Skelmersdale homes head West Lancs planning agenda
Plans to build 190 homes in Skelmersdale and South Latham are recommended for approval at West Lancashire’s planning committee on 17 October, whilst Edge Hill’s 500-space car park is set to be refused.
An application, pictured above, for 60 two-storey houses along with 12 allotments in Skelmersdale is on the agenda and minded to approve.
Southworth Construction’s plans for 21 two-bedroom, 28 three-bedroom, and 11 four-bedroom houses on the 2.5-acre site will be joined by the aforementioned allotments, along with 132 car parking spaces, a Scout Hut, and a communal building.
The site was previously home to football pitches, which have not been in use for over five years. Sports England has suggested a £290,000 financial contribution for the loss of the site as part of a Section 106 agreement. Objections have been raised to this scheme, with the council receiving 10 letters against the proposals which centre on its lack of support for local infrastructure including the police and healthcare, and its lack of affordable housing.
An additional five letters were submitted to the council in support of the scheme, which commend it for the benefits to the local Scouts, the opportunity to revitalise the community, and for the new housing in the area. The scheme has been designed by RPS Design Group.
Wainhomes’ outline application for 130 homes on a five-acre site off Firstwood Road in South Latham is also recommended for approval at the same committee meeting. The Firstwood Road site, which was previously safeguarded and is pictured above, was released through the Local Plan specifically for residential developments. The overall site encompasses 22-acres.
To the south of the scheme, Bellway Homes is delivering the first phase of the Firstwood Road scheme with 94 homes. Details of layout, scale, appearance and landscape will be reserved for future approval. The scheme was designed by Baldwin Design Consultancy on behalf of Wainhomes, along with Emery Planning which acted as a consultant.
The overall Edge Hill site, with proposals for the south eastern edge to become car parking
Also on the agenda is an application for an 8.6 acre overflow car park with 500 spaces for Edge Hill University, which is recommended for refusal. According to council planning officers, “the proposed development constitutes an inappropriate form of development in the Green Belt” and “will give rise to an adverse impact on the character and visual quality of the locality.”
Neighbouring residents have objected on the grounds of impact to the Green Belt, the fact that student numbers have decreased, and the impact on wildlife. Twelve letters off objection were submitted to the council. A letter of support was received which stated the need for car parking “to alleviate other parking problems along St Helens Road”.
All three schemes will be decided on 17 October.
Will any of the Allotments in Skelmersdale be Affordable ??
By Don't !
Everything in Skelmersdale is affordable
By Do
More houses, less schools, no train station, and proposed mini retail park masking a some sort of ‘town centre’. More people will add weight to the cause for the latter of those, but it’s already been a long time coming so I won’t hold my breath.
By SkemMan
I don’t see decreasing numbers when you see the grass verge and pavement being used on st helens road each day.
By Dave
Yes about Time but I wood like to know the size of home you going to build ????? And do we as council get the chance move in to them????? But I think the the getting from all the sale of land in to put back in to skelmerdale not just Ormskirk and plan a new big HI SCHOOL as skelmerdale has no hi SCHOOL
By Steven brown
There has to be a point when someone decides that a town has a big enough population to warrant a hospital, train station, parks with all weather football pitches, schools.. oh and pavements that lead to somewhere which don’t require the use of pruning shears.
By David Symons
Just leave ” our lovely ‘owd skem alone.” .it was such a lovely village years ago were every one was worried and cared about each other. Take your planning somewhere else. And if people dont like it here , like we ‘owd skemmers hear all the flaming time !!
THEH ” you know the way home ” !!!
FROM ONE TRUE SKEMMER ON BEHALF OF ALL TRUE SKEMMERS – IF YOU DONT LIKE IT HERE THEN GO.HOME !!!. STOP BUILDING !!!
By Anonymous
Skelmersdale town centre, transport connections and infrastructure including health care and schools need to be priority at the moment not more housing in the locality. The amount of new builds with no extra support is bound to have a severe detrimental effect on the infrastructure in place at the moment. The council get payment on every new build property so start investing it in the local area but NOT more housing. At the moment a proper town centre and transport links are needed more.
By Margaret Brown
We need a proper town centre as people have to travel or use the internet to get what they want…more younger couples will be in the new housing and yet there won’t be enough schools for the new children…And I would like to know where these affordable houses are? A lot of people can’t afford these houses..as they are all being built to buy! There are also no playgrounds for the children…Need to get priorities straight..get the town centre sorted and it will bring money to the town
By Fiona Rance