PROPOSALS to regenerate ‘wasteland’ in Penketh by building an apartment block have been approved – despite concerns over it ‘dominating’ the area.

Applicant Folde Properties Ltd’s plans to build six apartments, on land at the junction of Stocks Lane and Warrington Road, were passed by the development management committee on Wednesday.

But parish councillor Andy Heaver raised fears over the block ‘really dominating’ the area.

He said: “Our concern is the way it is being developed.

“There are two effects for this.

“One is how the viewing, when you are driving around there, how blind that is going to make it.

“The second one is the street scene, in terms of how claustrophobic it is going to make it.”

But Dominic Jude, director at Folde Properties, spoke of the benefits of the ‘significantly revised’ plans.

He highlighted that the ‘aim’ of the project is to regenerate the ‘wasteland’.

“We intend to manage the properties in the long term rather than sell them on, so these will be quality rental properties with enviable characteristics that everyone looks for in their home and neighbourhood,” he said.

“To be well built, attractive and safe, and complement the area.

“And, as we all know, Warrington needs good quality homes.

“Emerald Bay, the construction firm that will manage the project, recently completed a residential regeneration scheme at Kings Court in Warrington town centre, for which they won a Warrington Borough Council Building Excellence Award.”

Eight parking spaces will serve the development.

Committee member Cllr Bob Barr said he could ‘understand’ the concerns of residents but labelled the proposed development as ‘appropriate’.

He added: "We have had an awful lot of applications for one-bedroom flats and no parking at all.

"We have had all sorts of applications for this sort of accommodation but they haven’t been appropriate.

"It is very unusual to get a site that can provide six one-bedroom flats and proper parking and fits appropriately into the street scene."