Victory in fight against home bid (From Warrington Guardian)

Victory in fight against home bid

10:41am Thursday 29th October 2009

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A YEAR-long battle against the construction of a nursing home in Orford has been won.

Residents living near Norris Street had repeatedly protested against plans to build a nursing home at the site of the Methodist Church hall and succeeded in getting the plans rejected twice by the council.

But applicant Dr Krishnan Satkunam took the rejections to appeal earlier in the year to try to get permission to build the 39-bed nursing home.

Last week residents and councillors received notification that his appeal was dismissed by inspector Jean Russell.

“Notwithstanding my conclusions on highway safety and sustainable travel, it is the harm the proposed development would cause in relation to the character and appearance of the surrounding area that leads to my decision,” she said.

Clr Paul Kenny (LAB – Fairfield and Howley) said: “I am absolutely delighted that this development will not now go ahead.

“There was an enormous response from residents against these plans, and it goes to show that such united opposition really can make a difference.

“The planning inspector was left in no doubt about the strength of local feeling and has made the right decision.”

The original application was blocked because of the impact it would have had on the area.

“From day one we very quickly formed the view that this development would have an overbearing impact on the local street scene,” added Clr Kenny.

“Residents were never opposed to the principle of the development but the applicant’s refusal to consider a smaller scale development or to take on board residents’ concerns made us all the more determined to fight this battle.”

Dr Satkunam can submit a further application which takes the planning inspector’s comments into account, but has yet to do so.

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