Consultation on revised local plan

HALTON residents are being given a chance to have their say on the borough’s revised Delivery And Allocations Local Plan (DALP) which proposes 2,500 fewer homes being built across Runcorn and Widnes than a previous version envisaged.

Halton Borough Council published its first draft of the document which will determine land allocations in and around the area for the next two decades in January 2018.

The proposals included ‘redefining’ the borough’s green belt.

A map published at the time of the DALP’s first draft showed that fields and farmland earmarked for housing include a large swathe of land west of Halebank in Widnes, west of the northern end of Queensbury Way in Cronton, and north of South Lane and Derby Road in the town’s east.

In Runcorn, large patches of green belt land between Manor Park and Moore, part of Daresbury and a swathe of greenery around Preston On The Hill had been allocated to be re-allocated for housing.

But after a consultation was launched following the initial draft, a revised version has now been drawn up which proposes more than 2,500 fewer houses than the previous one.

The council says this will mean more of the borough’s ‘valued urban green space sites and green belt land’ will be protected from development.

Residents’ views on the latest blueprints are now being sought.

A statement from the local authority said: “The plan will guide development across the borough over the next 18 years.

“Following responses to the previous consultation in January 2018, and changes to Government requirements, the latest version of the plan proposes over 2,500 fewer houses, meaning more of our valued urban green space sites and green belt land can be protected from development, while still meeting the housing and employment needs of our upcoming generations.”

The latest consultation launched on Thursday, July 25.

Residents have until Thursday, September 19, to submit their views on line via a comments form on the local authority’s website.

For more information on the DALP and to submit views visit www.halton.gov.uk/