High hopes for urban village (From Warrington Guardian)

High hopes for urban village

DEVELOPERS behind plans for an urban village in Wincham have briefed board members and shareholders from Witton Albion for the first time.

With a decision on the multi-million-pound plan due in the coming months, the club invited bosses to plug their proposal at a meeting last Thursday.

And those present were impressed with what they heard.

Club chairman Mike Worthington said: "I felt that as a verdict on the scheme is getting nearer it was important that people involved with the club should have a chance to find out more.

"I think they found it very useful and informative to listen to what the developers had to say."

The Wincham Park club's six-acre site could form part of the Lower Wincham Urban Village, earmarked for retail and industrial development and featuring space for around 600 affordable homes.

Alison Freeman, lead consultant at Emery Planning Partnership Ltd, said: "The presentation sparked a good, lively discussion.

"It was a chance to enable the consortium to introduce the idea of how it intends to develop Wincham and explain the reasons behind our proposal."

Public consultation on the Vale Royal Local Plan closed in December, with supporters hopeful the inspector will reinstate the urban village in his report this spring.

They were left disappointed a year ago when the 35-acre development was not part of the latest draft.

Mr Worthington added: "It's a case now of waiting to see what the inspector recommends and then we can identify just where we fit in."