Additional six-week consultation on council’s “unsound” Local Plan modifications

WARRINGTON Borough Council has extended consultation on its “unsound” Local Plan after becoming aware that not everyone received notification on the Proposed Main Modifications.

The council has already re-opened its consultation about modifications the independent Planning Inspectors consider are required to ensure Warrington’s Local Plan is ‘sound’.

Following the examination in public of Warrington’s Proposed Submissions Version local Plan (“draft Local Plan”) in late 2022, Planning Inspectors made their initial view that with some modifications, the Plan can be found sound.

Independent Government inspectors had previously told the council the Local Plan was not sound and would require some significant modifications, including reducing the impact on Green Belt.
Inspectors, Andrea Mageean and Kevin Ward’s findings last December, in relation to the employment land requirement, The South East Warrington Employment Area (Policy MD6) (SEWEA), Fiddlers Ferry and Warrington Waterfront will have significant implications. They have also sought the council’s views on the need for a travellers’ encampment within the Local Plan.

The initial, six-week consultation ran from 15 March – 26 April 2023, to give people the opportunity to have their say, focusing solely on the Inspectors proposed Main Modifications, and whether they comply with legal requirements and meet the tests of ‘soundness’.

The council is aware that not everyone received notification of the consultation on the Proposed Main Modifications. The Council is therefore re-opening the consultation for a further six-week period starting today, Wednesday 24 May 2023, and running until 5pm on Wednesday 5 July 2023.
As before, the consultation’s main questions relate to whether the Local Plan Main Modifications. These are the key issues that the independent Inspectors will consider when assessing consultation responses.

There is no need for those people who have already submitted representations on the Main Modifications following the original consultation to re-submit them. They have already been passed to the independent Planning Inspectors.
At the close of the consultation, the representations made will be passed to the independent Planning Inspectors for their consideration. The Inspectors will then issue their final report, following which the Plan is expected to proceed to Full Council for adoption.
To view the full schedule of main modifications and take part in the consultation, please visit warrington.gov.uk/main-modifications-2023
The Main Modifications have, where necessary, been subject to Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulation Assessment.
All representations for the additional Main Modifications consultation must be received by the council no later than 5pm on Wednesday 5 July 2023. Late representations will not be accepted by the council, but they will be brought to the attention of the Inspectors.

Public consultation starts on main modifications to unsound Local Plan