THE exciting new £30 million development of a community “sports village” in Orford, Warrington, has moved a step closer to reality with the submission of the outline planning application.
It covers the site master plan and revised building elevations and will be considered by the borough council’s development control committee on Thursday August 27.
A series of workshops held in April gave community groups, service users and residents the opportunity to review the latest site plans and building layouts and receive a full update on the project’s progress.
The final layout has been influenced by comments made at the workshops.
Further consultation on the internal design of the community sports facility will be held in late summer and will enable the detailed design to be finalised prior to submitting the full planning application in August.
The facility will contain a library with IT suites, meeting rooms, a café, swimming pools, health and fitness facilities, sports hall, creche and community rooms.
NHS Warrington plans to provide three GP practices within the project along with a pharmacy and a lifestyle team which will help patients who want to lose weight, quit smoking and drink less.
Outside there will be walking and cycling paths around the new grass pitches which will link into the existing Orford Park. The current play areas will be upgraded and extended to appeal to all age groups. There will also be skateboarding and BMX parks.
Existing bowling greens will be floodlit and a new pavilion will be built, with well-lit pedestrian access all around the site. The area will be covered by CCTV and the main access to the site will be from Winwick Road with a bus stop outside the building.
Plans can be viewed by the public at the Customer Contact Centre, Horsemarket Street, Orford Library, Warrington Library, Longford Neighbourhood Services Centre, Orford Neighbourhood Project Office, Cotswold Road Community Building, Fordton Leisure Centre, New Town House Reception and the Town Hall Reception.
The plans can also be viewed online at www.orfordproject.warrington.gov.uk
Any comments on the development can be submitted to the Development Control Section in writing prior to the planning meeting on August 27 at the following address: Development Control Section, Environment and Regeneration Directorate, New Town House, Buttermarket Street, Warrington, WA1 2NH.
Coun Mike Hannon, Community Champion, said: “This is another huge milestone for the Orford Park project and we hope people will take the opportunity to view the plans and get involved. The project will regenerate the Orford area and bring significant benefits for the local community and beyond.”
Picture: An artist’s impression of the project.
