Latest UDP News
October 2007
In October 2007, as a result of a legal challenge by Satnam Millennium Ltd, the High Court ruled that the UDP Proposals Map should be quashed insofar as it shows the site known as Peel Hall Farm as included in the North Cheshire Green Belt. The status of the site will now be addressed in the Local Development Framework core strategy
January 2006
Following consideration of representations made during the November - December consultation, the council formally adopted the Unitary Development Plan at its meeting on 23rd January, as recommended by the Executive Board.
December 2005
First Annual Monitoring Report 1 April 2004 - 31 March 2005, as approved by the Executive Board on 5 December 2005.
November 2005
Following a six week consultation exercise in to the Proposed Modifications a report summarising the number and content of representations has been prepared and is detailed below.
The council’s Executive Board and Full Council have considered the representations made at a meeting on 7 November 2005. The resulting further proposed modifications have been approved for a six week public consultation period from 10 November - 22 December 2005 prior to completing statutory procedures for the formal adoption of the plan.
Further proposed mods
Guidance note & rep form
Final Full Council report
Final Exec Board report
Hard copies of all documents are available at these locations
July 2005
Following the Public Inquiry that was held between January and November 2004, the council has now completed consideration of the Inspectors Report and recommendations.
The outcome is a set of proposed modifications to the UDP that will be incorporated in the final adopted Plan. Before the council can adopt the modified Plan a further consultation exercise will be carried out to gauge the response to those modifications.
During this stage the proposed modifications, will be made available for inspection from Friday 29 July 2005 for a six week period comments are being invited by the use of a representation form which should be submitted by 5pm on 9 September 2005. The following documents are available
- Schedule of recommendations and responses
- Schedule of proposed modifications
- Associated annex to proposed modifications
- Modification Plans illustrating modifications to the Proposals Map
- Schedule of editorial change
- Guidance & representation form
- Report to Full Council 210705
Hard copies of all documents are available at the following deposit locations:
Alternatively a pack containing all of the above documents can be purchased for £30 by contacting Anne Morris 01925 442839 Amorris@warrington.gov.uk
June 2005
The council has published the Housing and Employment Land reports for 2004-05
April 2005
The Inspector’s Report of Recommendations following the Public Inquiry into objections to the Warrington UDP held between January and November 2004 has now been received.
The report will be made public on 18 April 2005 when copies will be placed for public inspection at the Town Hall, at New Town House, at the Information Centre, the Central Library and all branch libraries throughout the borough.
Copies of the report will be made available for purchase in hard copy (£35) and on CD ROM (£10). The report can also be accessed from the links below.
A headline summary report summarising the inspector’s main recommendations, and a more detailed schedule summarising all of his recommendations are also available.
- Inspector's report - Volume 1 recommendations
- Inspector's report - Volume 2 appendices
- Headline summary
- Detailed summary
It is anticipated that the council’s Executive Board will consider the council’s response to the inspector’s recommendations in July 2005, and a Schedule of Proposed Modifications to the UDP will then be published for a six week period of consultation. After considering the response to the consultation, it is intended that the final statutory procedures leading to Adoption of the UDP will be implemented.
November 2004
- The inspectors formally closed the UDP Inquiry on 16th November 2004. The inspectors expect to have completed their report by the end of March 2005
- The council has now published its 2004 Employment land report
- Work is underway in drafting the following Supplementary Planning Documents
- Open space & recreation provision
- Planning obligations
- Travel plans
- Affordable housing
- It is anticipated that consultation will take place in 2005. If you wish to be included in the consultation process please email udp@warrington.gov.uk and specify which SPDs your are interested in.
- There are currently two vacant PO1 posts in the Planning Policy Team which have been unsuccessfully advertised. If you missed the adverts, and have experience in policy work or in its 'evidence base' why not give us a call? Speak to Peter Taylor (01925) 442840 or Peter Stephens (01925) 442792
October 2004
- The closing session for the above has now been arranged for 2.15pm on Tuesday 16 November 2004 in no.1 committee room at Warrington Town Hall.
- It is anticipated that this session will be short and allow for Warrington Borough Council to confirm to the inquiry inspectors that all duly made objections have been responded to. The inspectors, who are currently considering outstanding objections as well as writing their report, will then be able to complete the report ready for submission to the Secretary of State for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
- It is also anticipated that the publication of the report, and consequent recommendations to Warrington Borough Council, will take several months.
