PLANS for hundreds of new homes on land at Peel Hall have been approved.

A reserved matters application for 404 homes on the land – extending between M62 to the north, Mill Lane to the east, Poplars Avenue to the south and Elm Road to the west – came before the development management committee on Thursday.

The reserved matters application is for the first phase of development, consisting of the new properties, highway layout, public open space – inclusive of a community building – and associated infrastructure.

It follows the granting of outline planning permission by the secretary of state in November 2021, following a public inquiry, for a mixed-use development – including 1,200 homes – at Peel Hall.

Countryside Partnerships North West’s (CPNW) application which came before the committee sought approval of reserved matters relating to appearance, landscaping, layout and scale for 404 dwellings, a replacement community centre building, playing fields/football pitches, public open space and other associated infrastructure.

It consists of the first phase of development following the granting of the outline planning permission.

Committee member Cllr Janet Henshaw said: “This is only the first phase of this development as I understand it, and we appear to be tied to a previous Local Plan, and outline planning permission that was made some time ago by inspectors, and I suppose part of my comment, but part of my question as well is, is this going to continue to apply, throughout the remainder of this development because we’ve heard about schools, we’ve heard about health provision, we’ve heard about energy, we’ve heard about different things?

“I accept that, as planning officers, you find a difficulty in doing anything about this because of this reliance on what’s happened before.

“I suppose my question is, is this going to continue to happen right the way through this development?”

She was told the ‘timing’ of the granting of the outline planning permission was ‘carried out in accordance with the adopted Local Plan at the time’, so the requirements of the outline planning permission ‘do effectively tally to that’.

Furthermore, she was told future phases of the development ‘will effectively adhere to the requirements of the outline planning permission’ so ‘we are tied effectively’ to those requirements which were ‘based upon the previous plan’, however, the scheme has been assessed in accordance with the current plan ‘where we can’.

As stated in a report to the committee, following the granting of the outline planning permission, CPNW acquired the site in partnership with Torus in order to deliver the residential elements of the planning permission, including the affordable housing obligations.

The key elements proposed include 404 two, three, four and five bed dwellings, the construction of a community building and sports changing facility with associated access and parking, the construction of infrastructure including a primary foul water pumping station, electricity substation and spine road and internal carriageways, and the creation of public open space, including equipped play areas, allotment, surface water attenuation ponds.

The application was originally publicised by 653 neighbour notification letters, 10 site notices and a press notice.

As a result, a total of 10 representations were received from residents. Of these 10 residents, one resident made a total of 28 representations.

As stated in the report, the responses are on issues including character of the area and urban design, impact upon residential amenity, and parking, highways and pedestrian safety.

In the report, it said: “The application proposes the first phase of residential development on land where the principle of development for such a use has previously been established.

“The land is identified as a committed site in the Warrington Local Plan.

“The layout delivers good levels of residential amenity for future occupiers and does not have an unacceptable impact on the residential amenity of adjoining residential properties.

“The scheme delivers an acceptable level of market housing given that this is an initial phase of the development where a balance can be achieved in later phases to accord with current evidence.

“There is an appropriate quantum of affordable housing and the affordable units have been identified. The proposals, in general, address housing needs through a range of housing types and tenures.”

The report to the committee highlighted that the outline planning permission is for the mixed-use development of the site, predominantly for up to 1,200 dwellings 'with a local centre (retail and other commercial uses and pub/restaurant), care home, potential school site and supporting infrastructure'.

As recommended, the application was approved subject to conditions.