LYMM residents are being urged to respond to Warrington Borough Council’s Local Plan which is earmarking up to 500 new homes on Green Belt land in the village, before the September 29 deadline.
A special meeting has also been called in the village on Saturday October 14 which is open to all residents to learn more about the work of the local Neighbourhood Plan group and have a say on helping shape the future for the village.
Lymm Parish Council is responding to Warrington Borough Council’s Local Plan Preferred Development Option expressing concern over the number of houses that have been proposed for Lymm, most of which will require the release of land in the Green Belt.
Cllr. John Bamforth, Chairman of Lymm Parish Council, said: “We are concerned over the lack of clarity on what the Preferred Development Option means for Lymm. Our main concern is the lack of infrastructure to accommodate 500 extra houses and the effect additional developments are going to have on the character of Lymm and the loss of green belt.”
Cllr John Bamforth
“The Parish Council voted unanimously to delegate powers and provide an initial budget to the Lymm Neighbourhood Plan Group to research, write and consult on a Neighbourhood Plan for the village. The group will be independently run by Lymm residents and will seek the views of the public on how they see our village developing over the next 20 years. The group will have the full backing of the Parish Council”, he continued.
Warrington Council is currently consulting on the first proposals for the Local Plan for the town as a whole. The deadline for all comments from residents is Friday, September 29 and the Parish Council urge people to respond via email to [email protected].
Cllr. Bob Barr, who is acting as advisor to the Neighbourhood Plan group, together with Councillor Anna Fradgley, added: “Some development is inevitable and ‘no change’ is not an option. However, it is crucial that local residents have their say, otherwise development will take place anywhere in Lymm, regardless.”
The first public consultation meeting, open to all Lymm residents, is on Saturday, October 14 at 11am to 3pm at Lymm Village Hall, Pepper Street. Here, residents can learn more about what the group will be doing and have their say on how they want to shape Lymm for the future.
Dr Natalie Palmer, chair of the Lymm Neighbourhood Plan Group added, “It is vital that residents respond to the Warrington Preferred Development Plan by Friday, September 29, so that they get their say. After that, we can work closely on what Lymm residents want for our village, which will ultimately be taken to a referendum and if successful, will have the same statutory weight as the Local Plan, but will be specifically for Lymm. We need them to come to our consultation event on October 14 which specifically concentrates on Lymm.”
For more information on the Warrington’s Local Plan Preferred Development Option before the September 29 deadline, please visit www.warrington.gov.uk/localplanreview and for the Lymm only consultation on October 14, please go to the Lymm Parish Council website www.lymmparishcouncil.gov.uk
