A former Mayor of Warrington has accused developers of reneging on a promise to remove graffiti from a motorway-facing acoustic fence – and questioned whether enough was done to protect residents from traffic noise.
Geoff Settle says he was shocked when he looked across towards the new Houghton Green development from a viewing point at a farm on the opposite side of the M62.
What caught his eye was the extent of graffiti already sprayed across the acoustic fence serving the new Gershwin Crescent development.
He reported the issue to Councillor Stuart Mann, who has been co-ordinating responses to residents’ concerns with the developers and the council.
Geoff said he was particularly disappointed after being told that Muir Housing had initially agreed to have the graffiti removed – only for the company subsequently to say the work was considered too dangerous.
“I looked across from the farm which used to be part of Houghton Village until Mill Lane was split by the M62 in the seventies and I couldn’t believe how much graffiti had been sprayed on the acoustic fence of the new Gershwin Crescent in such a short period of time. It’s a real mess.”
He added: “Houghton Green used to be a lovely village back in the day but is now unrecognisable because of the massive development and construction traffic over recent years.”
Geoff says Councillor Mann initially told him that Muir had agreed to clean the graffiti and expected it to be removed within a week or so.
But he says that commitment was subsequently withdrawn.
“They reneged and came back to say that it was too dangerous a job. Why then did they build it so close?”
The acoustic fencing
The graffiti prompted Geoff to take a closer look at the acoustic barrier itself.
Using a sound meter app on his phone, he says he recorded a reduction in motorway noise of around 10 decibels.
He believes the design and height of the barrier raise serious questions about how effectively residents are being protected from the M62.
“It’s only eight-foot tall and looks flimsy. In fact, when you walk down Gershwin Crescent, you can see the tops of the articulated lorries thundering past. It’s very noisy.”
Geoff, who was a member of the so-called Rule of Six Party during the Peel Hall Inquiry, says he believes lessons about the design of developments close to the motorway should have been applied more rigorously.
He also points to what he describes as a stark contrast between the acoustic barrier at Gershwin Crescent and the much larger barrier being installed as part of the Peel Hall development.
“At the bottom of Mill Lane, where the Peel Hall (Countryside) fence joins the Gershwin site, there is such a marked difference in design.”
According to Geoff, the Countryside barrier is approximately 24 feet high – three times the height of the Muir barrier – and is of considerably more substantial construction.
He says sound readings taken around the different barriers demonstrate what he believes is a significant difference in their effectiveness.
Geoff’s concerns extend beyond the acoustic fence. As a former path warden, he says he previously intervened after discovering an illegal large metal fence and a pile of aggregate had been dumped by Muir contractors behind the Plough pub.
He says the Rights of Way Officer acted quickly to have the obstruction dealt with.
He is now calling for councillors to take a much closer look at the consequences of development in the area.
Geoff recalls attending a planning committee meeting around five years ago when the first phase of the development was being considered.
He says he was shocked to be told that there had been no site visit because, in his recollection, the explanation given was:
“It is a green field, and we all know what a green field looks like?”
As a former planning committee member himself, Geoff says he found the response extraordinary.
“I would always go on a visit as part of a group or by myself to complete my due diligence and research.”
He believes another opportunity for scrutiny is approaching, with a further development of 23 homes expected to come before the planning committee.
He wants councillors to visit both the proposed site and the existing Gershwin Crescent development before making any decision.
“I hope that they visit the new site and that of Gershwin Crescent to see what they are dealing with – before and after.”
Councillor Stuart Mann has confirmed Geoff’s account of the graffiti issue and says he is continuing to push the developer for a solution.
He said: “On the matter of the graffiti, Geoff is correct. I did raise the matter with the developer who did initially say they would get it removed and then subsequently sent me a further email stating the initial contractor had changed its mind and considered the fence too close to the motorway for the removal work safely.”
Councillor Mann added: “I am continuing to press the developer for a solution.”
He also warned that the scale of acoustic fencing being constructed along the motorway could create a much wider graffiti problem.
“With nearly 2km of new acoustic fencing for both this site and the Peel Hall development I have raised my concerns with National Highways, WBC and Vistry Homes about graffiti ‘spreading’ along it as time goes on, similar to what can be seen alongside other parts of the motorway network.”
Councillor Mann says it has been confirmed that if graffiti appears on the motorway side of the Peel Hall acoustic fence, responsibility for its removal will rest with the developer until such time as a management company is established.
Meanwhile, Geoff says residents of Houghton Village have already endured years of construction, traffic and disruption and believes they deserve greater consideration as further development is proposed.
“The residents of Houghton Village deserve that consideration. They are very annoyed about what has happened over the years and the problems that have been forced on them.”
He believes the character of the area has been fundamentally altered.
“A lot of liberties have been taken by both developers. The place has changed so much from a lovely quiet village to a busy construction site.”
And his message to those responsible for planning and delivering the next phase is blunt: “Go and see it for yourselves before deciding what happens next!”
