UPDATED: PLANS to build 110 houses on former Green Belt land in Rixton, Warrington, have been approved by town planners.
The reserved matters application involved plans for 110 dwellings, highway layout, public open space and associated infrastructure on land North West of Manchester Road, Hollins Green, Rixton.
It follows the granting of outline planning permission in April 2024 for housing on a site released from green belt under Local Plan policy 0S3 Hollins Green.
Warrington Borough Council planners recommended approval as the development was “acceptable having regard to the outline planning permission granted” and “a robust access of Manchester Road was approved as part of the outline.”
Furthermore, the proposed layout and appearance of the dwellings was deemed “acceptable and has regard to good urban design principles.”
The internal highway and footway layout is also acceptable and the proposed landscaping across the site has regard to Rixton Clay Pits Site of Special Scientific Interest, biodiversity and surrounding green belt, planners noted.
The site is a 4.2 hectare site to the south west of Hollins Green. A public right of way is at the north east boundary, separating it from a number of existing homes in Hollins Green. Manchester Road (A57) is the southern site boundary.
Existing homes and retained green belt are at the northern site boundary and Marsh Brook, an Environment Agency non main river, runs alongside the western boundary.
It is mostly enclosed with established hedgerows and trees, the planners explained.
Twelve objections were received by residents. Following amended plans, a reconsultation was undertaken and one objection was received.
The objector said carbon zero/neutral development should feature “more strongly throughout the application.” They said there are important areas of nature conservation including Site of Special Scientific Interest Rixton Clay Pits.
There was concern about the impact on local ecology, wildlife, hedgerows, trees and flowers. And concern was expressed that emergency access to the site will run over a public access path.
The resident said: “The village is already under strain with limited amenities and narrow country roads which are unsuitable for the amount of traffic.”
And many local people are “unable to get on the property ladder in the conventional way, and therefore we need social housing with low rents, the application does not address this.”
They claimed the development is “not properly integrated into the village.” There was also a concern that there will “be difficulty selling property and it will reduce the selling value of my property.”
The objector said this type of development should be built on brown field, not green belt land. Finally, traffic congestion on the A57 has been “a major problem for many years due to the traffic lights at the junction with Warburton Bridge Road.”
And the application “underestimated how many cars could potentially be used from 110 properties when there is only one road in and out of Rixton.”
Following consultation with Rixton with Glazebrook Parish Council, the parish “strongly objected to the proposal.”
The parish council said affordable housing provision in rural places must be “genuinely” affordable and offer perpetuity low-cost social housing “as opposed to large executive homes that usually dominate rural green field sites.”
They questioned the impact on local neighbourhood street scene and village identity and the impact on local ecology, wildlife, hedgerows and trees. They fear the close proximity and negative impact to SSSI Rixton Clay Pits.
The 110 homes represents a 15% increase in households across the parish which will “drain limited resources.” Parish councillors fear traffic congestion and a negative impact on air quality.
But planners said 30% of the homes would be affordable. Planning Policy DEV1 (Housing Delivery) identifies that over the 18-year plan period from 2021/22 to 2038/9, a minimum of 14,699 new homes will be delivered to meet Warrington’s housing needs, an average of 816 new homes per year.
After the meeting Cllr Graham Gowland said: “It’s clear we have reservations and it’s great to see the amount of affordable housing has met the targets.
“I’d approve acceptance with removal of permitted development rights.”
Cllr Gowland also agreed to the delegated authority listed in the report.
After a vote of councillors on the Development Management Committee on Thursday night, the matter was approved unanimously.
