MP Helen Jones has called for the new council leader, whoever that might be, to ensure that any plans to develop Peel Hall are removed from the borough’s local plan.
The result of the Public Inquiry into the latest planning application is likely to be announced in January.
MP Jones said: “I understand that we are close to a decision on Peel Hall being announced and I hope it will rule in favour of the council’s decision to reject the latest planning application.
“However, Peel Hall does appear in the council’s SHLAA (Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment) document with a recommended gross capacity of 1200. They say the site is considered to be ‘suitable, available and achievable’.
“When I raised concerns that this was an open invitation to developers, the council confirmed that they were “not opposed to any development at the site – subject to the necessary infrastructure being delivered.”
“If the Public Inquiry rules against the current planning application the council must reverse its current policy to retain, within the local plan, plans to develop the site.
“I fear that council officers are very much in favour of building on Peel Hall in the future. Therefore, we need a political decision to reverse this policy and I call upon the new council leader, whoever that may be, to publicly pledge support for the thousands of people in Warrington North, including borough and parish councillors, who have opposed any development on Peel Hall by taking such plans out of the local plan and firmly committing to keep the last big green space in north Warrington free from development.”
1 Comment
Well said, Helen. This proposed development was always nonsense, and the Council should have more sense than to give it any support whatsoever.