FORMER local councillor, Geoff Settle fears Poulton North is once again losing out on Section 106 money with the proposed housing development on the former Padgate campus site in Warrington.
The housing developers at the Padgate University Campus off Crab Lane, Barratt and David Wilson Homes North West, are proposing to direct the money elsewhere to improve sports facilities at Lymm High School, Woolston Park, Priestley College and Victoria Park. There are further issues with highways safety and biodiversity loss, says Mr Settle.
Section 106 agreements are designed to mitigate the impacts of new developments on local communities by funding infrastructure, affordable housing and community services.
Mr Settle said: “The synthetic track that was used by Spectrum Striders will be ripped up and the gym facilities and hall will go.
“I have no idea how the section 106 money has been chosen and wonder why sites like Padgate High School, Crab Lane playing fields, and Padgate Tennis and Bowls Club were not considered.”
He also questions why local highway safety issues on Delph Lane have not been addressed, as 1637 new homes will be built, if this one of 410 is approved.
The council’s press office replied to his concerns about Delph Lane in an article that was published in Warrington Worldwide on 30th July 2024. Calls for dangerous Delph Lane to be closed to pedestrians – Warrington Worldwide They said, “As part of the Peel Hall Inquiry, given the potential impacts of Peel Hall traffic, we sought a contribution toward a traffic management/traffic calming scheme for Delph Lane, but the inspector concluded that the requested contribution did not meet the tests of the CIL Regulations and so was excluded from the Peel Hall S106 Agreement.” The message now from WBC to him is that money is not available for such work.
One year later and Geoff says that most of the issues are still unresolved. There have been two injury collisions at either end of Delph Lane. One involved a police car that demolished the entrance wall to Myddelton Hall whilst the second occurred at the Mill House roundabout last month (where a young lady was driven away in an ambulance). In addition, a vehicle demolished the sandstone wall opposite Myddelton Hall at the extremely narrow section close to the white cottage lie broken in the road because of minor collisions.
He said: “There are gullies causing flooding at the junction of Delph Lane and Myddelton Lane, where there is a disabled crossing pavement. There are three white SLOW signs painted on the road that are barely visible. Heavy goods vehicles are ignoring the 7.5t weight restrictions and cause issues with one so big that it caused a roadblock on its way to the Peel Hall Village site. There are some places where there is no pavement on either side of the road which makes it a nightmare to run, walk or cycle.
“If this planning application gets approved, it will mean that 1637 homes will be in the process of being built at the same time in the immediate area. The associated traffic will soon be spilling onto Blackbrook Ave, Enfield Park Road and Crab Lane, and I can’t find any mention how rising traffic flow is going to be managed. In addition, the increasing number of new residents raises the issue that was an issue at the Peel Hall Inquiry about the impact on GP surgeries, dentists and schools.
“As chair of the Warrington Nature Conservation Forum, I am concerned that I’ve yet to see a 30-year management plan that will improve biodiversity on the campus site. This is an opportunity for a plan which encourages the introduction of wildlife and protects nature. WBC has been promoting “Nature Recovery in Cheshire.”
Mr Settle was member of the Mersey Forest Steering Group when he was a councillor. He has concerns about the proposed felling of at least 225 trees on the Padgate campus. He argues that the trees and hedges provide shade and habitats for wildlife, including bird nests and removal should be limited.
He added, “Any scheme should achieve biodiversity net gain, as per “Biodiversity Net Gain; Good Practice Principles for Development,” CIEEM, CIRIA, IEMA (2016). Replacement saplings take a long time to mature as the flood defence trees at Victoria Park prove.
“I don’t want to see a repeat of Vistry’s recent action in ripping up hundreds of healthy trees recently. Residents have taken to social media, horrified about the callous way that deforesting has taken place along with the noise from early morning starts and dust falling everywhere.
“I remember studying business at Padgate campus with Company Plus for my Institute of Management Diploma and the university for my MSc in Information Technology. I may have lost the university in my front garden with its training track that I did my 400m reps on but I don’t want to lose a lot more if this application is approved.”
A Warrington Borough Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of a planning application that has been submitted for the former University of Chester campus in Padgate. All issues raised, including highway safety, flooding, ecology, trees and access to services, will all be examined and taken into account in the decision-making process for the application.”
* To clarify – to meet with national and local planning objectives, the proposal at Padgate would need to demonstrate appropriate and sufficient mitigation for relevant sporting facilities that would be lost as a result of the development. The applicant has submitted a strategy with the application that identifies specific sites for investment. This is not the same as section 106 requirements relating to public open space that is required based on the number of homes proposed to facilitate the needs of a future population.
