TOWN Hall chiefs have approved, in principle, the acquisition of a site in Warrington to be used for the future transit site for travellers.

On Thursday, it was revealed that Warrington Borough Council has found a site it believes is suitable for a transit site for travellers – the former Kenyon Lane Nurseries site, located at the northern boundary of the borough between Lowton and Culcheth.

Cllr Neil Johnson, a Labour borough and parish councillor who represents Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft, issued a statement in which he said he was ‘stunned’ to learn of plans to build a transit site on land on Kenyon Lane in Culcheth.

In a protest over the ‘secret plan’ which he branded ‘shady skulduggery’, Cllr Johnson resigned from the Labour party to stand as an independent, and promised to fight the plans.

On Friday, Liberal Democrat councillor Judith Wheeler issued a statement commenting that Cllr Johnson’s actions could lead to a ’10-year setback’ and ‘undo the considerable work put in’.

The news came following a lengthy search over a number of years to identify a location.

The issue was discussed at the meeting of the council’s cabinet at the Town Hall this evening, Monday.

Town Hall

Cllr Denis Matthews – who is the council’s cabinet member for finance, assets and investments – said the proposed site is required to support the council in meeting its legal obligation under the Housing Act 2004 with respect to accommodation provision for the travelling community.

“The development of a transit site will support the council in meeting its legal obligations with respect to the needs of the travelling community,” he said.

“Travellers occupying the site will be charged a daily rental and occupancy will be restricted to 28 days.”

Cllr Matthews highlighted that ‘this whole endeavour’ is subject to ‘full planning and wider consultation’ – despite ‘what has been on social media’.

He added: “This issue is not party political, but is about doing what is expected of us as elected councillors.

“There are few easy decisions in local government, but shying away from them is never something that can be acceptable.”

According to a report to cabinet, the council has a ‘long-established desire’ to provide a gypsy and traveller transit site in Warrington – and the purpose of the site will be to ‘minimise impact’ of gypsy and traveller visits to unauthorised sites in the town.

It said there is a capital programme allocation of £2 million ‘estimated a number of years ago to identify, acquire and develop an appropriate site.’

Furthermore, it stated that, in August 2024, the council’s property team became aware that the site on Kenyon Lane was coming to the market for sale.

As recommended, the cabinet approved – in principle – the acquisition of the properties compromising the site.

The cabinet also gave approval to delegating to the director of growth – following consultation with the director of law and governance (monitoring officer), deputy chief executive and director of corporate services, and the cabinet member for finance, assets and investments – responsibility for the ‘final acquisition terms’.

As stated in the report to cabinet, it is recommended to proceed with an acquisition of the property for the following reasons: the ‘opportunity to deliver’ a gypsy and traveller transit site in Warrington, the ‘opportunity to minimise unauthorised encampments’ in Warrington and ‘associated disruption and costs’, and the ‘opportunity to either use the site for operational residential purposes or sell it on should a gypsy and traveller transit site prove not viable on the property’.