CONTROVERSIAL proposals for 172 new homes at Grappenhall Heys have been approved by planning chiefs at Warrington – despite opposition from nearly 150 people, two parish councils and the Woodland Trust.
The development will be made up of two phases – 58 houses to the south of Astor Drive and the east of Witherwin Avenue and 114 houses to the north of Lichfield Avenue and also east of Witherwin Avenue.
Both are close to the popular visitor attraction, Grappenhall Heys Walled Garden.
They will effectively fill-in much of the existing green space between the walled garden and Grappenhall Village.
But members of the borough’s development management committee had little option but to approve the scheme as outline planning consent for both schemes – and a third one bringing the total number of houses up to around 400, but not yet before planning chiefs – had already been granted.
Earlier versions of the two schemes were turned down last year but the principle of housing on the land dating from the days of the Warrington New Town Development Corporation in the late sixties was already established.
Most objections were based on grounds such as inadequate infrastructure, no provision for schools or health facilities, poor design, over-development, air pollution and the fact that the new properties would be car dependant.
Planning officers said the development would not have a harmful impact on adjacent properties and that ecological mitigation was in excess of the required level. They believed the local highway network would be adequate for the increased traffic the development would cause.
Where some of the houses will be built
Plans for 172 houses given the go-ahead
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