PLANNING chiefs at Warrington are to being urged to refuse a retrospective application for permission to build a potting shed, wall and concrete path in a riverside setting – because water voles may live in the area.
Officers say there is evidence of water voles living within 1km of the site, off Clay Lane, Burtonwood.
A survey should be carried out before planning consent can be granted – and if evidence of water voles is found it may be necessary to reinstate the river embankment.
The application, by John Speakman, is to be considered by the borough council’s planning committee – but officers say it should be refused.
A brick potting shed has already been built on the land, with a concrete path and wall linking it to a house in Clay Lane. Raised planting beds have also been created within the new garden area.
Two objections have been received from neighbours – one on the grounds that the site is not owned by the application. But the applicant contests this and planners say land ownership disputes are not a planning issue and should be resolved among the interested parties.
The objection claims use of the embankment area as a garden will prevent access to the adjoining Phipps Brook – a designated main river – for cleaning and maintenance work.
Environment Agency officers do not object – but say the site is in an area of high flood risk and that work carried out within 8m of the top of the river bank may be unlawful.
But the council’s natural environment officers says permission should be withheld until the issue of water voles is settled – the animals being a protected species.
The applicant has agreed not to undertake any further work on the site until a survey has been completed in April and May.
PLANNING chiefs at Warrington are to being urged to refuse a
retrospective application for permission to build a potting shed, wall
and concrete path in a riverside setting - because water voles may live
in the area.
Water voles hold up riverside project
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
10 Comments
Good to see that time has been given for a Water Vole Survey – having taken part in the Vole Habitat survey in 2010 of the Sankey Valley there is certainly a lot of good habitat in the area where these very ellusive creatures may be found. The problem with Sankey Valley plain is the number of evasive plants that are running amock. If it wasn't for these plants the embankments would be ideal.
Not April the 1st is it? Water voles? Is there a shortage of water and muddy banks in Warrington? They will move if the short area required gets disturbed. We are talking nature here, not wimpy mankind.
Too many readers of Wind in the Willows imo.
It keeps the councillor busy so that he hasn’t time to comment on planning matters that really matter..
There is a shortage of water voles, if we had the attitude of they can always move we will end up with none.
It is interesting to note where priorities lie.
I hate to say it, but I welcome Geoff’s concern for water voles.
Very commendable and Water Voles are cute but it is a pitty that the planning department do not take as much notice when residents ring to report established trees being cut down along another canal bank by developers which according to the approval and also acknowledged by the planning department was against the stated ‘conditions’ attached to the approval!! So what was the planning departments suggestion or response to at least 2 phone calls from residents that I know about (you may ask) well their answer… ” Yes there are clearly conditions saying that certain trees have to remain, none should be removed without consent and they should not be doing it blah blah blah so please send in an email or letter as it has to be in writing…. or pop in and fill out a form although we must warn you the enforcement department are rather busy so it may take a while for a response… and we are closed in a few days as it’s Christmas… but if they have already been chopped down then there’s not a lot we can do but the developer may get fined ! ” No bloody point as those trees and more besides had ALL gone in 2 days as people tried to stop it a few days before xmas DESPITE THERE BEING CONDITIONS ATTACHED TO THE APPROVAL FOR THE NAFF FLATS AND HOUSES WHICH NOBODY WANTS THERE ANYWAY !! What on earth is the point of having either a planning department or enforcement if you can’t just ring and get some action … rant over and sorry for any typos but I have to be quick 🙁 … and long live the little water voles and wildlife elsewhere 🙂
It’s a retrospective application, the work has already been done. So how is refusal or permission going to affect the water voles one iota? And if all there is is “evidence” of water voles within 1km what do people think they do? Migrate across continents? A water vole is about 6″ in size, for one of them to move a whole kilometer would be equivalent to a person moving tens of miles!
If the developer has to knock it all down it may make others consider the environmental impact in the future
We all understand your rant Dizzy because there is something unprincipled with our planning and enforcement procedures. In that they (the plotting planners) set ‘conditions’ which they (the evasive enforcers) have not the remotest intention of administering and both will find every excuse for just sitting on their hands. There have been more than enough calls for a complete clear out of both sets of officers this year. Whether this one, even if it does only relate to water voles, will just tip our elected members in to responding as we would wish, we’ll have to wait and see.