WARRINGTON Borough Council is preparing for two more consultations on the Local Plan following a “strong response” to the first consultation.
It comes as developers respond to recent national changes to the planning system. The first consultation on the update of Warrington’s Local Plan has concluded with over 300 responses received from local residents, parish councils, community groups, businesses, landowners and developers.
The Government requires the council to update its Local Plan to support its priorities of increasing the delivery of new homes and promoting economic growth. Key elements of the current Local Plan will be out of date in December 2028 when it reaches five-years-old.
As part of the initial scoping consultation, the council asked for views on what the key priorities for the new Local Plan should be and how they can best engage people in the process of preparing the new plan.
They asked for views on planning for more homes and the infrastructure needed to support growth. They also asked how they can protect and enhance the environment, support jobs and the economy, tackle climate change, and create well-designed, healthy communities.
They also carried out a ‘call for sites’ exercise, providing the opportunity for landowners, developers, agents, residents, community groups and other key stakeholders to suggest sites located within the borough which are considered to have potential for development.
Now the consultation has ended, all feedback is being reviewed. This will ensure the views of local communities are taken into account right from the start of the process of updating the Local Plan and that the council is engaging with residents and other key stakeholders in the most effective ways.
There will be a further two formal consultations to help shape the Plan. The first is anticipated in autumn/winter 2026 and will focus on the vision of the Plan, proposed aims and objectives, the proposed spatial strategy and a summary of the supporting evidence. The second is expected in autumn/winter 2027 and will be a consultation on the full draft Plan before it is submitted for independent examination.
The council says it is important that they update the Local Plan now so they can plan properly for the higher number of homes set by the government. Once the plan is adopted, this will help ensure new development happens in the right places and is supported by the infrastructure they need, including transport, community services and green spaces. It will also help identify the most suitable areas for growth and make sure infrastructure is improved where needed. Once adopted, the new Local Plan will help protect against unplanned development.
If the council does not have an up-to-date Local Plan or cannot demonstrate the certainty of housing land supply for the next five years, national planning policies will take precedence. This means the council may find it more difficult to refuse planning applications, even if they go against local preferences, and it increases the risk of unplanned development.
The council is already starting to see the development industry respond to recent national changes to the planning system and, in particular, to the increase in the number of flats and houses needed to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply in Warrington. Consultations have started to be undertaken by developers in a number of locations across the borough. This is separate from any consultation that the council will do if a planning application is then later submitted by the developer for consideration against local and national planning policy.
Cllr John Kerr- Brown, cabinet member for housing services and licensing, said: “Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their views as part of this first stage of consultation. It’s important that our Local Plan reflects the priorities and ambitions of our communities.
“Updating our Local Plan will help us plan for Warrington’s future in a way that supports new homes, strengthens our economy and protects our environment, while ensuring development is well supported by infrastructure.
“We will continue to engage with residents and partners as the plan develops, and I encourage everyone to take part in the next stages of consultation.”
Ity follows on from the leader of the Independent group, Cllr Stuart Mann, flagging concerns over the Local Plan, calling for infrastructure before development.
