Disappointment as new 3G pitch gets approval for Woolston Playing Fields

DISAPPOINTMENT has been expressed after Warrington Borough Council planners approved plans for a new 3G artificial pitch on Woolston Playing fields.

Warrington Nature Conservation Chair Geoff Settle, a former Poulton North Councillor and former mayor, said: “I am very grateful to Warrington Worldwide for featuring this earlier in the week. I didn’t know it existed as a separate application and only had a couple of days to prepare my speech against because there was so much to read and I had to use my bipolar attributes of being able to work with little sleep.”
Geoff was disappointed at the result that he knew was a forgone conclusion, but keeps trying to raise people’s awareness about the complexities and urged people, if they are passionate about a planning application then to turn up and speak at meetings. The application before the one he was speaking on had 200 objectors, but no one turned up to speak against. It’s no good going on social media alone. Gather your evidence and put it before the committee. You never know, you might get a result.
Geoff added: “I raised wildlife issues as chair of the Warrington Nature Conservation Forum and a former member of the Mersey Forest Steering Group about high-water table, tree canopy, and lack of a detailed ecology. This would have indicated if any endangered species, such as bats (I’m not even sure if a bat detector was used), hedgehogs and badgers, high water-table, the development does not achieve the required 10% biodiversity gain and the location of the new pitch. We were told the location of the pitch on the plan couldn’t be moved away from the trees elsewhere in the six acres because of underground cables! The trees are part of the Mersey Forest.”
The contents of the Woolston Playing Fields 3G pitch application were contained as part of the David Wilson Homes and the University of Chester planning application(2025/00952/FULM) for the old University Planning Campus and 399 new homes.
“The planning committee was asked to treat the Woolston Playing Fields application as a separate application and nothing to do with the campus application. I don’t understand why this one out of three-sporting compensations for the loss of the University sporting facilities has been taken out of the more substantial application?
“The other two sites included a new 3G pitch and changing rooms at Victoria Park, as well as the refurbishment of two hockey pitches in Lymm.
“I sometimes give up trying to understand planning law, but it means that Poulton North sports facilities that could do with help lose out yet again. Places like the Rylands’s football pitch on the opposite side of the Crab Lane, where they need a stand, Bennet’s Sports Recreation Ground for additional facilities and Padgate Tennis Club, where the court is in disrepair. Why were the other three chosen instead?
“The university campus is a place where I studied for my MSc in Information Systems and used the running track as a training facility on my doorstep. I used to call it the University in my front garden
“Poulton North residents have suffered from the building work at Houghton Green and Peel Hall to be followed by two more. It’s like living next to a building site with the noise, dust and disruption of site traffic that doesn’t adhere to travel restrictions, one heavy goods plant vehicle got stuck on Delph Lane, where a second sandstone wall was demolished.
“A Woolston resident, who I only know as Sam, spoke passionately during his maiden speech about the parking issues that he argued will accrue. He said that the traffic survey was done outside the peak times and that parking was already an issue.
“I used to walk through Woolston Park to get to my doctor’s additional surgery at Woolston Neighbourhood before it was closed and often got my feet wet.
“On a positive note, before Christmas, I attended a planning meeting that was extremely chaotic. I raised several issues and I was asked to submit my comments and recommendations by the planning officer. As a former member of the planning committee, I am delighted to say that in my councillor’s opening remarks, Poulton Noth Cllr Graham Friend, as chair, read out a new code of conduct that set out in detail the processes and procedures for the evening, which addressed my concerns.”