Satellite dish approved
on historic building
by David Skentelbery
A GOVERNMENT-appointed planning inspector has cleared the way for a satellite dish and aerial on one of Warrington most historic buildings – which is reputed to be haunted.
Warrington planners had refused permission for the aerial and dish on the National School, in Church Street because of the impact on the Grade 2 listed building. They were not happy either about the impact of the installations on the Church Street conservation area.
But the inspector has upheld an appeal and decided the aerial and dish can be erected.
He says they are not on an architecturally or historically sensitive part of the building.
When viewed against the adjoining building and views within the conservation area, the dish and aerial are acceptable, he says.
Warrington’s environment services director, Alan Stephenson said: “It is a modest development on a prominent listed building with the Church Street conservation area. It is a subjective assessment of the impact on the building and its setting which concludes that there is not sufficient harm so as to merit refusal.” The National School dates from 1833 and was one of the first schools of its type in the country.
It is reputed to be haunted by Mr G.W.A.Brown, a former headmaster and former occupiers claim to have heard the sound of children running up and down the stairs only to find there was no-one there.
A number of planning battles have been fought over the building over the years and it underwent extensive renovation some years ago to prevent it from collapsing. But the front of the building has been preserved.
Sowing the seeds for
community garden
by John Hendon
YOUNG people in Warrington are helping to sow the first seeds of a new community garden project.
The ?83,500 project in Victoria Park, Latchford, seeks to provide learning opportunities for priority groups and young people in a range of horticulture and plant production activities by redeveloping the site, installing facilities and creating dedicated areas for organised activities including practical work, learning and vocational training.
Work has already started on the project with the preparation of designs and plans for the community garden and project learning areas and young people involved have made a tremendous start on the clearance of the site.
The project is being coordinated by a partnership involving the Council, Youth Service, MacIntyre Trust, and Connexions, together with a range of grant funding organisations.
A Landfill Tax grant of ?42,000 from Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd will be used to develop a new ‘community garden’, as part of the project.
This will be open to visitors and park users and provide opportunities for the wider community to benefit from with a variety of planned projects and activities.
Coun Colin Froggatt, Warrington Borough Council?s executive member for Children’s Services, said: “The people involved in this project are set to benefit as they will learn a wide range of new skills and take great pride in their work and contribution to developing this new community garden project.
“There are also many other ongoing projects at Victoria Park including improved park lighting and caf? all of which will be to the benefit of park users.”
Celebration of artist’s
50-years in visual art
by our correspondent
AN EXHIBITION to celebrate artist Peter Oakley’s 50 years in visual art is being held at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery.
Entitled ?Considering the Past – 50 years of Exhibiting, Painting and Printmaking?, the exhibition is on the gallery floor from November 26 February 11 and guests are invited to view the work at their leisure.
Peter Oakley is chairman of Warrington Visual Artists Forum (WVAF), a member of Cheshire Artists Network, and is a past president of the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts (MAFA), where he served from 1993 to 1997.
He has been involved in many high profile projects and not only exhibits paintings and prints but he has also been responsible for numerous artists’ residencies, murals, illustration work, stage set and theatrical costume designs and public art works.
His commissions in Warrington include a painting for the Pyramid Arts Centre and the Birchwood War Memorial.
A spokeswoman for the Museum and Art Gallery said: ?Peter Oakley’s work is varied and his perspectives and insights are always ‘on the move’. He used to walk over beaches, scrap sites and waste ground, looking for disparate fragments of objects from anonymous lives, the day to day gritty realities but in miniature form.
?However, he turned from the documentary and very detailed style that these found objects inspired to objects in interiors – whether the living room or the historic Cairo Museum of Antiquities. A rush of small preliminary drawings made in rapid succession, with no initial decision about where the image is going to go, lead to vigorous compositions that change over the course of time.
?As he builds up continuously, he manipulates the qualities of the paint and its colour, and recurring angles and motifs collect together into complex structures. From this intensive working method, his extraordinary, kaleidoscopic and richly painted abstractions emerge.?
Music classes for tiny tots
by Lesley Wilkinson
TINY tots are using rhythm sticks, drums, cymbals and jingling bells to create music at a workshop being held at Lymm High School.
A new Kindermusik programme, a scheme that operates throughout the world offering music and movement to youngsters, has started on Saturday mornings for children aged three and four.
Parents are also invited to join in the toe-tapping sessions.
Jane Fay, Kindermusik educator, said: “The many songs and activities in a Kindermusik class enhance a child’s total development by strengthening physical, emotional, social and cognitive skills at a very early age.”
Enrollment is currently taking place for the Lymm classes, and for future classes next term for newborn to 18 months, 18 months to three years and five to seven years. Further details are available by ringing Jane on 01925 754762.
Planners to see
for themselves
by David Skentelbery
PLANNING bosses are to visit a house in Appleton, Warrington before deciding to accept a recommendation from officers that plans for two extensions should be refused.
Officers have told the borough council’s development control committee that the scheme at Wendholme, in Firs Lane, should be turned down because it does not respect the character of the original house, nor the surrounding street scene.
But Appleton councillors have urged the committee to see the site for themselves before they decide.
Parish councillor John Price says extensions already approved at the adjoining house, Rockcliffe, are much larger with the result that the house dominates the street. He feels the proposals at Wendholme would not have an overbearing appearance and would go some way to moderating the dominating effect that Rockcliffe has.
The plans involve a two-storey side extension and a single-storey rear extension.
Officers say the rear extension is acceptable but the two-storey element of the scheme would be an incongruous feature within the street scene, making the property as a whole a prominent feature.
It would create an imbalance to the pair of semi-detached houses and would not enhance the attractiveness of the area.
A day for the
volunteers
by staff reporter
VOLUNTEER Centre Warrington is holding a volunteering open day on Friday October 28.
Taking place at The Gateway, Sankey Street, between 10.30am and 2.30pm, the event is aimed towards raising awareness of the many volunteering opportunities available in Warrington. People can find out more information and ask questions about vo
lunteering whilst having some fun at the same time!
Attractions on the day include craft stalls, community cafe, holistic therapies and information stands from a variety of Warrington charities. There will also be activities for children, including face painting, a soft play area and a chance to and meet Warrington Wolves mascot ?Wolfie?
The event is open to everybody and further details are available from the Volunteer Centre on 01925 637609.
News in brief
Workshop scheme
KWIK-fit have been granted planning consent for alterations and extension to their motorists’ centre in Priestley Street, Warrington.
Sleigh appeal
WARRINGTON Lions Club is looking for premises to store its Christmas sleigh which will be touring the streets between December 2 and December 22 raising money for good causes. They need somewhere safe to keep 18ft long vehicle during that period. Anyone who can help should call Tony Gandy on 01925 265720 or 07880 801629.
Turning ban
AN order has been made by Warrington Borough Council to ban vehicles from making a right hand turn from Sankey Way into Cromwell Avenue South, Great Sankey from October 31 for about seven days. This is to allow maintenance work on underground water mains.
Disabled access
PLANS to demolish an existing porch and replace it with a new one and a ramp for disabled access have been given the go-ahead at St Elphin’s Community Centre, in St Katherine’s Way, Howley, Warrington.
