LAND in south Warrington removed from the green belt has been earmarked for around 4,200 homes – along with new schools and a leisure facility.

With the site having been allocated for development in Warrington Borough Council’s Local Plan, Homes England is planning for a proposed extension to south east Warrington with ‘sustainability at its heart’.

The proposed new housing and infrastructure, as part of the extension to south east Warrington, will affect land around Grappenhall, Grappenhall Heys, Appleton and Stretton.

Events where residents can meet the team, learn more about the plans and provide feedback are taking place.

A spokesperson for Homes England said: “Homes England is committed to working with the local community to understand residents’ views and local aspirations for the site.

“Meaningful engagement is at the heart of our approach to new development and we would encourage people to have their say and help shape the plans.”

READ MORE > Plans for hundreds of homes on Peel Hall land

Warrington’s Local Plan was adopted in December 2023.

It aims to deliver a minimum of 14,688 new homes between 2021-22 and 2038-39, equating to 816 per year.

Around 4,200 homes will be built as part of the plans for the extension to south east Warrington, including 30 per cent affordable homes.

At least 2,400 of these are set to be built in the Local Plan period, before March 2039.

Land has been earmarked for around 4,200 new homes (Homes England)The final development framework for the plans will be submitted in autumn/winter 2025, with detailed planning applications to then follow what is set out in the development framework.

The plans also include two two-form entry primary schools, each capable of expansion to three forms of entry – and a new secondary school to provide a minimum of four forms of entry.

In addition, the plans include a new leisure facility incorporating health provision, contribution to expansion of proposed Appleton Cross GP health centre, local shops and other community facilities of an ‘appropriate scale’, an ‘extensive green infrastructure network’, and playing pitches.

Furthermore, in relation to the Appleton Cross ‘local centre’, this is planned to ‘support’ the existing community and ‘complement’ the future community – the local centre will provide a health centre and amenities that ‘will serve the local area and come forward ahead of the wider urban extension’.

Through the Local Plan, the council has removed land from the green belt for 4,200 homes, of which 2,400 will be delivered in the plan period.

'Major disappointment for residents'

The town’s Liberal Democrats have issued a statement.

Cllr Mark Browne and Cllr Helen Speed, leader and deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: “The importance of influencing these wide-ranging developments can’t be understated.

“It is vital to ensure that the housing that is built meets the need of the people in our parishes, especially affordable homes and sustainable communities and doesn’t just result in developers building estates of four and five bedrooms houses for commuters to Liverpool and Manchester.

Cllrs Mark Browne and Helen Speed

“The lack of infrastructure developments in Grappenhall Heys over the past twenty years has been a major disappointment for residents and we have been meeting with Homes England to discuss these and future developments over the past eight months.

“During this time, Liberal Democrat ward and parish councillors serving in Grappenhall, Thelwall and Appleton and volunteer residents of Grappenhall and Thelwall have been helping to develop a neighbourhood plan. This is a land use plan for local communities written by the local community and has a legal status.

“Subsequent discussions with Homes England have demonstrated their continuing interest in co-ordinating work on the neighbourhood plan and their development framework, which is good news.

“However, there are many areas of infrastructure for us to continue to work on together, including traffic management and transport, community and health centres and protecting and enhancing our green infrastructure.

“You can be sure that the Liberal Democrat team will be very focused on making the voices of our residents heard.”