Planners to rule on changing rooms scheme

PLANS for the long-awaited new changing rooms at Culcheth’s Shaw Street recreation ground will go before Warrington’s development management committee on Wednesday – for the second time.
Earlier this year, the scheme was withdrawn from the committee’s agenda after it was decided a tree survey should be carried out because of the proximity of locally important trees.
Now, however, the scheme is being recommended by officers for approval.
The plan involves demolition of the existing building and construction of a steel modular building to serve as a sports changing complex and canteen. The new building will occupy the site as the old, but will be slightly larger, taking in an area of hard-standing surrounding the current building.
A number of trees will have to be removed – and this has led to some criticism of the scheme by Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council, who believed not all the trees need be felled.
However the borough’s arborist has raised no objections, subject to replacement planting taking place.
Despite the increase in size, the majority of the new building will be screened from view from Shaw Street by an existing storage building and from Warrington Road by existing trees and planting.
There will no loss of playing field space.