Port which will become one of region’s ‘most important employment areas’ crucial to local plan

The local plan needs to allocate sufficient land for approximately 24,000 new homes and 381 hectares of employment land to meet Warrington's development requirements.

The two main employment locations the council is proposing in its local plan preferred development option are the expansion of Port Warrington, as part of the wider waterfront strategic development proposal, and a major new site in Appleton Thorn, which will form part of the proposed garden city suburb.

The waterfront development is dependent on the delivery of the £150 million western link scheme.

Cllr Judith Guthrie, executive board member for environment and public protection, said the waterfront provides a 'major development opportunity' by connecting the city centre to the Mersey and Manchester Ship Canal.

In her report to members, she said: "It will deliver around 4,000 new homes.

"It will also open up Port Warrington which will become one of the most important employment areas in the north west region.

"The port will provide a key distribution centre of around 200,000 sq m for freight from the ship canal.

"It also has the potential to become a multi-modal port, with permission already in place for a direct freight rail link into the adjacent West Coast Main Line."

The south eastern extension of Warrington will create a new garden city suburb, providing the potential development of around 7,000 new homes to be delivered over the full 20 years of the plan.

The suburb will also provide a major new employment area as an extension of the existing Barleycastle industrial estates in Appleton Thorn close to the intersection of the M6 and M56 at Lymm.

Cllr Guthrie (LAB – Westbrook) added: "Given the scale of this development proposal, it will be necessary for the council to work with land owners to prepare a more detailed masterplan and ensure the timely delivery of infrastructure to support individual phases of development."