A number of public meetings have been arranged over proposals for a huge rail freight interchange, including warehousing, on land east of the M6, impacting the Winwick and Culcheth areas of Warrington.
If given the green light, the development will include the demolition of an unknown number of homes, farmsteads and commercial premises on land south of the Chat Moss line and west of Winwick Lane.
An application has been made to the Secretary of State via the Planning Inspectorate to authorise the development of an Intermodal Logistics Park North Rail Freight Interchange (ILPN RFI), by a company based at St Helier in Jersey.
An environmental impact assessment will be required ahead of a planning application, and consultation with the local community will be required. If approved, the logistics part of the development would include 8.2m sq feet of warehousing and ancillary buildings with a total ground-floor footprint of 6.3m sq feet and a 2m sq ftof mezzanine floor space.
A mixture of units would have the potential to be connected to the rail system with a rail terminal capable of accommodating up to 16 trains, stretching 775 metres in length, per day.
The proposed Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) by Tritax Big Box (through Intermodal Logistics Park North Ltd) would create a large “inland port” combining a rail terminal and over 8 million sq. ft. of warehousing on land east of the M6 (Junction 22) between Winwick Lane and Parkside Road, adjoining Lowton, Winwick, and Newton-le-Willows.
The proposal is classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), meaning it will go through the Development Consent Order (DCO) process with the Planning Inspectorate.
Andrew Dickman, Chairman at Tritax Big Box Developments said: “These proposals include an allocated site and will be instrumental in connecting the North West to global markets. As part of Liverpool City Region’s Freeport, this development can unlock significant investment and create thousands of jobs, while delivering both economic and environmental freight solutions for the region. We are committed to working with our partners and the local community to ensure these benefits are fully realised.”
“The project will be classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. This means that to gain consent for the proposals, we will be preparing to submit a Development Consent Order (DCO) application to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS), with the final decision on the proposals being made by the Secretary of State for Transport.
“Feedback on the proposals during this round of statutory consultation will be accepted until 11:59pm on Tuesday 23 December 2025. This will help us refine the proposals further ahead of submission of the DCO application next year.”
Residents can give feedback on:
• The overall proposals and mitigation plans
• Road and highway impacts (including potential relief road options)
• Noise, air quality, and ecological impacts
• Updated maps, access routes, and landscaping
Ways to take part:
• Online: www.tritaxbigbox.co.uk/…/intermodal-logistics
• Email: [email protected]
• Freepost: ILP NORTH (no stamp required)
• Call: 01744 802043 (for printed materials or accessibility requests)
🏢 In-Person Consultation Events
Meet the project team, view plans, and ask questions:
📍Saturday 15 November – Newton Community Centre, Park Rd South, WA12 8EX (10am–2pm)
📍Friday 21 November – Winwick Leisure Centre, Myddleton Lane, WA2 8LQ (2pm–7pm)
📍Saturday 22 November – Newchurch Parish Hall, Common Lane, Culcheth, WA3 4EH (10am–2pm)
📍Saturday 29 November – Church Lane Community Centre, Lowton, WA3 2RZ (10am–2pm)
💻 Online Webinar: Wednesday 3 December, 6.30–8.00pm
Register via the website or by emailing [email protected]
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝
• A new intermodal rail terminal linked to the West Coast Mainline and Chat Moss Line
• Around 6,000 potential jobs once fully operational
• Up to 16 trains per day transferring goods between rail and road
• Access via M6 Junction 22 and Parkside Link Road East
• Landscaping, green buffers, new public footpaths and cycleways
• Ongoing work to identify highway mitigation, including a possible Lane Head South Relief Road
1 Comment
Wow I think we are stuffed.