I don't think this plan is sound as it is bringing in a lot more houses and therefore people and therefore cars and therefore more pollution and traffic congestion. There is also the issue of the swing bridges not being fit for purpose with the traffic loads of today never mind with potentially several thousand more cars. The current general service infrastructure i.e roads, hospitals, doctors surgeries, dentists and very importantly schools is already seriously overloaded and unless these areas are addressed prior to any houses being built then the area is going to be in a mess. I do not see anything in the plan for resolving these issues, particularly the traffic, prior to any building commencing. If the normal system works here it will be years after building has commenced and possibly been completed before any work on these issues has been addressed. The issue of air pollution in the area generally and particularly along London Road is barely mentioned and considering if 2400 houses are built then that will generally mean at least another 4000 cars commuting in an area that already has poor air quality. Please remember that many children walk along London Rd on their journey to school. Is it fair on them and there families to expose them to even more risk than they have today when all we are hearing is we must reduce pollution and here is Warrington Council putting a Plan forward with barely a mention of this very important issue.
Then there is the Green Belt issue I do not see the point in designating areas as Green Belt and then just taking a bite out of it whenever it suits. I am sure there are a lot more brownfield sites that can be utilised before there is a need to start looking at using Green Belt. When all the brownfield sites have been utilised then perhaps the time has come to stop trying to build houses in the area because there is no space available for them other than the land that makes the area what it is. It was designated as Green Belt for a reason which I assume was to protect the area from becoming overpopulated and giving Residents some green space to wander in.
The Plan also shows 137 hectares for industrial development on Green Belt which is obviously going to bring in lots more HGV traffic into the area which will also exacerbate the existing air quality issues,
I wonder if this drive for more houses by the Council has something to do with its desire to gain Warrington its much desired city status.