UPDATED: THE future of the controversial huge Six56 logistics development on Green Belt Land at Grappenhall is set to be decided by a public inquiry – giving local residents and objectors another chance to oppose the development.
After previously serving a Stop Notice on Warrington Borough Council, after the proposals were controversially approved by local planers, the Secretary of State has now decided to call it in and hold a public inquiry.
The decision has been welcomed by Warrington South MP Andy Carter, who raised the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions earlier this year, which brought about the Stop Notice.
Andy Carter in the House of Comons
Mr Carter said: “The land proposed to be taken by Six56 is almost in its entirety in the green belt and while the local plan proposes it should be removed, the plan has yet to be adopted and decisions on building major logistic hubs should only be made once the Local Plan has been considered and when the infrastructure needs for the wider area are assessed rather than simply looking at it in a piecemeal fashion.
“I’m pleased the Secretary of State has looked again at this decision and I welcome his intentions to hold a public inquiry where local residents can have their say.”
The application by Langtree PP & Panattoni is on Green Belt to the west of Junction 20 of the M6 Motorway, and Junction 9 of the M56 Motorway and to the south of, Grappenhall Lane/Cliff Lane (known as Six56 Warrington) Grappenhall, Warrington, seeks Outline Planning (Major) ‐ Outline application (all matters reserved except for access) comprising the construction of up to 287,909m² (gross internal) of employment floorspace (Use Class B8 and ancillary B1(a) offices), demolition of existing agricultural outbuildings and associated servicing and infrastructure including car parking and vehicle and pedestrian circulation, alteration of existing access road into site including works to the M6 J20 dumbbell roundabouts and realignment of the existing A50 junction, noise mitigation, earthworks to create development platforms and bunds, landscaping including buffers, creation of drainage features, electrical substation, pumping station, and ecological works, accompanied by an Environmental Statement.
In a letter to Mr Carter, Lee Rowley MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Local Government and Building Safety wrote: “The Government’s Policy on call-in is to be very selective. It is right that in almost all cases the initial decision on whether the application should proceed should be taken by the local planning authority. In general, planning applications are only called-in if planning issues of more than local importance are involved.
“The Secretary of State has indicated, however, that there are occasions when it is right for him to decide the issue, normally following a public inquiry.”
He went on to say a letter had been sent to the Planning Casework Unit at Warrington Borough Council – “This indicates the issues on which the Secretary of State wishes to be informed for the purposes of his consideration of the application.”
Commenting on the news that the Secretary of State wishes to call-in for examination the company’s application for 3.1m square feet of new employment space at its proposed Six56 development in Warrington, John Downes, group chief executive of Langtree, said:
“A review of this nature is not unexpected when set against the scheme’s scale and job-creation impact and I have instructed my team to begin work immediately to prepare the information that the Secretary of State and Planning Inspectorate will require.
“Our application is in-line with Warrington’s emerging local plan, which has identified the site as necessary for meeting its statutory employment land obligations. We can demonstrate a clear and compelling economic case for the site and, as the economy enters a period of volatility, the ability to deliver job-creation on this scale will be vital to sustaining our communities. So, too, will be the fillip it will provide in terms of the rates income generated.
“We’re ready to invest more than £180m in a local supply chain to develop the site which, when completed, will generate more than £216m a year in new economic output. Should the scheme be approved it will also generate more than £7m a year in new rates income for the council to invest in vital public services.
“Our focus now is ensuring that the Secretary of State has everything required to assess our case thoroughly during the Inquiry and we will then await the decision keenly.”
A Warrington Borough Council spokesperson said: “We note the decision of the Secretary of State to call in the planning application for Warrington 656 and look forward to working with the Planning Inspectorate in due course.”
Council instructed not to grant planning permission for Six56 Green Belt development in major u-turn
