WARRINGTON Borough Council has agreed to extend the deadline on commenting on the controversial planning application to build a giant distribution hub on green belt land in the south of the borough.
Following concerns raised by local councillors and Appleton Parish Council residents now have until June 21 to comment on the controversial application being submitted by developers Langtree and Panattoni on farm land at Grappenhall.
The applicants say the £180m development would create around 4,100 jobs and generate £7.1m pa in new rateable income for the local authority and create new high-quality logistics jobs.
Six 56 Warrington is on land bounded by junction 20 of the M6 and junction 9 of the M56 motorways. The submission follows a series of well-attended public consultation events and the recent approval by Warrington Borough Council of its Draft Local Plan which has identified the land for employment uses.
Local Cllr Sharon Harris wrote to council Chief Executive Steven Broomhead saying that in view of the fact that there are an overwhelming number of major planning applications in the public domain at present i.e. Stobarts and the Six 56, together with the Local Plan, that there should be an extension for the 6/56 application.
She added: “As you know, residents have had recent difficulties with the Stobarts application and residents were very appreciative to have that deadline extended. I wouldn’t ordinarily ask again but the deadline for Six 56 application and the Local Plan are almost back to back. Langtree Six 56 is 12th June and the Local Plan is 17th June.
“These applications and the PSV Local Plan will, potentially, profoundly affect the residents of Appleton, Appleton Thorn, Stretton and Grappenhall for years to come. Together they are the biggest issue that our area has had to deal with for many years and will affect our lives (and our children’s) for many years to come. Consequently, residents are working hard to ensure that they put ‘quality’ comments in their responses to the Council.
“I would also like to avoid a repetition of the Stobarts’ application where an overload of the IT systems had an impact on some residents’ ability to engage with the democratic process within the time scales originally set.”
The planning application 2019/34799 relates to Land to the west of Junction 20 of the M6 Motorway, and Junction 9 of the M56 Motorway and to the south of, Grappenhall Lane/Cliff Lane (known as Six:56 Warrington) Grappenhall.
It involves Outline Planning (Major) – Outline application (all matters reserved except for access) comprising the construction of up to 287,909m² (gross internal) of employment floorspace (Use Class B8 and B1(a) offices) including change of use of Bradley Hall Farmhouse to B1 (a) office use (335m²) and associated servicing and infrastructure including car parking and vehicle and pedestrian circulation, alteration of existing access road into site including works to the M6 J20 dumbbell roundabouts and realignment of the existing A50 junction, noise mitigation, earthworks to create development platforms and bunds, landscaping including buffers, creation of drainage features, electrical substation, pumping station, and ecological works, accompanied by an Environmental Statement.
To comment on the application CLICK HERE
Bradley Farm at Grappenhall – one of the Green Belt sites under threat
