Warrington District
Jacqui Johnson was unable to attend the meeting but sent in the following report:
‘Minutes of last planning meeting - I have had a letter from Halton re the Redrow applications dated 1st Dec to say amended plans and an update to documentation to support the environmental statement can be viewed on Haltons website comments by 15/12.
Hs2 cancelled their meeting with us (parish council) but I had had one with them as a committee member of our local action group. I think we made clear the havoc that blocking our local roads to build it would cause as they have been doing detailed traffic counts in Warrington and Lowton. We are still arguing against the Golborne Link as are our MPs and Borough Council.
I attended a Local Transport plan re trains, buses, cycling, etc where everyone was in groups. Mostly a consensus on what was wrong and what needed improvement. I didnt go to the roads one but sent in a link to CPREs document plus my own comments such as the motorways are full, unreliable and therefore not fit for purpose and building more is not the way as they would fill up again. We are waiting to see how the toll road affects us, anecdotally it is affecting employers and employees in Halton.
We are now waiting for the Draft Local Plan. Haven’t looked at the infrastructure stuff. Despair about people who can’t see the connection between tree removal and quagmire gardens. Holiday homes? Why not tents?’
Wirral Society
Neil Parry was unable to attend the meeting, but has sent in a report:
‘Can we hope for the Green Belt? Not only has our Council Leader, Phil Davies spoken in support of the Green Belt so has Steve Rotherham our Metro Mayor and of course the Chancellor.. (I think)!
We met with Nick Thompson (Lancashire) and Andrew Needham (Cheshire) to discuss how we can best operate with Wirral Borough (the north part of the Wirral peninsula) being in the Liverpool City Region with the power of planning decisions probably moving to the Metro Mayor.
Due to Wirral Council’s lethargy / the government constantly changing the rules Wirral has been threatened with “Direct Rule” with Sajid Javid taking over the production of our Local Plan / Core Strategy… As ever I cannot see any problem with just re-dating the existing UDP (local plan from 2000).
At Saughall Massie, work on the “Imposed” Fire Station on the Community at Saughall Massie has not yet commenced, despite the “burning need” for this Community facility….
At Eastham Village, we are still awaiting the decision on the application to build on the Green Belt, rugby pitches for “enabling development”, to keep the rugby club financially viable.
At Storeton Village the application is still pending for a housing development, which will be “enabling development” to facilitate the restoration of Storeton Hall (listed historic building etc..).
At Thornton Hough, the proposals for a “Retirement Complex” have been presented in a planning application. The Wirral Society will be objecting with the local societies.
The need for such a facility is understood, but its location in the Green Belt out in the countryside, well away from public services seems unsustainable. Surely better placed in an urban environment with good transport links for residents, visitors and staff.
In Hoylake, the great Hoylake Golf Resort fiasco rumbles on at great cost to the taxpayer. The local M.P., Margaret Greenwood, prompted by over 80 letters of objection, has called a public meeting on the 9th December. We hope she will be able to get one of the Councillors pushing this expense to appear to justify his/ her actions. Unfortunately, at the three prior public meetings no one “for” this “scheme” would appear!’
