2,000 have a say on a better future for central Warrington

MORE than 2,000 people have shared their views on building a better future for Central Warrington – and there’s still time to get involved and have a say.
The borough council’s Central 6 team is holding another public engagement event, on Wednesday (June 5) at The Gateway, on Sankey Street.
It will give people the chance to review and test proposals for the Central 6 area regeneration masterplan and help prioritise projects for inclusion in the final plan.
The masterplan is being produced to guide development and investments in the central wards for the next 30 years. The six main wards covered are Bewsey and Whitecross, Fairfield and Howley, Orford, Latchford East, Latchford West and Poplars and Hulme.
Local people have been placed at the heart of the development of the plans from the start, with a series of consultation events being held since November along with an online survey, enabling people to share their views.
The survey found that nine out of 10 people supported the vision of making “a safer, cleaner, greener and healthier Central 6 area that is fully connected to the future prosperity of Warrington.”
More than 150 ideas for action have been brought forward by residents, including suggestions for improved facilities and amenities, measures to reduce congestion and improve air quality, better use of green spaces, measures to increase safety and more.
The key priorities for the area identified by the public are:
•          Creating a better connected area, with affordable and efficient ways of getting around, including improved opportunity for active travel.
•          Better health and wellbeing, with a focus on addressing factors affecting good health, by creating positive economic and social opportunities.
•          Creating a place where people of all ages can live full and active lives, without fear of ‘no go areas’. This includes social safety, as well as traffic safety.
The borough council’s lead member for leisure and community, Cllr Tony Higgins, said: “The Central Area Masterplan is a crucial part of our work to deliver a healthy, safe, green and thriving future for the central wards of Warrington. That’s why it’s vital that the plans are shaped by local people themselves.
“We are doing all we can to work with the community, so their views are listened to and their ideas taken on-board. We’ve been absolutely delighted with the response from local people and the huge amount of varied, constructive and positive input we’ve received.
“The masterplan is now at a critical stage, and this workshop will help ensure that the work areas and projects going into the plan will deliver the type of change local people want to see, delivered through positive partnerships right across our community.
“If you want to help us build a brighter future for Central Warrington, please join us at the event.”
The workshop at The Gateway will be run once in the afternoon, at 2.30pm, and again in the early evening, at 5.30pm, to give as many people as possible the chance to attend.
All feedback received at the workshops will feed into the final version of the masterplan.
For more details of the workshop and to register, visit central6masterplan.eventbrite.co.uk