Council to continue to fight Peel Hall proposals

WARRINGTON Borough Council is to continue to oppose the controversial plan to build up to 1,200 homes and a new neighbourhood centre at Peel Hall.
Members of the council’s development management committee have agreed with officer recommendations that the proposals, put forward by developers Satnam Millennium, should continue to be opposed on highways grounds, when the long-running public inquiry into the matter is resumed.
The inquiry is currently adjourned because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outline planning consent is being sought for a neighbourhood centre including up to 1,200 homes, a supermarket, a pub/restaurant, hot food takeaway, offices and residential care home.
The scheme was first refused by the council in February 2017 but Satnam appealed and a public inquiry was held between April and July the following year. The Secretary of State dismissed the appeal in December 2018.
Following a successful legal challenge by the applicants, the High Court quashed the Secretary of State’s decision and ordered that the appeal be re-determined and in December last year it was confirmed the inquiry would be re-opened and heard by a different inspector.
The re-opened inquiry was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and a new date in September is now being considered.
Councillors have considered the matter again because Satnam submitted further technical information as part of the appeal. This meant the council had to review its case to effectively continue to fight the appeal.
A report to the committee stated: “It remains the professional opinion of officers that notwithstanding all the additional information provided, the appellant still does not demonstrate that the impacts from the development on the highway network would not be significantly adverse. It is therefore advised that the appeal is strongly defended on this basis.”
The scheme is opposed by about 2,250 local residents, the local MP, councillors and the local parish council as well as the Peel Hall Campaign Group.
Peel Hall consists of 69 hectares of mainly open land south of the M62, bounded by Elm Road, Birch Avenue, Poplars Avenue, Newhaven Road, Windermere Avenue, Grasmere Avenue, Merewood Close, Osprey Close, Lockerbie Close, Balleter Drive and Mill Lane.
About four hectares of the site is recreational space operated by the borough council.