Infrastructure must come first say Lib Dems

LOCAL Liberal Democrats are calling on Warrington Borough Council to urgently strengthen its approach to planning and development, especially in South Warrington, ensuring infrastructure comes first.

They say the are “deeply concerned” about the scale of proposed housing growth and the lack of clarity over supporting infrastructure.
They have submitted a motion for debate at the full meeting of Warrington Council tonight, October 20.

Cllr Helen Speed said, “Residents deserve better and I am urging officers and councillors to put people first by ensuring that all the necessary policies and procedures are in place to secure the right outcomes for both existing and future residents. People in Warrington are not anti-development but they are rightly frustrated that their concerns are often left unanswered. Time and again, we’ve seen homes built without the shops, schools, health services or community facilities to support them. That is simply not good enough.
“Liberal Democrat Councillors have been consistently raising these issues on behalf of residents in South Warrington. Developments such as the South East Warrington Urban Extension would add thousands of homes and cars to already over-stretched infrastructure. There were similar issues across all parts of the town.
“We’ve listened carefully to what residents are telling us – from Grappenhall to Appleton Thorn and from Stockton Heath to Walton. They want a joined-up plan, not piecemeal expansion. They want infrastructure to come first, not as an afterthought, years down the line. We understand that the Government wants to loosen planning laws to get more houses built, but we must ensure that these houses meet the needs of our residents and not the needs of large-scale developers. To do this we must be have strong and enforceable Council policies and procedures.”
Helen added, “This is about putting the needs of our communities at the heart of everything we do. There must be a political will that Warrington deserves better and the necessary infrastructure will be delivered.”