Cllr Judith Guthrie
A MAJOR review of Warrington’s Local Plan – the blueprint for the growth and development of the town over the next 20 years – is being launched by the borough council.
The council’s executive board will be asked on Monday to begin consultation on the plan, which aims to provide the housing, business, jobs and infrastructure the borough needs.
If Warrington is to meets its development needs and aspirations to become a “New City”, then evidence gathered by the council has concluded that around 20,000 new homes and a total of 363 hectares of land for business and employment will be required by 2037.
Detailed work has been carried out by the council’s planning team to evaluate urban areas across the borough which could accommodate growth. This has suggested “urban capacity” to deliver only 107 hectares of employment land and 15,000 new homes.
So green belt land may have to be released to ensure the town has the housing, employment and development land it requires to meet its development needs.
The council’s lead member for environment, Cllr Judith Guthrie, said: “Warrington’s Local Plan is an important document, which will guide our development over the next 20 years. We have to ensure that we have a plan which can drive our borough forward despite the difficult economic climate and deliver our priorities for growth.
“What’s equally important is that we take on-board the views of local people. It’s vital that they are involved in the development of the plan and have the opportunity to help us set out the way forward and identify specific sites for development. We want or Local Plan to be as inclusive as possible, so it will be important for people to fully engage in
the process.”
If the executive board approves the review of the Local Plan, it will pave the way to the launch, on October 24, of a six-week public consultation period, giving residents, land owners, developers and other stakeholders the chance to have their say.
This will include a “Call for Sites”, with people being asked to air their views on locations – urban and Green Belt – where development should happen, sites which should not be developed, and areas which should be developed carefully.
The executive board will also be asked to approve a new Local Development Scheme (LDS) which sets out the detailed programme and timetable for the Review of the Local Plan. This programme includes two further rounds of
public consultation over the next 18 months as the potential locations to accommodate new homes and jobs are identified as the Plan is worked up in more detail.
1 Comment
“If Warrington is to meets its development needs and aspirations to become a “New City”…….”
Other than a handful of Council Officers and Councillors who else has ‘aspirations to become a “New City’ ?
The proposed public consultation – “giving residents, land owners, developers and other stakeholders the chance to have their say.
This will include a “Call for Sites”, with people being asked to air their views on locations”
This ‘so called public consultation’ isn’t giving any choice on whether the public want more development or not – just some discussion about where it will go. As the public’s opinion can not in reality effect the outcome this ‘so called public consultation’ cannot be classed as ‘effective’ or legal sound.