Serious concerns raised over bid to build 500 homes on green belt land at Burtonwood

A COUNCILLOR has raised serious concerns over proposals for up to 500 homes on Green Belt land at Burtonwood, Warrington.

Burtonwood & Winwick Ward Councillor Stuart Mann has voiced serious concerns following reports that a developer is exploring plans for up to 500 homes on Green Belt on land off Clay Lane.

The proposal has emerged through an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening request and comes just months after Warrington Borough Council announced it would be reviewing its recently adopted Local Plan.

Cllr Mann said he first became aware of the proposal through media reports and has now contacted council officers seeking urgent clarification.
“I was extremely disappointed to learn about a proposal of this scale through the local press rather than through any communication with local ward members,” he said.
“Residents quite rightly expect their elected representatives to be informed about significant proposals affecting their communities. Instead, many residents and local councillors appear to have learned about this at the same time through the media.”
The councillor said he is particularly concerned because he had previously sought reassurance regarding the future of the land.
“Late last year, following concerns raised by residents, I specifically sought clarification regarding this land and was reassured there was no current planning application or development proposal under consideration. Residents will understandably want to know what has changed and when.”
While no planning application has yet been submitted, Cllr Mann said the emergence of the proposal raises serious questions about the effectiveness of the planning system and the purpose of Warrington’s adopted Local Plan.
“In my recent article, Warrington’s Planning Problem, I warned that residents were increasingly losing confidence in a planning system that appears unable to provide certainty for local communities.”
“The adopted Local Plan was sold to residents as the mechanism that would identify where development should take place, where it should not take place and provide protection against speculative proposals. Yet here we are, less than three years after adoption, discussing another major Green Belt proposal and a full review of the plan.”
He added: “Many residents will be asking a perfectly reasonable question. If sites that were not allocated can continue to come forward and the Local Plan itself is already being reviewed, what confidence can communities have that the promises made during the Local Plan process will actually be honoured?”
Cllr Mann said his primary concern remains the impact on infrastructure, arguing that local services are already struggling to cope with existing demand.
“Residents across Burtonwood, Collins Green, Winwick, Croft and Culcheth tell me the same thing time and time again. Roads are busier than ever. GP appointments are harder to get. NHS dental provision is inadequate. School places are under pressure. Public transport remains limited.”
“Those concerns are not hypothetical. They are the everyday reality people are already experiencing.”
The councillor said communities have seen substantial housing growth in recent years, while infrastructure improvements have failed to keep pace.
“Before a single additional home is approved, residents deserve clear answers about roads, healthcare, school places, drainage, utilities and public transport. Infrastructure cannot be an afterthought.”
“For too long, the approach has been to build first and promise infrastructure later. Residents have every right to question whether that model is working.”
Cllr Mann also pledged to stand alongside residents as more details emerge.
“My priority is ensuring residents are properly informed, properly consulted and properly represented throughout this process.”
“I will be seeking full transparency from both the council and the developer and will continue to challenge any proposal that places unacceptable pressure on local infrastructure or results in the unnecessary loss of Green Belt land.”
He added: “The people of Burtonwood and Collins Green deserve far better than finding out about proposals that could fundamentally change their communities through a newspaper article. They deserve openness, honesty and meaningful engagement from the very beginning.”
Cllr Mann confirmed he is seeking further information from Warrington Borough Council and will provide updates to residents as soon as additional details become available.
He added: “I’ve spent some time reviewing the documents submitted in relation to the proposed Burtonwood site and it is important to understand that this is NOT a planning application.
“No decision is currently being made on whether homes should be built on this site.
“The document submitted is a Screening Opinion Request. In simple terms, the developer is asking Warrington Borough Council whether a future planning application for up to 500 homes would require a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
“An EIA is a detailed process used to assess the likely impacts of a development, including issues such as traffic, flooding, ecology, landscape, air quality, noise and other environmental effects.
“The key question at this stage is therefore not “Should this development be approved?” but rather “Should the developer be required to undertake a full environmental assessment before submitting an application?”
“Having reviewed the submission, I remain concerned about a number of issues, particularly the cumulative impact on local infrastructure. Any future assessment must properly consider existing pressures on roads, healthcare, schools and local services, alongside the impact of other major developments in the wider area, including Bold Forest Garden Village.
“I am preparing a formal response to the Screening Opinion process and will continue to keep residents updated as further information becomes available.
It’s understood the development site off Clay Lane would include plans for a medical centre. In October 2021, developers consulted with the Borough Council and villagers over 250 houses on 11 hectares of farmland at Ashtons Farm. Now a screening opinion is being sought on proposals for up to 500 homes.