Harworth narrowly clinches approval for 500 Widnes homes
Cllr Rosie Leck, the sitting chair of the council’s development management committee, cast the tie-breaking vote on the developer’s hybrid application to construct a new neighbourhood and primary school on 56 acres off Hale Gate Road.
Halton Council weighed in on Harworth’s project in Widnes during Monday’s development management committee meeting. The application, which was submitted in August 2022, was for full planning permission for roadwork and enabling work on the site and outline permission for up to 500 homes, up to 100 senior living residences, a primary school, and a local centre.
Halebank Parish Council staunchly opposed the project and threatened to force a judicial review of the application. Prior to the meeting, the parish council had listed nine objections to the project, stating that it violated the district area’s local plan regarding Green Belt encroachment, transport plans, and the amount of open space provided.
Council planning officers disagreed with the parish council’s assessment and recommended the application for approval. Harworth planning consultant Avison Young also registered their disagreement with the parish council, submitting a letter responding to the objections.
However, this letter fell on deaf ears, with the parish council simply issuing another letter from its own planning consultants – Landor – reaffirming its stance.
The site in question is allocated for housing in Halton Council’s adopted local plan. Primary access to the scheme would be from Hale Gate Road and Halebank Road.
Harworth’s plans, designed by Randall Thorp, provided for around 20% affordable housing from the project. Of the 500 homes proposed, these would range from having just one to five bedrooms and are set to be a mixture of terraced, semi-detached, and detached residences.
Issues regarding Green Belt encroachment centre on the proposed two-form entry primary school. The school’s playing fields would be on Green Belt, but this was found to be acceptable by the planning officers.
In addition to Randall Thorp and Avison Young, the project team includes Integra Consulting, SLR Consulting, Tyler Grange, Orion Heritage, and BWB Consulting.
You can learn more about the application by searching application reference number 22/00423/OUTEIA on Halton Council’s planning portal.
Halton Parish Council objecting to an allocated housing site. Heard it all now. Wonder how much of the local taxpayers money they are wasting on Planning Consultants and a judicial review.
By Anon
So it went 50:50 vote with a tie breaker on whether to accept 500 new homes! 100 of which are affordable AND a new primary school – in space allocated for development.
Do we need to take planning off Councillors!?
It’s not far from the old Ditton railway station. Imagine if there was sufficient demand to reopen that how much good it would do for Widnes. And having a bigger population would drive demand.
By StoneAge
Planning needs to be taken out of the hands of small minded local politicians. What a waste of time and money fighting over something that’s more than acceptable.
By Anonymous
If something is unlawful should that not be taken to court? The proposal has relocated the school (which has no local education authority input at all as yet) and relocated it contradictory to the approved local plan and is taking even more of the greenbelt that was agreed on that local plan, people who comment really should know their facts before they do.
By Anonymous
Very exiting news, this will be very good for the area, there are too many depressing mud fields why not build beautiful houses that are much needed,
The sooner the better,
Well done Halton council for not backing down to the objections.
By Karl Hampson