WARRINGTON’S Save Peel Hall campaign group is “monumentally bitterly disappointed” that the new inquiry into the plan for 1,200 homes, shops and other facilities on open land at Peel Hall is to be a virtual hearing.
The inquiry will open on September 14 at 10am with the inspector, Christina Downes, will run it in the normal way, but with the parties invited to join online.
Spokesperson Wendy Johnson-Taylor said: “We have been robustly chasing every possibility to hold a full, physical hearing. So too has Warrington Borough Council.
“However, we remain positive. The inquiry is just over two weeks’ away and we are encouraging all our residents who have fought with us for more than 30 years, and our supporters across the town, to get behind us again by joining online to observe or listen in by telephone.
“Residents may also register to speak and another ‘Residents’ Day’ has been scheduled. We want maximum participation.”
The plan, submitted by Satnam Millennium Ltd, is for a mixed used neighbourhood with a care home, up to 1,200 homes, a local centre with a food store, offices, restaurants, cafes, pubs, hot food takeaways, primary school, light industry and open space with sports pitches.
Anyone wishing to take part using video will need to have access to Microsoft Teams (via an app or web browser). Further information on how to use this can be found at https://support.office.com/en-us/teams. Alternatively people can take part by telephone. Calls would be to an 020 number which will incur charges. https://www.gov.uk/call-charges
Those wishing to take an active part in the proceedings should make this clear in their response whether they wish only to appear at the Inquiry and make a statement, or whether they would also wish to ask questions on particular topics. Anyone wanting to take an active part who feels unable to for any reason, should consider whether someone else could do so on their behalf.
When made, the decision will be published on https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/
The Planning Inspectorate has granted the Save Peel Hall Group “Rule 6” status which means they can take an active part in the inquiry proceedings, alongside the borough council and Satnam.
Wendy Johnson-Taylor added: “Our Rule 6 Party is now charged and prepared to battle on. Everyone who wants to see the last, natural green space in north Warrington saved can rest assured that we will do our very utmost to win yet again and to save Peel Hall from a nightmare of an unnecessary, major development that will only spell disaster for the future stability of north Warrington”.
The scheme was first refused by the borough council in February 2017 but Satnam appealed and a public inquiry was held between April and July the following year. The Secretary of State dismissed the appeal in December 2018.
But following a successful legal challenge by the applicants, the High Court quashed the Secretary of State’s decision and ordered that the appeal be re-determined and in December last year it was confirmed the inquiry would be re-opened and heard by a different inspector.
The re-opened inquiry has been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
