Warrington Local Plan Consultation

Warrington Liberal Democrats are asking the Borough Council to suspend the Local Plan Consultation, due to start this week, because of anticipated changes in the Government's planning policy.

Press comments from The Economist newspaper, published on the 2^nd of October, claim that the Conservative Government is on the brink of major planning concessions that will stop obliging Local Authorities to release greenbelt land to meet the government's housing and employment targets. Such changes would affect Warrington's current Draft Local Plan which is due to go out to public consultation this week.

We are calling on Andy Carter MP to:

• Ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to instruct Homes England to withdraw its South East Warrington Urban Extension development proposal, which has met with widespread opposition.
• We also ask the MP for an assurance from the Secretary of State that if Warrington Borough Council's Local Plan is amended to release no greenbelt land, scrap the Urban Extension, and scrap approval for development at Peel Hall, it will be legal and compliant under the government's new planning proposals.
• The Council also needs an assurance that a local housing delivery target reduced to take account of these changes, will not invalidate the Local Plan and that Warrington will not be penalised by loss, or reduction, of its planning powers as a result.

Warrington Liberal Democrats call on The Leader of the Council, The Chief Executive and the Director for Growth to announce that the Local Plan consultation, and the process, are suspended until Warrington receives these assurances from the Government.