A MAJOR blow has been delivered to one of Northwich's biggest employers after the Government threw out ambitious plans for an urban village in Winnington.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has rejected the bid to create the village - despite agreeing that the project meets important national and local policy objectives in many ways.
The top-level decision means that the Winnington Urban Village consortium's proposals for up to 1,200 residential units, commercial uses, retail, leisure and community facilities, a primary school and associated infrastructure are a non-starter at present.
Mr Prescott's verdict on the plan for the site at Winnington Island, Wallerscote Island and land to the west and east of Winnington Avenue leaves Brunner Mond - Vale Royal's biggest industrial employer and one of the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers of soda ash and associated alkaline chemicals - with considerable headaches.
The company, which directly employs 480 people at its Northwich operations, had been hoping to sell the land to the consortium to provide it with a vital shot in the arm in a highly competitive business environment.
But rejecting the scheme on behalf of Mr Prescott, decision officer Elizabeth Sealey said: "The Secretary of State considers that the proposals meet important national and local policy objectives in many respects, for example by providing mixed use redevelopment of a brownfield site in a sustainable location.
"The proposals would provide an acceptable mix and density of housing, with retail and commercial facilities which would meet the needs of the urban village residents, but would not harm Northwich town centre. The proposal would, in addition, offer open space, educational and community provision. Furthermore, the site is physically suitable for the development proposed.
"Whilst the proposals meet policies in the adopted development plan, the fact that housing would be delivered on the site in the emerging plan period means that the proposals must be considered against the emerging plan."
Mr Prescott concluded that approval of the scheme at this stage would be 'premature'.
