PLANS to demolish a stables in Orford and build homes have been scrapped.

An application for planning permission submitted to Warrington Borough Council had sought to construct five two-bedroom bungalows on the land off Orford Road.

But the proposals have been pulled after a number of objections from residents and the Environment Agency.

Neighbours had raised concerns over road safety, loss of wildlife and green space and the scheme being out of character for the area.

And the EA objected over flooding concerns, with preventative works having only recently been carried out on bordering Padgate Brook.

Its objection stated: “The recent construction of the flood defences on Padgate Brook has not been undertaken to facilitate the development of new homes, but instead to protect existing properties and people living in the area.

“Ideally, any new homes should be located away from both these new flood defences and also away from the associated areas at significant risk of flooding.

“Given the close proximity of the defences, the mechanism of flooding due to a structural collapse is likely to result in sudden and fast flowing flood water escaping through the defence embankment and onto the site – meaning that no prior flood warning could be sent to residents preparing them for the event or for safe evacuation.”

Submission documents from Randle White Architects had stated that the development was a ‘small, sustainable residential development’ which would be ‘commensurate with the scale and appearance of those properties which already exist immediately adjacent’.

However, the application was formally withdrawn on Wednesday, March 3.

The site has been at the centre of a number of different proposals for housing in recent years.

In July 2020, the council granted planning permission for one bungalow to be built on the land despite more than a dozen objections from residents.

A previous scheme which would have seen the construction of five detached three-bedroom homes was pulled by the developer in August 2019 after similar opposition.