Residents hopes finally dashed

COUNCILLORS at Warrington have accepted a barrister’s advice that a greenfield site at Stockton Heath is not eligible to be designated as a village green – dashing the hopes of nearby residents.
The decision, by the borough council’s traffic committee, effectively ends a lengthy battle by residents to block plans for housing development on Cartwright’s Field, off Chester Road.
Detailed plans for about 40 affordable homes are now likely to be submitted by Warrington Housing Association.
Barrister Vincent Frazer was appointed by the council to hold an inquiry earlier this year into a bid by residents to have Cartwright’s Field registered as a village green.
The residents put in their bid after the council granted planning consent for housing on the site.
As a result, the planning consent expired and suspended pending the result of the inquiry.
The residents had to prove regular use of the field by the public for a period of 20 years – but Mr Frazer ruled they had failed to do so.
He said they had not shown the field was in substantial use by the public between 1989 and 1993.
Residents claim much of the evidence they produced for the hearing was ignored and that about a third of potential witnesses were not able to appear because there were no evening hearings.
Phil McConnell, leader of the residents’ group said would they object again when the new planning application was made. But they would now be trying to encourage the housing association to put forward more sympathetic proposals.
“We want them to be more sympathetic to the environment and the people who will eventually live in the houses.
“There should be more green space left, so the residents’ children will have somewhere to play.”