Fully support the Council?s ambition to create a major new employment location at the South East Warrington Employment Area and considers that this proposal within the Draft Plan is soundly based as it is fully justified, effective, consistent with national policy and has been positively prepared. Liberty Properties considers that it is critical for the Local Plan to properly provide for the future growth of the logistics sector in Warrington, and the significant economic benefits that will flow from this. The land is ideally suited to meet the key locational requirements of logistics operators.

The Council?s approach to estimating employment land need (316.26 hectares over the plan period), which is reflected in the Draft Plan, is largely sound. It should, however be viewed as a minimum figure, and it should comprise a larger ?buffer? to provide more flexibility and ensure that at any future point in time there is sufficient land ready to be developed to allow for choice and competition, and to guard against uncertainty.

Liberty Properties agrees that ?exceptional circumstances? clearly exist which justify the release of Green Belt land that is proposed by the Draft Plan to enable Warrington to meet its employment land need over the plan period. The Green Belt Site Selection report (?Implications of Green Belt Release?), which forms part of the Local Plan evidence base, is correct in its conclusion that the removal of the South East Warrington Employment Area from the Green Belt would not harm the overall function and integrity of the Warrington Green Belt.