We believe the proposed development outlined in the Updated Proposed Submission Version Local Plan is unsound, as follows:-
Policy OS1 Croft
Para 1 Land will be removed from the existing Greenbelt and allocated for a development for a minimum of 75 homes. A maximum number of homes is not stated and will in any case more than double the number of properties in the Deacons Close/Abbey Close development to which the proposed development will be joined.
Community Facilities
Para 6-it may not be possible to provide additional school places
Green Belt
Para 12 Land will be removed from the existing Green Belt. There are other non Green Belt sites available within the Local Authority area for a development of this size.
Transport and Accessibility
Para 14a ?Ensuring appropriate access arrangements to the site? are from Lord Street, Abbey Close and Deacons Close. Lord Street is a narrow carriageway and is so narrow that buses and Heavy goods vehicles have difficulty passing in the area of the entrance to Abbey Close. I have on several separate occasions seen HGVs mount the pavement to pass buses and two buses frequently have to slow down to pass each other. Lord Street is already a designated ?Red Route? with 30 casualties- as stated on the sign opposite Kingswood on Lord Street. Vehicles now have to proceed very slowly to enter or leave Abbey Close. It is similar where traffic turns into or out of Abbey Close to Deacons Close. The sight line for turning into Abbey Close from Lord Street for traffic from Warrington is limited because of the curve on the main road and also due to vegetation. There have been concerns over traffic speed at this location. Increased development can only exacerbate the situation in Lord Street. The junction between Abbey Close and Deacons Close is regularly used by vehicles, including HGVs, to turn round having travelled in the wrong direction along Lord Street.
In addition, the existing footpaths along Lord Street which are used by pupils walking to the Primary School and other pedestrians are below 2 metres at this location.
Para 10.6.4 (Page 230) the comments relating to site accessibility (Para 14a above) Apply to this section and access to services in Croft and Warrington Town Centre cannot be described as ?good?. There are very few services/facilities in Croft apart from the Village Hall, pubs and playing field. There are no shops, Doctors or Chemists. These are on available outside Croft and accessible by car or bus.
Overall, we believe the proposed development of this site to provide extra housing stock in the Borough should not be included in the Proposed Local Plan. In the ?Summary of Issues Raised? (Page 231) we note that ?there are some developers who consider that the site proposed by Policy OS2 (now Policy OS1) is not the most suitable and that alternative sites are more suitable?.
In addition, in ?Summary of Issues Raised? (Page 228) we note that the response regarding the very poor access to/from the site the Response refers to the Warrington Multi Modal Transport Plan (2021) which ?has been used to inform site allocations?. As far as can be seen that document considers, among other things, Motorway access and does not consider the existing problems at local level, particularly Lord Street.
The ?Summary of Issues Raised? (Page 228) in response to comments on Public transport links is that ?a Transport Assessment and associated package and improvement measures will be required?. We believe the existing local bus service is infrequent and unreliable and the frequency has recently been reduced. It is unlikely that the service would be increased to serve the proposed development.