Planners clear the way for Omega

PLANNING chiefs at Warrington have approved measures to clear the way for a phased start to the giant Omega development.
Members of the borough council’s planning committee have approved an application to change conditions attached to the scheme after hearing the changes would remove potential bars to a start on the project and make it more viable.
The application was from Omega (Warrington) Ltd – a partnership between Miller Developments, the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Homes and Communities Agency.
Councillors were told the proposed revisions would enable a phased start on the 550-acre site, which straddles the M62 motorway.
A report to the committee stated: “The proposed variations would better differentiate between the north and the south of the site so that – for example – certain requirements would not be triggered by minor works on the southern part of Omega.
“The proposed variations would also phase the requirements for the agreed financial contributions – and so reduce the initial costs – thereby significantly improving the viability of the development.
“The variations would remove a potential bar to the start of development on the part of Omega to the north of the M62 by making it clear that certain mitigation measures are needed only when development starts on the southern part of the site.
“This was in fact the intention of the conditions attached to the outline permissions and variation now would merely clarify matters in this regard.”
Councillors expressed some concerns about the possibility of mitigation measures being put off in the event of a shortage of funding but said they would not want to do anything to hold up the project.
Officers recommended the changes be approved.
The original vision for Omega – drawn up about 24 years ago – was for a £1 billion development providing up to 24,000 new jobs. But the recession has meant the scheme has never got off the ground.
Pictured: an artist’s impression of the original Omega proposal

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