September 2004
- The council has now completed its responses to all objections. The Programme Officer is writing to any objectors who had indicated that they would not be submitting any further submissions to the inquiry with details of the council's response. The inquiry is currently anticipated to close in late October or November 2004, and the Programme Officer will write to objectors to advise them of the close of the inquiry in the near future.
- The council has now published its 2004 Housing land report
July 2004
- All formal and informal hearings have been completed. Responses to remaining objections are now being dealt with.
- The council's Core Proof on Key Strategic Issues for the UDP Public Inquiry is now available. The Core Proof refers to a new Urban Potential Study 2003 Update, a Revised Housing Land Report and a Housing Land Small Site Study Report. Click on the links to download or view.
- The consultation period on pre-inquiry changes closed 15 December 2003. Details on representation received will be posted here as soon as possible.
November 2003
- 3 November - 15 December 2003 - Public consultation on UDP pre-inquiry changes - click here
October 2003
- The council has agreed pre-inquiry changes for the UDP - click hereto view the report to Full Council
- Consultation on a new SPG - Restricting the housing supply - click here
September 2003
- Details of the arrangements for the UDP Public Inquiry are now available - click here
- An interactive version of the First Deposit UDP is now on-line - click here
August 2003
- Housing Land and Employment Land Reports now available on-line - click here.
June 2003
- The website has been restructured.
- Officers have completed the recording of all comments made on the Revised Deposit Draft. Over 12,000 representations were received.
- In September 2003, the council is due to consider the UDP and any need for any pre-inquiry changes.
- A Programme Officer for the forthcoming Public Inquiry has now been appointed - details will appear here soon.
31 March 2003
- Regional Planning Guidance for the North West (RPG13) has been issued - this provides a regional planning context for the UDP.
Tuesday 17 December 2002
The Revised Deposit Unitary Development Plan six week consultation period ran from 4 November to 16 December 2002.
Monday, 4 November 2002 - Monday 16 December 2002
The Revised Deposit Unitary Development Plan is now publicly available. You can view the text by visiting the Revised Deposit section.
Thursday, 10 October 2002
Major changes to proposed Green Belt boundaries
Following more than 9,500 objections to the initial draft of the Warrington ‘Unitary Development Plan’ (published in 2001), the council is currently considering how the plan might be changed.
A report outlining the proposed changes is due to be considered by the council’s Strategic Policy Overview Committee (SPOC) on Wednesday 16 October.
The report sets out the scope of changes being considered, prior to finalisation of recommendations for the revised draft Unitary Development Plan, which will go to the council’s Executive Board on Monday 28 October.
The majority of objections to the plan were from local communities concerned about the green belt and the scale of safeguarded land reserved for possible future development on the edge of Warrington and larger villages in the borough.
The borough’s planning officers are now advising that national, regional and local circumstances have changed radically and that the time is right for the council to rewrite its long-term land use strategy and reconsider the resulting green belt boundary.
National policy initiatives aimed at achieving more intensive use of previously developed land, greater emphasis on the regeneration of inner cities and a reduction in the amount of housing to be provided in Warrington in the future are all significant factors that have influenced the revision.
Officers are now confident that Warrington’s immediate and long-term development needs can be met by the management of land supply from undeveloped sites that already benefit from planning permission, from brownfield ‘windfall’ sites that continue to emerge and from local regeneration initiatives.
Cllr Terry O’Neill, Executive Member for Environment and Regeneration, said: "This is news that should delight the many people in Warrington who have been telling us for some time that the green belt should be protected at all costs. Council Members and Officers have been working exceptionally hard and lobbying at the highest levels, both regionally and nationally, to get to a position where we can confidently meet the aspirations of our communities. We believe it is now appropriate to include all the areas previously designated as safeguarded land in the proposed green belt.
"We hope that local communities will now demonstrate the strength of their support for what we are trying to do and work with us when the time comes to defend the plan at its public inquiry."
In addition to the proposed changes to the underlying strategy of the UDP, officers are also recommending changes to the accompanying detailed policies that are used by the council in day-to-day decision-making on planning applications.
The policies aim to improve the quality of new developments in the borough, protect important environmental and historic assets and promote sustainable development.
The changes respond positively to objections wherever appropriate. They are also being brought in to clarify policies and bring them into line with recently published government planning guidance.
Following approval by the Executive Board later this month, the revised Unitary Development Plan will be made available for a six week period of consultation beginning on Monday 4 November. Local communities will then be invited to make their views known on the proposed changes.
The plan will be made available at local libraries and other venues throughout the borough. More details will be available nearer the time.
