Council urged to push through urgent land deal

TOWN Hall chiefs are being urged to purchase two parcels of land needed for the ambitious Warrington Waterfront project – and to push the deal through by the end of the month.
Members of the borough council’s executive board will also be recommended to approve compulsory purchase action in the event the land cannot be acquired by negotiation.
Development of the Warrington Waterfront project and purchase of the land involved has previously been approved by the executive board.
However, the land owner has recently demanded that the transaction be completed by the end of January or the land will be taken off the market, council leader Terry O’Neill will tell the board on Monday.
Purchase of the two pieces of land is seen as key to achieving to achieving delivery of Warrington’s local housing need – providing some 4,000 new homes
It is also an essential component of the borough’s regeneration and growth ambitions, with implications for policy, transportation and timing.
Cllr O’Neill says the     Government is working with the council to accelerate housing in this area of Warrington so there is a desire to progress as quickly as possible.
When fully developed the land could contribute financially to the wider Warrington Waterfront Western Link scheme.
Cllr O’Neill says there are some risks involved in the proposal since the land comes with some access restrictions and restricted use covenants, both of which must be removed either through negotiated commercial settlement or compulsory purchase. Either way the likelihood of success is deemed to be high.
It is unlikely that sufficient progress will have been made with land owners by the end of the month in relation to the release of the restrictive covenant and the access agreements. The council would therefore be buying a piece of land that it would be unable to develop for residential purposes and with no legal access rights.
In the event that voluntary negotiation fails, the council could decide to use its compulsory purchase powers to achieve the granting of legal rights of access and the removal of the restrictive covenant.
While there is no guarantee there is considered to be a very good chance of success, especially if this is combined with a compulsory purchase order required to deliver the entire route of the Western Link, but even then there is no guarantee over the timing and cost of achieving this.