by Garry Clarke
CAMPAIGNERS opposing the borough council’s proposed Warrington Western Link and Preferred Development Plan are holding another town hall protest on Monday February 26.
“Communities United Against the Warrington Western Link” are organising another rally outside the Town Hall prior to Full Council to voice their opposition to the council’s proposed Western Link Road and the Preferred Development Plan.
Although there is no provision for questions from the public due to the meeting dealing solely with the budget, organisers are appealing to concerned residents to assemble in front of the Town Hall at 6pm prior to the Full Council Meeting to voice their opinions on the council’s plans.
Having organised two previous rallies last year it is hoped this will attract the biggest attendance so far.
Cindy Maguire of Communities United said: “The purpose of this rally is to ensure that the elected officials of our town are under no illusion that we do not support their plans. Bring your banners, placards and make your voices heard. Let’s make this the biggest demo to date.”
The Western Link Road, which would run through Morley Common and Sankey Valley Park, is integral to Warrington Borough Council’s Preferred Development Option which will see the construction of 25,000 new houses being built in the next twenty years with almost 10,000 being on existing greenbelt land and the development of the Port of Warrington.
Developments which will swallow up large sections of Moore Nature Reserve, as the village will be engulfed by the expansion of Warrington and from the west by Halton.
Residents of the picturesque village are invited to join the rally to voice their concerns over the plans as are campaigners trying to save Peel Hall from disappearing under a housing development.
The “Communities United” group will be joined and other groups protesting about the council’s Preferred Development Option, “If the WWL Red Route goes ahead there will be no stopping the rest of the developments including the outlying settlements. Now is not the time for complacency, all groups need to show our strength in opposing the ill-conceived plans for our town,” added Cindy.
The Council’s executive committee approved plans for the “red route” at their November meeting with an application for Government funding for the proposed £212.74 million scheme having been submitted along with an outline business case for the planned bypass to the Department for Transport. The “Western Link is one of nine projects countrywide projects in the current round of Large Local Majors scheme funding.
If you cannot attend the rally but want to register your protest against the Warrington Western Link, a petition is also being complied which will be forwarded to the Department for Transport.
Further details of the petition, addresses where to send letters of protest and the groups other activities can be found on their facebook page or by e mailing [email protected].
Protesters gather outside Warrington Town Hall at an earlier demonstration – Picture Paul Jackson
