A PLAN to build a 40-bed care home for the elderly, mentally ill, together with 45 low cost homes, at Warrington, has been withdrawn.
The move represents another hold-up in a long-running bid to redevelop Hamnett Court – a three-storey block of 90 apartments owned by the YMCA at Birchwood.
It is crucial to ambitious proposals for a YMCA
Enterprise Centre in Warrington town centre – a scheme which would bring considerable benefits to the local community.
Proceeds from the sale of the Birchwood site would provide funding for the town centre scheme.
Originally, developers Barratt Homes put forward plans for the 40-bed care home and more than 70 “affordable” homes on the Birchwood site.
But Birchwood Town Council lodged objections based on the loss of open space.
They submitted an application for part of the site to be granted village green status – and this could involve a process lasting years.
This would not prevent the scheme from going ahead but would reduce the number of affordable homes that could be built.
The Town Council said they supported social housing – but not at the cost of losing open urban green space.
They said the development would leave inadequate play space in the area and questioned whether existing schools could cope with an increased population.
A number of local residents also opposed the proposals.
The new proposals involved only 45 affordable dwellings – 24 apartments and 21 houses.
But now these proposals have been withdrawn.
