Still time to have say on shape of future
THERE is still time to give your views on West Lancashire Borough Council’s ambitious blueprint for the future of the area.
The Local Plan Preferred Options document approved by the council’s cabinet for public consultation is for an innovative and ambitious long-term strategic plan that will help deliver new development to support the growth of the Borough until 2050.
By releasing enough land for development needs for 30+ years, the council says will be in a better position to refuse any applications for development not in line with the Local Plan. Key proposals include: New homes and employment space in and around Skelmersdale, including a bold plan to create 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.
An impressive Knowledge Park and Student Accommodation Village on St Helens Road, Ormskirk, to attract new, hi-tech businesses to Ormskirk and provide much-needed purposebuilt student accommodation to alleviate the demand for houses of multiple occupation, and the creation of new residential neighbourhoods to the southeast of Ormskirk and Aughton.
Allocation of land for smaller opportunities for new developments in the rest of the borough to meet local 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 (over 88% of West Lancashire will remain as Green Belt).
The consultation period began on October 12 and the council has held a series of public events where people could speak directly to a council officer about the plan.
Although these have now been completed there is still time to give your views as the council extended the original deadline for comments to December 13.
To read the Local Plan Review Preferred Options document, and for more information on the Local Plan Review, please visit the council’s website www. westlancs.gov.uk/lpr, where you can also give your views to be considered as part of the consultation.
Printed copies of key consultation documents will also be available at libraries and the council customer service Points (at the council’s Derby Street offices in Ormskirk and at the Concourse shopping centre in Skelmersdale).
The easiest way to provide your comments will be online, through the consultation webpages, but a standard form can also be downloaded from the website or picked up from the above locations.
Cllr John Hodson, portfolio holder for planning, said: “The council would like to thank all those who came to the public consultation events and engaging in the process.
“There is still time to give comments and 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 the new Local Plan guides how West Lancashire develops over time. All reasonable views will be taken into consideration.
“As such, if people are opposed to a proposal, we would encourage them to set out the reasons for their concern, how they would change the policy they are opposed to and what site they would suggest the council should allocate, instead of the one they might have concerns about.
“This will help the council prepare the best possible Local Plan.”