Plans in for Omega South next phase

Omega Warrington has submitted an outline planning application for 1,100 homes alongside retail, leisure and community uses across zones three to six next to the logistics park at Omega South.

Omega Warrington is a joint venture between Miller Developments and KUC Properties, in partnership with landowner the Homes & Communities Agency, supported by Warrington Council and the Cheshire & Warrington LEP.

Alongside the construction of 1,100 new homes, the scheme includes local shops, restaurants and cafes, a pub and bar, a care home, and a hotel, supported by extensive landscaping and wildlife habitat preservation.

The submission of the plans follows extensive local consultation in May and June this year, including public events and a month-long online consultation involving local residents, businesses, community groups, parish councils and ward councillors.

Warrington Council’s planning department will now undertake a period of statutory consultation with local residents, ward councillors and parish councils.

It is anticipated that the application will be determined by the council in autumn 2015, after which time, OWL will begin marketing residential plots to housebuilders.

The selected housebuilder partners will then develop designs for each plot which will each, following further rounds of public consultation, be submitted as detailed planning applications.

It is anticipated that the residential and mixed-use part of Omega will be delivered in phases over ten years, depending on market demand.

Andrew Sutherland, joint managing director of Miller Developments, said: “We would like to thank the 200 or so people who got involved in the consultation. Local knowledge and community ideas are vital in helping us to create the best possible environment and facilities on Omega South for the benefit of both new and existing residents.

“We were pleased that overall there was a good level of support and enthusiasm for the new retail, leisure and community facilities being proposed and the opportunity to provide more family and affordable housing. Also welcomed was the focus on landscaping and wildlife preservation and we look forward to working up more detail on the 35-acres woodland and parkland area, called the Green Heart, in due course.

“Naturally there were numerous concerns expressed about traffic congestion and our transport consultants continue to work hard with Warrington’s Highways team and public transport providers to address this. As well as improvements to the local road network which will come forward in response to this, works are already underway to increase capacity of Junction 8 of the M62.”