TOWN Hall chiefs have been urged to protect Peel Hall from development after Warrington North MP Helen Jones presented a petition with almost 1,000 signatures.

An appeal against the council’s decision to refuse Satnam’s application for 1,200 homes on the site was dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate in December following a public inquiry.

But the battle continues to rumble on as the developer is fighting the inspector’s decision, with a hearing planned to take place in the High Court next month.

The authority’s draft local plan sets out proposals to build around 1,200 homes and facilities, including a primary school and residential care home, on the 69-hectare site.

It comes despite calls from Mrs Jones and campaigners for it to be removed from the document.

On Friday, Mrs Jones presented her petition against development on Peel Hall to deputy council leader Cllr Cathy Mitchell and chief executive Steven Broomhead at the Town Hall.

The petition, which calls on the council to remove Peel Hall site from the local plan and commit to ensuring that no development is allowed on the land, has secured 975 signatures.

The signatories will be added as individual representations in the local plan consultation process.

Mrs Jones said the support of the petition shows the ‘strength of feeling’ in the area about the proposed development.

She added: “We have been fighting this off now for almost all of the time I have been an MP and people there are very concerned, they need to keep the last green space that is in north Warrington.

“They recognise its value to the community, they recognise the difficulties that they are already experiencing with air pollution and extra traffic, so we will keep fighting to preserve this area.

“I hope that the council will listen to people.

“It is always difficult to decide where housing should go but I think there is a very strong case against building on this land and it will not give us the kind of homes that Warrington needs.”

Cllr Mitchell thanked Mrs Jones for presenting the petition.

She said: “We have received and acknowledge the petition and will carefully consider it as part of the consultation.”