PLANNING chiefs are recommending the go-ahead for the controversial Six56 logistics development on Green Belt land at Grappenhall, despite nearly 1,000 letters of objection.
Warrington Borough Council planning chiefs say the benefits of the development outweigh the loss of green belt land, even though it contravenes the local development plan.
A total of 948 letters have been received opposing the application with just two letters of support for the application which comes before the town’s planning committee this coming Thursday.
The application by Langtree PP & Panattoni is on Green Belt to the west of Junction 20 of the M6 Motorway, and Junction 9 of the M56 Motorway and to the south of, Grappenhall Lane/Cliff Lane (known as Six:56 Warrington) Grappenhall, Warrington, seeks Outline Planning (Major) ‐ Outline application (all matters reserved except for access) comprising the construction of up to 287,909m² (gross internal) of employment floorspace (Use Class B8 and ancillary B1(a) offices), demolition of existing agricultural outbuildings and associated servicing and infrastructure including car parking and vehicle and pedestrian circulation, alteration of existing access road into site including works to the M6 J20 dumbbell roundabouts and realignment of the existing A50 junction, noise mitigation, earthworks to create development platforms and bunds, landscaping including buffers, creation of drainage features, electrical substation, pumping station, and ecological works, accompanied by an Environmental Statement.
Planning officers are recommending approval subject to conditions and a S106 obligation to secure contributions to footway/cycleway works, public transport and a strategic travel plan, the cessation of use of Bradley Hall farmhouse, a local employment scheme, details of the ecological mitigation area, a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP) and off‐site farmland habitat compensation, and subject to the Secretary of State not wishing to intervene.
While accepting the proposed development is, by definition, inappropriate development in the Green Belt and there would be other harm as a result of the proposed development including to the character of the area, ecology, landscape and views, cultural heritage, noise, waste, energy, agriculture, land and soils, some cumulative effects and residential amenity, planners say there would be a number of benefits to the scheme including meeting an identified need, and significant socio‐economic benefits including job creation, economic investment and training and skills.
The site is also considered to be deliverable and there is an absence of alternatives outside of the Green Belt in Warrington.
The harm to designated heritage assets is also considered to be less than substantial and the weight of the public benefits outweighs that harm.
They say the benefits of the scheme clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and the other harm caused by the proposal.
They, therefore, are considered to constitute very special circumstances that justify inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
While the application is considered to be contrary to the development plan which, for this application, comprises the adopted Local Plan and the Appleton Thorn Neighbourhood Plan. There are however material consideration, namely the benefits of the scheme, the other matters mentioned above and the support given by the NPPF which outweigh this non‐compliance.
The proposed development is therefore considered to be acceptable subject to conditions and a S106 obligation.
However if members resolve to approve the application it would therefore need to be referred to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in accordance with the
provisions of The Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009, which continues to have effect in relation to applications made before 21 st April 2021, who would determine whether the application would be called‐in.
Local Cllr. Ryan Bate said: “I hope that members of DMC will reflect on the public opposition to the Six56 application and reject it. The huge loss of Green Belt and impact on both local roads and the motorway mean that the development cannot be justified. Also, to be building road-based logistics in the 2020s when we need to be taking freight off the roads is another reason to turn this down.”
Warrington South MP Andy Carter MP said: “I remain opposed to development in the green belt and this land is still green belt, despite its inclusion in the draft local plan, the proper consultation and scrutiny has yet to take place, it would be premature to grant permission. We’ve been here before on land close-by in Appleton Thorn and when the decision taken by local Councillors to grant permission for a distribution centre was called in by the Secretary of State, it was then rejected because there were no special circumstances for approval.
“We have large brownfield areas right for development in the town centre, at Fiddlers Ferry and new approval has just been granted a few miles along the M6. Granting permission now would result in piecemeal planning, without the necessary infrastructure investment and I urge councillors to think very carefully about the ramifications were they to support approval.”
An illustration of how the proposed dvelopment would look
