A STORM of protest has greeted a plan to build five single-storey dwellings on open land at Poulton South, Warrington.
The scheme – put forward by the Egerton Trust and involving land at the rear of Orford Road – will be considered at Thursday’s meeting of Warrington borough council’s development management committee.
Thirteen letters of objection have been received, together with two petitions totalling 35 signatures and there are objections from Poulton-with-Fearnhead Parish Council and local borough councillors Maureen Creaghan and Stephen Rydzkowski.
The objectors oppose the scheme on various grounds, including loss of highly valued green recreation space, road safety issues, flood risks, loss of residential amenity for existing properties, loss of wildlife habitats.
A report to the committee states that there have been numerous previous planning applications on the land which have been rejected.
The parish council fears the scheme amounts to “creeping development” and could be a prelude to further possible development on the site.
The applicants say the dwellings would be of a simple, modern style with a glazed front elevation and outdoor balcony. They would have solar panels on a green roof and flood mitigation would be incorporated via an elevated finished floor level, accessed by five steps for each dwelling.
The existing access track would be upgraded to a fit-for-purpose roadway, including a turning head and there would be landscaping and a managed wild meadow.
Each property would have an open double carport.
Planning officers are recommending the scheme be approved. They say the development has been designed to be resilient to flood risk and the design and layout would assure privacy for neighbouring properties and gardens.
Overall, the development would positively complement the existing local character.
