the proposed access to the site would be right opposite an entrance to Appleton Thorn Primary School, in Arley Road.
Members of the committee were told that proposal involved a change of use of an existing agricultural building.
The shop would mainly sell produce grown or made on the site.
Planning officers said there would no external alterations to the existing building so there would be no impact on the Green Belt.
The small scale of the operation would mean it would not affect any retail centres, the nearest of which was more than a mile away.  But it would fulfil a local need as there was no shop in Appleton Thorn.
About 70 per cent of the goods on sale to be grown or made on the site with 30 per cent being imported goods which cannot be grown on the site such as potatoes, oranges, bananas and honey.
The aim was to serve the local community of Appleton Thorn – which has no existing shop.