Chester District

Saighton Playing Fields. CPRE objected to the construction of a new primary school in Green Belt inappropriate development. The school was planned to be part of the large housing development in the former Saighton Camp, a non Green Belt Site. The Cheshire West and Cheshire planning committee granted permission subject to the Secretary of States approval.

Chester is now designated as an Air Quality Management Area. Since the free parking in Chester after 3pm came into force, Park and Ride use has dropped and the Council are looking at ways to overcome this issue.

It was felt that CPRE would not object to the new planning application to demolish the bus depot and construct 321 student units in its place bases on re-use of a brownfield site. It would also not object to the planning application for a new car park for 100 cars beside Chester Railway Station as this will hopefully encourage the further use of rail transport.

Vale Royal District

The Darnhall planning application is still pending. The High Court Judge produced a 36 page report. The final decision on this case may have national consequences.

Warrington District

Jacqui Johnson is in contact with CPRE Lancashire Planning Manager, Jackie Copley in regards to all the shed proposals along the M6 and will also write to CPRE members in Warrington re the proposal for Green Belt release. Developers have responded to the call for sites with a large number for the Green Belt, many of which have been rejected by Warrington Borough Council but no doubt will be challenged when the draft local plan goes in next February. The present consultation is a preferred option one.

Jacqui Johnson will reply to the Warrington Local Plan preferred Options consultation by early September. She will reply in general terms. Although it was believed that Warrington had an over supply of housing, the preferred option for housing has now gone up from 500 to 1113 per year over 20 years. This now includes possible garden villages to the south of Warrington. See p47 of Preferred Development Option.

There are still ongoing issues with the building of the new Runcorn Toll Bridge, and there is concern that Warrington will be flooded with extra traffic from those not wishing to pay the charges. The toll bridge will be free to local people who own a house under a certain value.

There is discussion about a Warrington link Road. Warrington Borough Council is exploring options for a business case for a new link road to the south-west of Warrington, to cut congestion and ease traffic flow.

Six possible route options for the road have been identified and the council is seeking opinions on these options before submitting a bid for funding to the Department for Transport (DfT). The council have been given funding by Government to develop the case for a potential new link around the south-west of the town which could link the A56 or A5060 Chester Road with the A57 or A562 in Great Sankey.

Wirral Society

At Saughall Massie, the re-application for the Fire Station at Saughall Massie has been approved by the Planning Committee, despite massive local opposition.

At Eastham Village, we await the Planning Decision for the loss of Green Belt rugby pitches for enabling development to keep the club alive. This application is complicated by the inclusion of a replacement “Community Facility” for which the Council has pledged some £350,000 if it decides that the planning application should be approved. 

At Storeton Village there is an application for a housing development, the funds from which will again be be “Enabling development” to facilitate the restoration of Storeton Hall which is a listed historic building.

At Thornton Hough, the proposals for a “Retirement Complex” have “gone quiet”. We have kept in touch with the local objectors.

In Hoylake, the Hoylake Golf Resort application continues.

Wirral Council have embarked on another Housing Land consultation. We have been working with the local Conservation Area groups and are trying to find what is going on as the SoS for the Department for Communities and Local Government has announced yet more changes for later this year.

Wirral council’s Local Plan / Core Strategy continues to be in its Draft state. 

The visitor economy is being advocated by the Wirral Council.