THE planning application for the £30 million Orford Park Project at Warrington – originally to have been heard on August 27 – has been put back three weeks because of its size and complexity.
It will now be considered by the borough council’s development control committee on either September 16 or 17.
But the delay should not have any impact on delivery of the project, which should still be ready to open in November 2011, according to project manager Duncan Richardson.
Construction work is expected to start in the spring next year.
Mr Richardson said postponement of the application was due to its size and complexity, which meant the statutory agencies needed more time to finalise their responses.
If there was a very full agenda for the development control committee on Wednesday, September 16, a special meeting would be held the following day to consider the Orford Park scheme.
The 50-acre “sports village” was given the green light by Warrington’s executive board last December and since then there have been several consultation meetings with local residents.
Among the facilities will be an indoor wet and dry leisure centre, with an eight lane swimming pool, outdoor leisure provision including sports pitches and a park and health facilities, including GP surgeries, lifestyle services and a pharmacy.
There will also be community, education, library and ICT facilities
The borough council’s contribution to the total cost is put at £7.479 million, together with a borrowing requirement of £5.75 million. Other partners in the project include William Beamont High School, Warrington Collegiate , Warrington Town FC, Sport England, the North West Development Agency and the Football Foundation.
A key feature of the scheme will be a retail development on the park frontage to the A49 Winwick Road
Revenue from this will be fed directly into supporting the sustainability of the project.
The scheme is seen as providing an opportunity to address health inequalities and promote healthy lifestyles and independence.
It will improve lifelong learning, create 133 new jobs and safeguard another 140 jobs.
THE planning application for the £30 million Orford Park Project at
Warrington - originally to have been heard on August 27 - has been put
back three weeks because of its size and complexity.
£30m sports village plan delayed
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
