PARISH councils in the south of Warrington continue to fight development plans in the area.

The councils believe that by working together their voices will carry more weight to change the proposals that are opposed by many residents.

Cllr Cliff Taylor, chairman of the parish councils local plan working group, says: “Our most immediate task is to oppose Stobart’s plan to build a large logistics site on land north of Barleycastle Lane in Appleton Thorn.

“The first application by the company was turned down by Warrington Council but then Stobart’s submitted a second one with hardly any changes.

“The council did a U-turn and recommended approval of the second one but this was blocked by the secretary of state.

“There was a public enquiry last October which considered both applications and the inspector’s report was submitted to the secretary of state in December.

“A few weeks ago we heard this had been ‘called in’ by the secretary of state for him to make a decision.”

Cllr Taylor confirmed the group is taking advice from its planning and legal advisers and will be sending a letter urging the secretary of state to turn the application down.

“It is ‘premature’ and any land release should wait for the local plan,” he added.

“Secondly, there are no ‘very special circumstances’ to justify the use of green belt land.

“The world has changed since the autumn. Due to the pandemic, the economy is in a dreadful state.

“Working patterns, travel and the retail sector are all very different.

“Interest in climate change has grown enormously and new brownfield sites have become available.

“In particular, Fiddlers Ferry has now closed down.

“In such a fluid situation, it would be wrong to press ahead with the Stobart’s application.

“It should wait for the local plan to be agreed.”