Protests fall on deaf ears as council votes to adopt Local Plan for Warrington

LABOUR Cllrs on Warrington Borough Council last night voted to adopt the proposed Local Plan, despite opposition from protestors campaigning to save Green Belt.

It follows further consultation and amendments to the original Local Plan which was found “unsound” by government-appointed inspectors.

Commenting after the meeting Cllr. Wendy Maisey (Con) said: “We and our future generations in Warrington are stuck with Labours disastrous local plan.
“I voted AGAINST it along with the Conservative Councillor group.
“All Labour Cllrs voted FOR it.
“Final councillor vote was 33 voted for 14 voted against.
“The protestors outside were vocal and respectful but their voices went unheard by Labour.”

The Warrington Local Plan 2021/22 – 2038/39 has now been formally adopted at a meeting of full council and is now the statutory Development Plan for the Borough to 2038/39.
The Local Plan 2021/22 – 2038/39 replaces the Local Plan Core Strategy 2014 in its entirety and will be used in the determination of planning applications.
For more details visit https://www.warrington.gov.uk/LocalPlan

Prior to the meeting Warrington Action Against Inappropriate Development wrote to all council members stating:
“On the 4th December 2023 at a Full Council Meeting, you will be called upon to vote and adopt ‘The Local Plan for Warrington’.
“Before you do this you need to consider what is in the best interests of the people of Warrington.
“55 Local Councils across the country have ‘scrapped’ their Local Plans as reported in the National Press (including; Daily Mail, The Times) 7th April 2023
“Why have these other Councils decided to do this? What do they know that we don’t?
“Warrington can and should do the same, for the following reasons:
“Warrington Borough Council is £1.8 Billion in debt. Despite vast housing development in the last 20-30 years, the council has a massive debt. More housing on a vast scale will inevitably bring more debt.
“These debts mean you do not have the money to put in place essential roads and bridges to access new housing estates, the infrastructure is not capable of supporting this plan. The town is regularly gridlocked within a few minutes of any motorway incident and we are surrounded by motorways.
“The big developers want to build detached expensive homes on Greenbelt land, easy to develop and giving more profit. Who are these houses for? There are no exceptional circumstances which warrant the loss of Greenbelt. It cannot be replaced with a park in another area. Warrington has a ‘Borough Local Nature Recovery Strategy’ which ‘recognises irreplaceable, protected and priority habitats’. Trees and woodland classed as ancient or veteran are irreplaceable. You should stand by your own adopted strategies and reports.
“Warrington needs Social Housing, Affordable Housing, homes for single people and over 65’s. The number of over 65’s is increasing in our population.
“Social Housing needs buses, shops, health care facilities and schools. Building a ‘car dependant’ estate on the outskirts of town is not a good plan, adding more cars to the roads and more pollution.
“The Population Statistics used in 2014 to draw up this plan are no longer correct, the predicted growth in the population numbers is incorrect and the numbers are a lot lower. Since this plan was drawn up we have had a pandemic and a serious drop in the national birth rate in this country. Back in the 1970’s the Government’s Plan for Warrington was that by the year 2020 the population would be 200,000, well ‘congratulations’ you have exceeded that target and the town is now complete.
“Warrington Borough Council has made many Environmental Statements in: Warrington Climate Emergency Strategy, 2022.
“How can Warrington Council make these statements and then dig up all of the greenbelt land and farmland. Land which local people enjoy walking in, cycling and running. These greenbelt areas of our Town are the ‘green lungs’ for Warrington, the trees and plants ‘filter our air’ and clean up the pollution
“Some 4000 objections from local people have been raised about this plan. Local People who live and work here have some idea about how this Town works best.
“Speaking of pollution, the 18 Air Quality Action Points still need to be addressed. Warrington was voted worst for Air Quality in the UK World Health Organisation May 2018, something we should be ashamed of. To add more HGV’s and cars to our roads with Logistics sites and housing estates is destroying our children’s health. Why would you move your family to Warrington when the pollution is the worst in the Country?
“The areas of countryside surrounding the town have been invaluable over lockdowns for wellbeing and mental health. Warrington people need these spaces to escape to. At the Warrington Cabinet Meeting (12th June 2023) the 4 pledges of Warrington’s Corporate Strategy were reiterated, including pledge Number 4:’to ensure that our town is clean, green and vibrant’.
This vote must keep our town clean, green and vibrant, you said it yourselves!
“Warrington’s Strategy must take into account Brownfield sites across all areas of the Town. Fiddlers Ferry will be a big site, and Unilever near Bank Quay Station will become available for development. Yes we need houses for people here waiting on the housing list, young people and affordable homes, but not at the cost of destroying the whole area. There are also some 4,000 unoccupied properties around the town which must be considered as potential affordable homes, even if it is only a percentage of these buildings. Use local builders to put in small sites of 10-15 homes, in keeping with local characteristics of the town. Employing local builders and workforce, who will then spend their money locally, using local suppliers, not sending profits down to London. The big national housing developers want to build on easy locations, with off-the-shelf designs they use everywhere else, making the whole country look like ‘Brookside’, they make vast profits which they take away from our town and donate millions to influence politicians in Westminster. Which all sounds a bit corrupt, and Warrington should have no part in it.
“The town centre and shopping areas are half empty, including Golden Square Shopping Centre. A big project is required to condense the shopping area into a couple of vibrant streets, enhancing our retail area and leisure area. Releasing town centre streets for housing & development. The town centre has changed since this plan was written, and this plan does nothing to rectify the problems.
“In summary, you have a very important vote to make on 4th December 2023 and we hope you will do the right thing for Warrington and not live to regret this big decision in a few years time. It will be our children and grandchildren who will pay the price for bad planning, with poor health, lack of community and high taxes to pay for it all.”

Concerned Cllrs. and villagers hand in petition opposing Local Plan