Urban village backers seek new beginning (From Warrington Guardian)

Urban village backers seek new beginning

DEVELOPERS and councillors have teamed up to make a renewed attempt to get the Wincham Urban Village included in the Local Plan review.

The consortium behind the plans, which involves the building of 600 houses, a new village centre, football pitches for use by Witton Albion and Northwich Vics and other recreational areas, wants planners to reconsider the development in the light of the Winnington Urban Village development.

Vale Royal Borough Council revealed last month that the development was unlikely to be included in the review because it would lead to housing oversupply.

But the Emery Planning Partnership and Wincham Parish Council have joined forces to urge the Local Plan Task Group to look again at the proposal.

Lead consultant Alison Freeman said recent developments meant there was a very good case for its inclusion.

She said the Winnington rejection would affect the deliverability of the site and would have an impact on the phasing of the review.

She also pointed out that any re-submission of the Winnington Village plans would not automatically be granted consent.

Alison said: "There may well be a good case for promoting the commercial element of the urban village as being of greater benefit for the economic well being of the borough than the other draft allocations.

"Much of the green field element of Wincham Urban Village is already allocated for employment purposes under the extant and statutory approved Vale Royal Local Plan."

She said the incorporation of the Wincham site would give the flexibility needed to take into account the changes to housing requirements.

Wincham Parish Council chairman Roy Mainwaring said: "Now they've got problems with the Winnington Urban Village, we want the council to seriously reconsider Wincham.

"We will be interested to see what the outcome is."

The task group was due to meet to discuss the plans last night, Tuesday.

rbabington@guardiangrp.co.uk