PLANS for a controversial giant logistics rail freight development on the doorstep of Warrington have taken another step forward after developer Tritax Big Box Developments completed the acquisition of around 40 acres of land.
The deal with Harworth Group is being described by Tritax as an important milestone in its plans for the proposed Intermodal Logistics Park North (ILPN) Strategic Rail Freight Interchange.
But the move is likely to fuel further concern among communities across Warrington, St Helens and Wigan, with opponents warning that the development could have a major impact on traffic, the countryside and the character of surrounding villages.
The land is allocated for the proposed development in the adopted St Helens Local Plan.
Tritax says acquiring the site will help it assemble the land required for the proposed rail terminal and associated operational space, while allowing the wider development to be planned and phased as a single scheme.
The company is now preparing a Development Consent Order (DCO) application for the nationally significant infrastructure project.
A spokesperson for Tritax Big Box Developments said securing the land was an important step towards strengthening the deliverability of ILPN.
The developer says the proposed interchange would help move freight from road to rail and deliver what it describes as significant economic benefits.
According to Tritax, once operational the development could support up to 6,000 jobs, contribute around £230 million a year to the economy and generate approximately £16.8 million annually in business rates.
The company also says the project would contribute towards the Government’s target of increasing rail freight by at least 40 per cent by 2040.
However, those economic arguments are being challenged by local opponents who say the potential environmental and transport consequences must be considered alongside the promised benefits.
Among the most vocal critics is Cllr Stuart Mann, Warrington Borough Councillor for Burtonwood & Winwick, a Winwick Parish Councillor and Chair of Croft Parish Council.
He said the latest acquisition demonstrated that Tritax was continuing to press ahead with the project.
“I remain firmly opposed to the development as currently proposed.”
Cllr Mann stressed that ILPN should not be confused with Parkside’s existing regeneration proposals on the former colliery site.
He said: “ILPN is entirely separate, on an entirely different scale.”
He pointed to proposals for up to 767,000 square metres of logistics floorspace, a major rail freight terminal and associated infrastructure.
One of his principal concerns is the potential volume of heavy goods traffic.
He highlighted the applicant’s transport assessment, which identifies 395 two-way HGV movements during the busiest hour.
“That gives some indication of the scale we are talking about and why there are such serious concerns about the effect on the surrounding highway network and communities,” he said.
But Cllr Mann argued that the issue went beyond traffic. He warned that warehouses, roads, rail infrastructure, lighting and associated development could permanently alter a large area of green and agricultural landscape surrounding communities including Winwick, Croft, Culcheth and Lowton.
The proposed development sits close to the meeting point of the Warrington, St Helens and Wigan areas – creating concerns which cross existing council and parish boundaries.
Cllr Mann said this was making collaboration between communities increasingly important.
He has also written to candidates in the forthcoming Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority mayoral election seeking their views on the proposals.
He said representatives from Winwick, Croft and Culcheth & Glazebury Parish Councils, councillors from Warrington, Wigan and St Helens and residents’ and community groups from the surrounding area had been working together.
He also referred to discussions involving Jo Platt MP and Charlotte Nichols MP, as well as concerns previously raised with Andy Burnham.
The campaign against the development is due to continue with a meeting at Winwick Community Centre on Monday, September 28.
According to Cllr Mann, the meeting will bring together representatives from communities surrounding the proposed development to identify shared concerns, collate evidence and local knowledge, establish where further specialist evidence may be required and consider how councils, councillors and residents’ groups can engage with the DCO process.
He said the economic benefits being promoted by Tritax needed to be considered against the potential long-term impact.
“For me, a fundamental question is whether those claims justify the permanent transformation of this landscape and the potential impact on the communities that already surround it.”
“Based on what I have seen so far, I do not believe they do,” he added.
The latest land acquisition does not itself give Tritax permission to construct the development.
The company must still progress its proposals through the Development Consent Order process, where the detailed plans and their potential impacts will be examined.
For communities around Warrington, however, the latest acquisition is another indication that the proposed logistics park is moving closer to becoming a reality – and the debate over its potential economic benefits against its environmental and transport impacts is likely to intensify.
