Loud applause greets decision to axe housing plans
THERE was loud applause from objectors as planning chiefs threw out proposals for a controversial shared accommodation scheme in Widnes.
Halton Council’s development management committee went against the advice of their own planning officers to reject proposals to turn the former Cartref House Nursing Home on Derby Road into houses in multiple occupation (HMO). The project – submitted by Southportbased Crosshill Property Partners – would have featured 29 rooms with shared kitchen, bathrooms and living areas.
Six of the rooms would have been self-contained apartments.
But the plans prompted a fierce backlash from some local residents, with 256 written objections being received and two petitions with a total of 549 being submitted opposing the plans, citing a range of concerns including lack of parking, amenities and crime and antisocial behaviour.
The committee had been due to vote on the plans at a meeting in November, but a decision was postponed so councillors could visit the site.
And at the meeting, which was once again moved from Runcorn Town Hall to the DCBL stadium in Widnes to accommodate members of the public, the committee voted unanimously to block the plan.
Addressing the meeting, Cllr Ged Philbin, said: “I welcome the opportunity of a site visit, although the footprint of the site was quite large, my concern when I was there was the opportunity for parking.
“There is the opportunity here for 56-plus people being in this accommodation, which is potentially 56 vehicles.
“When we were there it was pretty congested, since then information has come to me that even a funeral cortege couldn’t get through that particular part of the town and that really does give me some serious concerns on grounds of parking, access and egress.”
The plans were rejected unanimously by the committee due to concerns over highway safety, parking, and loss of privacy.
The decision brought loud applause from more than two dozen objectors in the public seating area at the meeting.