1,000 sign petition to save Peel Hall from development

ALMOST 1,000 people have signed MP Helen Jones’ petition calling for the Peel Hall site to be removed from Warrington Borough Council’s Local Plan.
With the plan due to be published on Monday, the Warrington North MP has again called on the council to axe the site from the document.
Expert advice is that it can be done, she says, although she believes borough officers are against the idea.
“They should remember that they do not make policy – councillors do,” she said.
Her petition, calling on the council to commit itself to keeping Peel Hall free from all development, can be found at :  https://helenjonesmp.co.uk/peel-hall-petition-to-be-submitted-to-warrington-borough-council
Ms Jones hopes to present the petition to the council leader and chief executive, She said: “This is, once again, a great response from local people. Since the petition was launched a month ago the signatures have flooded in. The Planning Inspector said that local people should be consulted – well, this is a huge and unequivocal expression of their views.
“The campaign has been long and hard and people understand that whilst the site remains in the local plan the danger of the developers succeeding with an application remains a real possibility.
“The site should never have been included in the local plan in the first place. At the time, I was assured that it was the best way to rebuff the developers but in reality it left the door open for them when it could have been firmly shut.
“Governments of all colours say that they are keen to ensure local residents have a greater input into planning decisions. I can think of no other example here in Warrington where local people have engaged so completely with the process over such a long period of time. This is no 52 per cent-48 per cent split of opinion, it is a massive 99 per cent-1 per cent rejection of any development on the site.
“I am told that council officers are resisting the calls to remove the site from the local plan. They should remember that they do not make policy – councillors do. Councillors, both borough and parish, in the wards surrounding Peel Hall have supported the campaign to save the site from development and fought elections on the promise they would do so.
“Both Winwick parish council and Poulton with Fearnhead parish council are calling for the site to be removed from the plan.
“I understand that expert advice says that the site can be removed successfully from the local plan. So with local borough and parish councillors supporting the overwhelming majority of the public the message is clear – come on Warrington Borough Council, let’s get on with it.”

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from Warrington Worldwide https://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/2019/03/02/1000-sign-petition-to-save-peel-hall-from-development/
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