Ex-council offices to
become apartments
by David Skentelbery
PLANNING chiefs at Warrington have given the go-ahead to a controversial plan to convert a historic office building into luxury flats ? despite strong local objections.
People living near Berkley House, the former offices of the old Lymm Urban Council, at the junction of Whitbarrow Road and Brookfield Road, Lymm, have expressed dismay at the decision.
Lymm Parish Council had also objected to the conversion of the building ? listed as a building of local interest.
Members of Warrington?s development control committee visited the site before reaching a decision.
The building has been standing more or less empty for more than a year and is in a deteriorating condition. Developers say the only way of saving the building is to convert it into five apartments because efforts to market it for office use have come to nothing.
Planning officers said conversion would go against council policy based on the current oversupply of housing land in Warrington. But they pointed out that exceptions could be made where an important building which might otherwise be lost could be saved.
Residents expressed concern about traffic congestion and parking problems and was not suitable for conversion. They predicted a loss of privacy for themselves and the residents of the new apartments.
Coun Sheila Woodyatt said: ?There is already a problem with on-street parking and parking at the adjacent, very busy, doctors? surgery. We are not convinced sufficient efforts has been put into marketing the office space.
?We think the apartments will be detrimental to the amenity of people living opposite.?
Mike’s 500-mile ordeal
MIKE Heyes, a senior consultant with engineering company ABB at Daresbury Park, near Warrington, is back from a 500-mile walk across the Pyrenees to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
The 47 day trek involved Mike climbing the equivalent of nearly five times the height of Mount Everest.
Mike says it was a fabulous adventure, involving quite a few escapes.
It ended with an enjoyable swim in the Mediterranean.
He was able to undertake the trip thanks to ABB granting him an eight week sabbatical and also helping to set up an online intranet auction site which aims to raise ?10,000.
Anyone who want to contribute to his fund-raising effort can do so through the website www.justgiving.com/mikeheyes
Skydivers daring
leap for charity
TWO quantity surveyors from Warrington-based fit out specialist Morris and Spottiswood showed they both had a head for heights by taking part in a heart-stopping 14,500ft charity skydive.
Daredevil duo Chris Hamlett and John Smith, who both work for the company at its head offices in Leacroft Road, Birchwood, took part in the leap at the Black Knights Parachute Centre near Lancaster for the Alzheimer?s Society.
They decided to take part in the jump after Chris?s grandfather, who suffered from Alzheimer?s disease, died earlier this year. To attract as many sponsors as possible, the pair also decided to wear fancy dress costumes for the dive, with Chris donning a Captain America suit and John jumping as Batman?s trusty sidekick, Robin.
Chris said: ?It had always been an ambition of mine to skydive, even though I?m not keen on heights.
?I?d been thinking about raising money for the Alzheimer?s Society for a while and this skydive seemed a great opportunity to raise money and conquer my fears at the same time. John knew that I was planning to take part and asked if he could join me.? Chris and John underwent an hours? training before being strapped to their instructors and taking the plunge.
?It was absolutely incredible and by the time I?d reached the ground, I wanted to go and do it all again,? says Chris.
Thanks to generous contributions from friends, family and colleagues, Chris and John managed to raise ?1,550. Morris and Spottiswood also offered to double their efforts, making the final total ?3,100.
?It was a great experience and the nice thing is that we?ve been able to do something for such a worthy cause,? said John.
Pub wins permission
for smokers’ shelter
A WARRINGTON pub has won permission to erect a canopy to provide shelter for smokers – even though they will be sitting on a public right of way.
The Saddler’s Arms, at the junction of of Bridgewater Street and Legh Street, Lymm will provide a table and chairs under the canopy.
Lymm Parish Council had opposed the proposal on the grounds that the right of way provided the only access to Lymm Royal British Legion Club and a public car park.
They were concerned that smokers gathering outside the pub would obstruct people trying to get to the British Legion Club or car park – particularly those with mobility problems.
Members of Warrington’s development control committee visited the site before reaching a decision.
Coun Sheila Woodyatt, who opposed the plan, said neither she nor the parish council objected to the principle of the pub making provision for smokers but had serious reservations about the position of the awning.
Coun Woodyatt said: “Smokers will obstruct a long standing public right of way and the only access to the British Legion, many of whose members are elderly and infirm.
“We consider it unreasonable that they will have to force their way through a smoke screen, as will people going to the car park.” But the committee was told the street was a private road. Planning officers though the proposal was acceptable as it would have no detrimental impact on the character of the Lymm Conservation Area.
Charity takes campaign
out on the buses
A WARRINGTON charity which helps young runaways and their families has launched a new awareness campaign on local buses.
Talk?Don?t Walk, the innovative project run by The Relationships Centre will take to the roads on Arriva buses on September 29.
The charity worked closed with Warrington?s Priestley College to create the campaign which uses a design created by student Anthony McLoughlin.
Anthony said: “I selected Talk…Don’t Walk as my final project as I wanted to create something that would help others. I am really proud of the design and it is great to see it on the buses.”
Anthony’s artwork received such positive feedback from other young people that it will now be used to create a new look and feel for Talk…don’t Walk and will be incorporated into the project’s new schools pack, as well as featuring on a new website.
Warrington South MP Helen Southworth is backing the campaign.
She said: “I am really pleased to be backing Talk…don’t Walk’s campaign to raise awareness, which demonstrates just how effective partnerships between the charity and the local community can be. I look forward to seeing Anthony’s winning designs on the buses.”
In addition, Talk…Don’t Walk also arranged for Anthony to have a work placement with a design and marketing agency in Stockton Heath.
Later this month he will be starting at Huddersfield University to study for a BS. Hons in graphic design.
Interiors firm open
new local depot
AN award winning interior building products distributor has opened a depot in Warrington.
Go Interiors has opened at Chesford Grange, Woolston.
The depot will serve Greater Manchester, Merseyside, North Wales, Staffordshire and Lancashire by providing contractors with complete interior solutions.
They supply dry lining, suspended ceilings, partitioning, insulation, steel framing systems, fire protection and associated products.
Depot manager Alex Burns said: ?These are busy times for the North West, which Go Interiors can play a substantial part in servicing.?
The new depot as 30,000 sq feet of storage space and is sited close to the M6.
