Respondent name
Hannah Langler (Extra MSA Group)
Responses
Respondent Type
Landowner/developer
Policy Name/Part of plan
Whole Plan
Sound
No
Compliant with the Duty to Co-operate
No
Oral Examination
Yes
Why you consider the Draft Local Plan is not legally compliant or is unsound or fails to comply with the duty to co-operate

The draft plan does not address the need for Motorway Service Areas (MSA), and is not consistent with the provisions of the 2021 Framework or Regulations.

Modification if applicable

Address the need for MSA provision, including through Duty to Cooperate discussions and the Statement of Common Ground

Summary of comments

The draft plan does not address the need for Motorway Service Areas (MSA), and is not consistent with the provisions of the 2021 Framework or Regulations. This need should be explicitly addressed through the duty to co-operate.

Respondent Type
Landowner/developer
Policy Name/Part of plan
Sustainability Appraisal
Oral Examination
Yes
Modification if applicable

Update the Sustainability Appraisal, addressing the need for MSA, policy options and site assessments, and reasonable alternatives. Land at Junction 11 of the M62 Motorway should be assessed for the purposes of an MSA.

Summary of comments

As a result of not having regard for the provisions of the 2021 Framework, which set out the need to consider policies to provide for large scale transport facilities that need to be located in the area, and expressly includes the provision of roadside services, the Plan does not seek to address the policy or public safety need for an MSA12. The Plan does not establish a criteria based policy or allocation for MSA?s or Roadside services and it does not seek to identify sites or assess sites for such use13. Correspondingly, the Sustainability Appraisal does not address the need or sites for the purpose of meeting the identified need, and the site selection paper does not consider the suitability of sites for the purposes of an MSA.

Respondent Type
Landowner/developer
Policy Name/Part of plan
Vision
Sound
No
Oral Examination
Yes
Modification if applicable

Review the Vision, and ensure that the Vision reflects the current public safety issues affecting the Strategic Road Network and the need to address the impacts of congestion and support improvements to road safety.

Summary of comments

Extra MSA Group concerned that the Vision does not reflect the need to enhance the safety of the Strategic Road Network nor the identified gap in provision of MSA.

Respondent Type
Landowner/developer
Policy Name/Part of plan
W1
Sound
No
Oral Examination
Yes
Modification if applicable

Revise Objective W1 to ensure that it reflects the policy and public safety need for the development of an MSA along the M62 within Warrington. Include a Policy under Objective W1 to provide the policy framework for meeting the need for MSA and HGV parking.

Summary of comments

Extra MSA Group is concerned that the strategic gaps in the provision of MSAs, alongside the public safety need, is not highlighted in the plan. Correspondingly, the policy and public safety need for the provision of an MSA is not fully reflected within the Objectives of the Plan. In particular Objective W1 should reflect the policy need for such development, with amendments to the associated explanatory text to reflect the policy need for MSA development.

Respondent Type
Landowner/developer
Policy Name/Part of plan
W4
Oral Examination
Yes
Modification if applicable

See change to objective W1.

Summary of comments

Extra MSA Group support the need within Objective W4 ?To provide new infrastructure and services to support Warrington?s growth; address congestion; promote safer and more sustainable travel; and encourage active and healthy lifestyles?. Extra MSA Group note that the primary function of roadside services is to support the safety and welfare of the road user, and thus the delivery of an MSA within Warrington, addressing the identified gap in provision, plays a significant role in supporting the achievement of Objective W4, with respect to supporting economic growth, promoting safer travel, the promotion of sustainable travel, and the encouragement of active and healthy lifestyles.

Respondent Type
Landowner/developer
Policy Name/Part of plan
Key Diagram
Sound
No
Oral Examination
Yes
Modification if applicable

Extra MSA Group consider that there is a need for an amendment to the Key Diagram to reflect the need for MSA through identification of the Optimal Search Area or through identifying the allocation of land at Junction 11 of the M62 Motorway.

Summary of comments

The Key Diagram which illustrates the Spatial Strategy fails to identify provision to meet the need for an MSA under Objective W1 and the Strategic Site Allocations.

Respondent Type
Landowner/developer
Policy Name/Part of plan
Spatial Strategy
Sound
No
Oral Examination
Yes
Modification if applicable

The Spatial Strategy should be amended to reflect the need for MSA.

Summary of comments

The Spatial Strategy fails to identify provision to meet the need for an MSA under Objective W1 and the Strategic Site Allocations.

Respondent Type
Landowner/developer
Policy Name/Part of plan
GB1
Sound
No
Oral Examination
Yes
Modification if applicable

Include need for MSA in the exceptional circumstances for Green Belt release under Policy GB1 and include the release of land at J11 M62 for meeting MSA needs. Review Part 11 of GB1 to ensure compensatory improvements are proportionate.

Summary of comments

Extra MSA Group support the need to review the existing Green Belt boundaries within Warrington, and the conclusions that ?exceptional circumstances? exist to justify the release of Green Belt. Extra MSA Group consider that the site specific ?exceptional circumstances? for Green Belt release should be revised. This should reflect the circumstances that support the release of land at Junction 11 of the M62 from the Green Belt in order to meet the established gaps in MSA provision. Extra MSA Group consider that it is essential that compensatory improvements are proportionate and reasonably and fairly related to the scale and location of the site, and are not set at a scale that could undermine the delivery of the Plan, consistent with the provisions of the Framework.

Respondent Type
Landowner/developer
Policy Name/Part of plan
INF1
Sound
No
Oral Examination
Yes
Modification if applicable

Amend Part 1 ?General Transport Principles? to reflect the objectives of the need to improve the safety of the transport network.

Summary of comments

Extra MSA Group support the objective set out Policy INF 1 to ?Improve the safety and efficiency of the transport network, tackle congestion, reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality??. However, Extra MSA Group do not consider that these objectives are fully reflected within the General Transport Principles in Part 1 of the policy, and accordingly seek amendments to Part 1 to ensure that the principles reflect the objective to improve the safety of the transport network.

Respondent Type
Landowner/developer
Policy Name/Part of plan
Omission Site
Sound
No
Oral Examination
Yes
Modification if applicable

Allocate the site at Junction 11 of the M62 Motorway for Motorway Services and associated facilities

Summary of comments

Extra MSA Group objects that the land at Junction 11 of the M62 Motorway is not allocated for the provision of a Motorway Service Area (MSA) and associated facilities. Extra MSA Group consider that this site is eminently suitable, available and achievable, and therefore deliverable in the context of the Framework. A rage of technical information is provided to demonstrate that the site is available and deliverable for this use.