LOCAL Liberal Democrats have been critical of both the Conservatives and Labour over controversial proposals for a lorry park at the former Shearings depot at Appleton Thorn.
The Government has earmarked the former Shearings site for a 24/7 ‘in-land border’ for heavy goods vehicles after Brexit. It would be used as a large base for paperwork checks and sample vehicle checks for HGVs entering and leaving the country after 1 January.
Local Borough Councillor Ryan Bate, who is also the Liberal Democrat Planning Spokesperson on Warrington Council says, “The first we heard about this was from a press release issued by the Council. The Council Leader is right to complain about the lack of consultation by Government and the increased tendency to make decisions in London rather than locally. I am very worried that more and more planning decisions will be taken away from local scrutiny if the recently published Planning White Paper goes through. This rides roughshod over local democracy and accountability.
“But it is hypocritical for the Leader to complain about extra HGVs when it is his administration that wanted to push through massive developments in the new Local Plan. We still await the Secretary of State’s ruling on the second Eddie Stobart logistics proposal that was passed by the Council’s planning committee. This was expected last March.
“Our local Conservative MP has welcomed the proposal for a lorry park because it would create jobs. These jobs would only be created because of the decision to leave Europe. There is an increasing danger of a no-deal Brexit that would be a major blow to our economy and create the delays and form filling bureaucracy that gives rise to lorry parks like this. We need proper productive jobs, not jobs like this.
“The increased vehicle movement would put more pressure on local road infrastructure causing more damage to our environment and our local communities.”
Meanwhile Warrington South MP Andy Carter posted on update on his facebook page over the weekend stating:
“Having spoken to Ministers over the weekend I know that Revenue and Customs officials have been speaking to Warrington Borough Council for some time about the suitability of an existing brownfield site in South Warrington next to the M6/M56. Conversations are also taking place with other Councils in Cheshire because of the proximity to the major road networks and the ports of Liverpool and Holyhead.
“The Leader of Warrington Council’s statement on Friday suggesting ‘that a swathe of south Warrington’ would be used as a lorry park is patently untrue (cynics have suggest he wanted to detract from the planning decision his council had taken the night before to grant permission for a Theme Park extension despite 650 objections).
“Firstly, he’d known about this site for a number of weeks, it sits within the area his Council have proposed to build a huge distribution park, ten times the size of the existing industrial estate. Secondly the Shearings site is completely contained within the existing Barleycastle Industrial Estate and extends only to 2,560 sq Metres. Furthermore, it’s currently for sale, with existing planning permissions, having been used as a transport hub until the collapse of Shearings Coahes in May (which resulted in jobs being lost locally despite my best efforts to secure support for their parent company to continue) and will mean creditors, many of which are local, will see more chance of some payment from the administrators if purchased quickly.
“I’ve been advised that final decisions and locations on inland ports have not been made but if the site is chosen it will be part of the UK Border operation, checking goods and paperwork before they leave the UK and will generate well paid HMRC jobs, as well as giving access to some of the £470m investment funding to address concerns in relation to road usage.
“I do not support development on green belt land, this isn’t – it’s on a brownfield industrial site that has been there for many years and was a major coach hub with high levels of inbound and outbound movement until recently. I currently don’t know what level of projected usage is anticipated in addition to those undertaken by the coach operator and have asked for an urgent meeting this week with Cabinet Office Minister to discuss in more detail.
“I am clear that if this site is chosen there should be no access to the site from Jct 10 of the M56 and further steps must be taken to prevent lorries travelling through the villages of Stretton and Appleton Thorn. Further work may also be needed at the Lymm interchange. Once I have more information I will share this on here and will write to residents who live in nearby villages to keep them updated.”
