Multi-million ? shops
and leisure complex
by David Skentelbery
A MULTI-million ? development to replace Warrington?s Time Square shopping centre has been unveiled.
New Time Square will be an exciting 11-storey mix of shops, restaurants, a multiplex cinema and luxury apartments.
Construction could start as early as 2007 ? subject to planning approval.
There will be underground parking and a new bridge link to the existing multi-storey car park on Academy Way.
The scheme ? the second to be drawn up for the Time Square site in recent years ? has been developed by a team consisting of The Big Apple Warrington, Amstone, Dalgleish Retail Property Insight, Lowry Homes, Signet Planning and Leach Rhodes Walker Architects.
A spokesman said the development would be designed to complement the existing surround retail property, including Warrington Market, and would aim to encourage shoppers to stay on into the evening.
?It will be designed with the whole community in mind, family focused, combining shopping and leisure facilities and creating a new town centre leisure destination.? Central to the scheme will be a landscaped public square where people can meet or enjoy alfresco dining at one of the many restaurants.
Only a month ago, Manchester-based Modus Properties, announced a similar scheme for land off Winwick Street, Warrington.
This project also involved shops, a cinema, hotel, restaurants, offices and luxury apartments.
It differs from the New Time Square project in that it involves land which has already been cleared of old, largely worn-out buildings while the new scheme involves replacing an existing shopping centre.
Work is now at an advanced stage on a massive extension to the Golden Square Shopping Centre and adjoining bus station.
Police under fire
from councillors
by David Skentelbery
POLICE in Warrington have come under fire at a meeting of the borough council.
Leader of the council John Joyce said: ?We want proper community policing ? not just paying lip service to it as the police are now.?
Liberal Democrat opposition leader Ian Marks, noting that Warrington had, in four months, had four police commanders, called for more continuity in command.?
The debate took place just days after the announcement that Chief Supt Nick Ingram had been appointed the latest police commander.
Coun Joyce told the meeting Warrington was the biggest town in Cheshire but had the least number of police officers.
?We are not very comfortable with the reports that are coming back to us about the new Community Action Teams,? he said.
?People are telling us they are making reports to the police about incidents and officers are not turning up until two or three days later.
?The police have acknowledged that their internal communications have not been as good as they should be.
?We have a situation where PCs are trying to establish relationships in the community ? the same PCs who are turning up two or three days late.
?We recognise they are in a difficult position and we are trying to work with the police. We are looking for leadership on the ground. We are looking for proper community policing ? not the lip service we are getting now.?
But Coun Joyce praised the new commander for immediately on his arrival going out into the town centre to meet people and seeking solutions to problems.
He also said the council would be meeting Cheshire?s Chief Constable this month to try and resolve problems.
Coun Marks said it was just changes at the top of the police that were worrying.
He said: “At my parish council it’s been a running joke for years that every few months we get a request from a new inspector or sergeant to come along and introduce himself to us. As soon as we get to know the person he’s off to another job.
?We recognise that in all organisations there must be career development and people cannot be stopped from applying for better jobs. But surely with more thought and better planning we could have more continuity. The police, the council and the community must work closely together for policing to be effective.
?But this can only happen if we have time to build a rapport between police officers and community leaders.”
Model car gets place
in police museum
by Lesley Wilkinson
MODEL car enthusiasts are rushing to buy a limited edition copy of a Cheshire Police car – and one will take pride of place in Warrington’s Police Museum.
It is the first time that a Cheshire Police vehicle has been produced by Corgi, and the design and logo has been approved by the force.
The car is to scale, 1 to 43, and is modelled on an actual police vehicle, a Vauxhall Astra, registration number DK 54 HRF.
Museum curator Peter Wroe said he heard from an officer that the limited-edition car was on sale at a model shop in Church Street, Warrington. Only 3,040 have been produced and each costs ?12.99.
“I was told about this by a bobby,” said Peter. “It is the first time that Corgi have done a Cheshire car. It is exciting to see it and one will take pride of place in the museum.?
The car features the Cheshire Police logo along the side.
New school will retain
historic memories – pledge
by David Skentelbery
EVERY effort will be made to retain historic memories of the old Stock Heath Primary School when it is replaced by a new school.
This assurance was given at a meeting of Warrington Borough Council by education chief Colin Froggatt.
A planning brief would be produced and the new school would be built to the highest standards, retaining some of the very historic memories of the area.
Pupils should be at their desks in the new school by September 2007, he added.
Coun Froggatt was responding to questions from Stockton Heath councillor Celia Jordan, who pointed out that there was a continuing controversy over the decision to build a new school rather than refurbish the old one.
She urged the council to ensure there would be an archaeological survey of the site so that any historic relics could be rescued and also that the new buildings would be of high quality and ?sit well? with the surrounding residential area.
Coun Froggatt said 70 per cent of people wanted a new school built and only a minor had favoured refurbishing the old one.
He referred to the debate on the issue on the Warrington-Worldwide Reader?s Forum, which clearly showed the majority of people favoured a new school.
?It is the intention of the Children?s Department to ensure that we do get a high quality new school that will be in keeping with the area and retain some of its historic features,? he said.
More than 50 at
music masterclass
by Lesley Wilkinson
MORE than 50 students attended a North Cheshire Concert Band Masterclass at the Pyramid, Warrington.
It was led by the clarinettist Linda Merrick, deputy vice principal of the Royal Northern College of Music, and was a great success. She enjoys an international reputation as a clarinet soloist performing all over the world and recording numerous CDs.
She worked with students from throughout the North West, and helped them improve their technique and enjoy music and performance. Her class was supported by students from her college.
During the evening a concert included the premiere of Stephen McNeff’s Clarinet Concerto, with the solo part played by Linda Merrick.
The NCCB continues its concert season with Music from around the World at the Pyramid on Saturday November 19, from 7.30pm.
The programme includes work by Ralf Vaughan Williams, Chris Marshall, Johan Strauss and Percy Grainger. It will be lead by conductor Mark Heron.
Plea to public after
night of vandalism
by John Hendon
FIRE chiefs in Warrington are appealing to people to make wheelie bins and skips more secure after a night of arson
attacks.
Vandals went on the rampage in Manchester Road, at Latchford and at Callands, setting fire to bins and skips.
Fire crews were called out repeatedly to extinguish the outbreaks.
A spokesman said: “There is nothing to suggest these fires were all caused by the same offenders, as they were in different parts of the town. But we have had cases of people just walking through the town starting fires as they go.
“We would ask people to try and make skips and bins secure, well away from property.
“Where possible, bins should not be left out overnight.”
Man rescued
from canal
by David Skentelbery
A MAN was rescued from the Manchester Ship Canal after apparently jumping from the Knutsford Road Swing Bridge at Stockton Heath.
Fire crews raced to the scene with a rescue boat after reports of a man struggling in the water.
The boat was launched and firefighters used ropes from the canal bank to assist the 36-year-old man from the water.
He was given warm clothing and taken to hospital by police officers who were also involved in the rescue.
A Fire Service spokesman said: “He was very cold, but apart from that appeared to be none the worse for the experience.”
“Alcohol free”
council meeting
by staff reporter
THE December meeting of Warrington Borough Council will be ?alcohol free.?
This has been announced by the Mayor, Coun Hans Mundry as part of a Town Hall initiative to support a safe driving campaign in the run-up to Christmas.
Normally drinks are served to councillors, officers and others following meetings of the full council.
