The vast majority of the greenbelt release takes place in the South East Urban Extension, all of the council run consultations sessions were held at the Halliwell Jones stadium. Consultation events run by the council with council officers present should have taken place in the south of the Borough.

The case has not been made for the growth that is driving the increased housing numbers in the Plan. The 2018 ONS data predicts significantly lower growth for the town, in fact, a projected housing requirement of 458 homes per annum verses the plans 816 homes per annum. Christopher Pincher MP (Housing Minister) in parliament on the 2nd of March 2021 stated that, ?the standard method for assessing local housing need is only the starting point in the process of planning for new homes it is not a housing target.? Instead it is a starting point. The Council appear to have used this as a target and then increased the numbers via further uplift of 10% generating a total requirement of 16,157 homes over an 18 year period.

The Plan (Para 4.1.10) confirms that Warrington has an urban capacity of approximately 11,800 homes that could be built on brownfield sites, the annual ?target? pre the 10% uplift of 816 homes implies that there is sufficient brownfield land to support a 14 1/2 year building program. On this basis there is no need to release any Green Belt until sometime well beyond the first decade of this plan. Releasing Green Belt immediately will divert investment from the regeneration of the town centre and the brownfield sites around the town.

The Council have declared a climate emergency, the release of Green Belt is not sound in the face of the Council's own climate emergency, the governments own declaration of a climate emergency and the global desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When brownfield land is available for use there is no sustainable justification for the release of Green Belt land on the outskirts of the town.

The limited contribution to the road network contained within the Plan for the South East Urban Extension will not address any of the current issues of congestion. Specifically there are no concrete plans to address the junction at Lyons Lane and the A49, or the Owens corner roundabout on to the A49, both of which, would see significant additional traffic flows and further congestion. The separation of the South East Urban Extension from the town centre is exacerbated by the lack of the creation of any new crossings over the Bridgewater Canal, The Manchester ship Canal and the Mersey in this area of Warrington.

The SEWUE creates a huge suburb with connectivity issues to the town centre. The South East Urban Extension is likely to be of residential interest to people working in Liverpool, Manchester and Chester, creating commuter dormitory wholly car dependent and disconnected from the Town.

There are no guarantees regarding the infrastructure to support those homes the provision of which are developer dependent. The Plan provides little confidence that the infrastructure will be built ahead of the homes. There are not sufficient safeguards in the Policy to ensure the delivery of the infrastructure required to support the homes.

The southern most developments in the SEWUE will be adjacent to the M56 exposing residents of that area to air and noise pollution.

The SEWUE creates a continuous suburb merging a number of suburbs and settlements. This runs contrary to the councils own stated goal of preserving the distinctive villages that surround Warrington.

In particular it will destroy the current views afforded to those entering Warrington from junction 10 of the M56, a view currently across open fields towards Saint Matthews Church which gives the overall impression of entering a rural village environment. The proposed development of this land will have the effect of creating a suburban feel the moment one leaves junction 10 of the M56.

The expectation that people travel to work by walking, cycling and public transport is simply unrealistic. Whatever employment is created at 656 will increase motor vehicle traffic movements through the already congested road network of South East Warrington.