PLANS for 66 new homes on the site of the old St Oliver Plunkett School have been delayed after a clash over the need for a pedestrian crossing on Admirals Road.

Councillors deferred their decision to grant or deny planning permission for the second time at a meeting at the town hall on Wednesday.

Residents say they need a crossing on the road next to the site but the highways team told councillors it is ‘unsafe’ to build one because it must be 20 metres from any side street and there is no suitable position.

But Cllr Russ Bowden, objecting to the application, said: “There are plenty of locations in Birchwood and Warrington that don’t meet these standards. There’s a serious pedestrian safety issue here. I don’t see how the council can approve this, they have a duty of care to residents. I know of one pedestrian fatality a few years ago on that road. What does it take to ensure pedestrian safety?”

And Cllr Ian Atkin of the Chatfield ward added: “Children travelling to school have to get into a group so that traffic will have to stop for them. It’s impossible to cross individually.”

But a spokesman from the developer said: “We were more than happy to alter the plans if there were justifiable reasons. It’s a safe road to cross.”

Highway officers said when they visited the site cars were travelling at an average speed of 29 to 30 mph.

But Cllr Les Morgan said more needed to be done before permission for the scheme is granted: “We represent the people and their lives and their safety.”

The application was deferred so Birchwood councillors can meet with the developer to look at other options to make the road safer for pedestrians.