WARRINGTON Borough Council has no plans to introduce a specific policy related to garden development – despite the issue causing confusion for councillors.

Local authorities and communities across the country continue to be frustrated by controversial ‘garden-grabbing’, whereby developers build in the gardens of existing homes.

Councillors on the development management committee have repeatedly called for a firmer policy guidance to limit it in the borough.

Committee member Cllr Bob Barr, leader of the town’s Liberal Democrats, has raised concerns over inconsistent decisions due to no specific policy being in place.

The issue arose again during the committee’s recent meeting at the Town Hall.

Cllr Barr said: “We do not have a garden development policy and, as a result, do not have a general guidance of what constitutes being too big.”

The borough council has issued a short statement on the matter.

A spokesman said: “We have local planning policies in place to help us consider the various aspects of garden development – which we follow on a case-by-case basis – and there are currently no plans to introduce a policy that specifically references garden development.”