Residents hit out over Local Plan ‘betrayal’
AUGHTON Residents Group has accused West Lancashire Borough Council of betraying it through its proposed Local Plan.
Colin Atkinson, chairman of ARG, hit out at the council over proposals to allow 2,000 homes to built on farmland bordered by Prescot Road, Parrs Lane and Scarth Hill Lane.
Almost 16,000 homes would be built around the borough by 2050 under the proposals which the council says will keep the future development of the borough in local control and allow it to prosper.
A public consultation began last week and runs until December 13 but ARG says it could cancel out good work done fighting developers in recent years.
Mr Atkinson said the group was “finding hard to come to terms” with the proposition that thousands of homes could be built on the land so soon after they celebrated successfully blocking plans to develop sites near Parrs Lane for housing.
Members of the group are also dismayed at the prospect of 1,000 student homes and a technology hub being built off St Helen’s Road in Ormskirk.
Mr Atkinson said: “A great deal of time, effort, resources and yes, money was spent fighting the developers through appeals, planning inspectors’ hearings and even in the civil courts. Aughton Residents Group themselves supported the council at each of these stages.
“Finally on March 22, following the latest hearing, the Planning Inspectorate found in favour of WLBC and dismissed the two developers’ appeals.
“With the council fending off these two ‘rogue’ appeals, the residents were led to believe that this ‘best and most versatile’ farm land was safe from further attempts at development for at least another five to 10 years.
“Just to remind people, the developers wanted to build around 400 houses.
“What residents did not know was that at the same time the council was fighting against the developers’ applications they were planning to hand over an area of agricultural land about four times larger than the Parrs Lane ‘sites’.”
West Lancashire District Council has now opened its public consultation into the Local Plan, the key proposals of which include:
New homes and employment space in and around Skelmersdale, including three new garden villages and a logistics park alongside the M58. This proposal would make a significant contribution to the business case for creating a Skelmersdale rail link.
A Knowledge Park and student accommodation village on St Helens Road, Ormskirk, to attract new, hi-tech businesses and provide accommodation to alleviate the demand for houses of multiple occupation, and the creation of new residential neighbourhoods to the south-east of Ormskirk and Aughton.
Allocation of land for smaller opportunities for developments in the rest of the borough to meet housing and employment needs.
Some land currently designated as Green Belt will be released for development, but the preferred options will also ensure that the rural areas of the borough will continue to be strongly protected from inappropriate development.
The consultation period started on Friday and runs until December 13.
Cllr John Hodson, portfolio holder for planning, said: “I would urge people living and working in West Lancashire, and all other interested parties, to take part in this consultation as this will influence how the new Local Plan takes shape. “This will in time dictate how West Lancashire develops over time. All reasonable views will be taken into consideration.”
Visit www.westlancs. gov.uk/lpr, where you can also give your views to be considered as part of the consultation.
The council is organising events where people can speak directly to a council officer.
Each event will run 10am-9pm, but people will need to book a halfhour slot via www.westlancs.gov.uk/lpr or call 01695 585194. The dates and venues are: Tuesday, October 23 - Four Lane Ends Mission, Bickerstaffe.
Wednesday, October 24 - Ormskirk Chapel Gallery.
Monday, October 29 - Parbold Village Hall.
Wednesday, October 31 - Skelmersdale Ecumenical Centre.
Monday, November 5 - Tarleton Cricket Club.
Wednesday, November 7 - Ormskirk Chapel Gallery.
Tuesday, November 13 - The Grove Youth and Community Centre, Station Approach, Burscough.
Wednesday, November 14 - Skelmersdale Ecumenical Centre.
Thursday, November 15 - Halsall Memorial Hall.