PLANS for 1,100 new homes and neighbourhood facilities to be built on the Omega South site in Great Sankey were approved by councillors at a planning meeting today, May 25.

The outline proposals include a medical centre, hotel, supermarket and care home for the elderly to be built on the site in addition to the new homes.

However, residents and councillors have raised concerns that the development will make traffic problems in the area even worse.

Cllr Peter Carey said: “At the present time I think if you asked anybody in Great Sankey what they think they would say traffic is already at saturation point.”

But a Warrington Borough Council highways representative reassured councillors, saying that the predicted impact on congested junctions in the area is likely to be minimal.

A council planning officer also said that it is not the responsibility of developers to fix existing traffic problems.

The council is working to improve congestion in the area and developers have allocated £1.25 million to be spent on works to upgrade Junction 8 of the M62, which links residents to the motorway.

Cllr Carey also raised concerns about a noise-reduction fence to be built around the Royal Mail depot.

He said: “My main concerns are really about the impact on the residents that live in the vicinity of the Royal Mail.

"I think the erection of a 20 foot high fence (to reduce noise from the Royal Mail centre) is not in my mind a solution to the problem.

“That’s a very important business, not only for Warrington but also for the regional position of Royal Mail.”

The development will be about half the size of the Chapelford neighbourhood but the planning committee acknowledged that it was still a significant addition to the town.

Cllr Bob Barr said that the development was one of the most significant applications the committee had considered.

He said: “This is perhaps one of the biggest decisions we have taken in recent years. We need to build an area that the whole town can be proud of.”

Cllr Sheila Woodyatt said: “This is one of the biggest developments that I have ever seen and it’s so important for the town, it has got to be right.”

The outline plans for the site were unanimously approved.