A QUESTION mark hangs over the future of a proposed community orchard –
because Warrington Borough Council wants to store leaves on it.
The
land, off Cliff Lane, Grappenhall has lain unused for 25 years but three
years ago a committee was set up – with the backing of Grappenhall and
Thelwall Parish Council – to press forward plans for a community
orchard.
Cliff Lane Community Orchard Committee opened a bank account with around £2,000 in it committed towards funding the project.
The
borough council was approached and, although they at first thought it
was not their land, were supportive. Local borough councillors backed
the idea as did Warrington South MP David Mowat.
Cllr Dave
Hockenhull, chairman of Grappenhall and Thelwall Parish Council, said:
“Three years have elapsed with no final decision made by the borough
council – and then, right of the blue, two council employees turned up
with a JCB to re-establish the site entrance which had been sealed for
years to keep travellers off.
“No approach had been made to the community orchard committee, the parish council, the local borough councillors nor the MP.
“Apparently
the borough has suddenly decided it needs the land to store leaves –
although I’m sure there were just as many leaves to dispose of last
year.”
Borough councillor Mike Biggin, who is also a member of the
parish council, said: “This represents shameful duplicity on the part
of the borough council and clearly illustrates they had absolutely no
intention of supporting the project from the beginning.
“It is also
another example of a worthy project in South Warrington being
deliberately derailed. What is most appalling is that it appears to have
been under a cloak of secrecy.”
A council spokesperson said the
community orchard committee had been informed some time ago that the
future of the site would depend on an ongoing depot review.
When the review was completed, the site might, or might not, become surplus to requirements and available for the orchard
In
the meantime, the council had a need for leaf storage in the south of
the borough and the Cliff Lane site was considered ideal.
“The council’s present requirements outweigh future external requirements.”
Pictured: Cllr Dave Hockenhull outside the Cliff Lane site with Jim Robinson, a member of the community orchard committee.