CONCERNED residents packed Appleton Parish Hall to discuss controversial proposals to build almost 1,000 homes in the area last night, Tuesday.
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has already submitted an outline planning application for Pewterspear Green, with applications for sites at Appleton Cross and Grappenhall Heys expected before January.
The HCA has intentions to build around 180 homes at Pewterspear Green, 370 at Appleton Cross and 400 at Grappenhall Heys.
A medical centre and small supermarket would also be constructed at its Appleton Cross site, on Dipping Brook Avenue, if blueprints are approved.
Around 200 residents turned out in force to Appleton Parish Hall, on Dudlow Green Road, for the meeting, which was organised by Liberal Democrat councillors.
With the venue at full capacity, some had to be turned away but an additional session has been organised to take place next month.
Cllr Ryan Bate (LD – Grappenhall) delivered a talk to residents and confirmed his party's councillors will formally object to all three applications on infrastructure and amenity grounds.
He also said the Liberal Democrats are considering bringing in a traffic consultant.
He added: "We have serious concerns but we need to fight this on reasonable grounds.
"The traffic around this area is absolutely horrendous – the thought of an extra, potentially, 2,000 cars is quite difficult to stomach.
"Warrington is really struggling to meet its housing target set by Government and the HCA has been waiting a long time to bring development forward – now they are very keen.
"There is a Green Belt review. We know Warrington has a housing target but we don't want the south of the town to suffer an unfair drop in the loss of Green Belt.
"We need to make sure our responses can't be dismissed.
"We are open to the idea of bringing in traffic consultant. We would need some sort of crowdsourcing to do that."
The town's Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Bob Barr was in attendance and highlighted his concerns.
He said: "We need to preserve our best Green Belt, some of it is around here.
"In the coming two years we are short of a strategy so each application will stand on its own merits. We are vulnerable."
The follow-up meeting will take place at Appleton Parish Hall on November 8. It will begin at 7.30pm.
A Facebook page named HCA Developments in South Warrington has been set up to keep residents updated.
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