PLANNERS at Warrington are being asked to approve proposals for a farm shop in the grounds of the Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institution.
The development would involve a change of use of an existing agricultural building – and the shop would mainly sell produce grown or made on the site in Arley Road, Appleton Thorn.
A nearby resident has objected on the grounds of noise, glare from light and road safety issues and borough councillor Brian Axcell opposes the scheme on the grounds it is an unacceptable commercial operation in the Green Belt and would cause harm to living conditions in a neighbouring property.
But another neighbour supports the scheme and has wished the project success.
Planning officers say there will no external alterations to the existing building so there will be no impact on the Green Belt.
The small scale of the operation will mean it will not affect any retail centres, the nearest of which is more than a mile away. But it will fulfil a local need.
Some 70 per cent of the goods on sale will be grown or made on the site with 30 per cent being imported goods which cannot be grown on the site such as potatoes, organs, bananas and honey.
The aim is to serve the local community of Appleton Thorn – which has no existing shop.
Pictured: The existing building, viewed from Arley Road.
