Decision day on
planning blueprint
by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON’S long-awaited Unitary Development Plan – the blueprint which will help shape the future of the borough in the coming years – is reaching its final stages.
The council’s response to the report of the inspector who last year held the public inquiry into the document, will be put to a special meeting of the borough council tonight.
Officers are strongly recommending that the inspector’s recommendation be accepted in full.
They warn that if a recommendation is rejected it will increase the risk of challenge, whether by an objection or by action through the courts. This could lead to considerable delays in the formal adoption of the UDP.
While the inspector’s recommendations are not binding on the council, they do carry weight and cannot be lightly dismissed. The council must have sound reasons to reject any of the recommendation.
Overall, the officers say, the inspector has given a high level of endorsement to the UDP.
He agrees there is no need for additional housing or employment land to be released for development and that all land previously identified as safeguarded land to be included in the green belt.
He agrees with the drawing of tight green belt boundaries around the town and adjoining larger villages and he says the borough council’s focus on housing restraint, while also fostering regeneration of inner areas, is correct.
If the council accepts the inspector’s recommendation, the UDP will be placed on deposit for six weeks to allow further public consultation. If no objections are received the blueprint can then be formally adopted.
Then the policies it contains will carry great weight in development control decisions.
Donation in memory
of hospital patient
by Lesley Wilkinson
LIFE will be a little easier for stroke patients at Warrington Hospital following the purchase of an electric hoist in memory of former patient Stanley Vale.
Mr Vale’s daughters, Mrs Michaela Nicholson, Mrs Veronica Spencer, Mrs Yvonne Woolley, arranged for donations in memory of their father, who died in April last year, aged 82.
A total of ?1,807 was donated by friends and family and a grant from the League of Friends was used to top up the money to buy the hoist for Ward B12.
The hoist was presented to the ward, where patient Wilf Austin tried it out.
Pam McLean, league secretary, said: “It is an essential item that will help preserve the dignity of patients who need assistance with mobility.”
Town’s parks and green
spaces are the tops
by Lesley Wilkinson
WARRINGTON came top of the class when it achieved the coveted Green Flag Award for five of its beauty spots.
The contenders were all approved for the prestigious status – a standard highlighting the country’s best examples of parks and green spaces – by the Civic Trust, Britain’s leading charity aimed at enhancing the quality of life in cities, towns and villages.
Warrington’s success means it has Green Flag awards for, a major town park, Walton Gardens, a site of Special Scientific Interest, Risley Moss Nature Reserve, two cemeteries, Fox Covert and Burtonwood and a crematorium, Walton Lea Crematorium.
The five out of five achievement came as a result of applications by borough council officers and councillors, supported by groups and organisations throughout the town.
A series of flag raising ceremonies are planned and the Green Flags will fly at each of the sites.
Coun Jeff Richards, the council’s executive member for sustainable environment, said: “Warrington is brimming with parks and areas of unique natural beauty and this result proves that. It is fantastic news for the council and all these parks and green spaces deserve the honour of flying Green Flags.
“This is testament to a lot of hard work by many dedicated people behind the scenes; and they deserve our praise and thanks,” he added.
School’s out – but not
open for burglars
by staff reporter
BURGLARS are being warned by Warrington police that just because school is out for summer there will be no let up on security at the premises.
The Safer Schools initiative has seen officers working with teachers and pupils for months on crime prevention and reduction measures. This follows on from the Safer Homes scheme, and aims to reduce the high number of school burglaries.
Inspector Paul Davies, force burglary co-ordinator, said: “There were 425 burglaries in schools in the force area in 2004 and we are committed to driving that number right down.
“Our records show that schools are targeted more out-of-term but we’re confident the Safer Schools work that’s been done will send out a clear message to the handful of offenders who target schools that things are changing. We are doing everything we can to make it harder for the criminal to commit these crimes and our efforts will continue.” Measures such as a new invention called SmartWater – an invisible odourless chemical that is painted onto valuable items such as computers, DVD players and televisions – are being used. It gives a unique DNA-type fingerprint to property, and stays on the skin for weeks so offenders who have contact with the invisible ink are linked to the crime.
Prisoners in custody are checked for SmartWater and if it is found on their skin, can be arrested for crimes which could have been committed months before.
“When dry and under normal light, SmartWater is almost undetectable. But it will glow green under ultra violet light and using a system similar to DNA profiling, each individual solution can be identified to the customer who used it,” said Inspector Davies.
“We believe this is a true deterrent to criminals. The slightest speck of it allows officers to trace property back to its original owner or if on a person, identify an offender. Once marked the solution becomes permanent and is impossible to remove without damaging the property, thereby destroying its value to any thief.”
Teddy bear’s
park picnic
by Lesley Wilkinson
A GRAND Teddy Bear’s Picnic will be held at Warrington’s Walton Gardens on Saturday August 6 from 10am to celebrate the 21st birthday of the North Cheshire branch of the National Childbirth Trust.
The event starts at 10am and anyone who has been involved in the branch – as a parent, specialist worker or even as a baby – is welcome to attend.
It will be held by the bandstand and there will be party games, story telling, prizes for the best home-made hat and even a birthday cake. Guests are invited to bring a picnic and a teddy.
The event will be cancelled if the weather is bad, and further details are available from Sarah on 01925 210233.
Town centre will
step back in time
by staff reporter
A STEP back in time is being offered to visitors when Warrington’s Golden Square shopping centre is transported back to the Middle Ages.
The event is being held tomorrow (Friday) and on Saturday, from 11am to 5pm, to help celebrate 750 years of Warrington Market.
The centre’s Old Market Place will be transformed into a Medieval encampment, complete with a host of characters from valiant knights to quarrelling duellists.
It will also be home to The Stag Inn, which will host living history demonstrations. Characters will include Bess, the ale wife, the executioner, and the Market Rogues demonstrating swordsmanship skills.
There will also be Medieval games, calligraphy and storytelling. A chef will prepare dishes from the day, there will a range of Medieval toys, and musicians from the era.
David Allinson, centre general manager, said: “This commemorative two-day event has been organised by the Warrington Market to celebrate the 750 year anniversary of its market charter.
“The whole of the town centre is participating in this historic event and we are proud to be involved. Not only
will there be fun activity for all the family, but the event is also important in helping a younger generation learn and be inspired by our local heritage.”
One-way trial for
“rat-run” lane
by David Skentelbery
APPLETON Parish Council is supporting proposals for a six-month trial of a one-way system in Quarry Lane South, Appleton, Warrington.
The council voted 5-3 in favour of the proposal, put forward by borough council highways experts.
Traffic will be able to travel northbound only in Quarry Lane South.
The measure is intended to lessen the peak hour traffic chaos caused in Quarry Lane, Windmill Lane and Red Lane by motorists “rat running” to avoid the traffic lights in Stockton Heath village.
Traffic volumes at peak periods have been described as “unbelievable” although at other times traffic is light. Residents have been campaigning for years to try and resolve the problem.
The parish council is not supporting a proposal for traffic lights at Red Lane bridge, however.
Councillors believe these would lead to problems with traffic queuing in the short stretch of Red Lane between the bridge and the junction with Whitefield Road and spilling out into Whitefield Road.
[ 26.07.2005, 18:05: Message edited by: DS ]
