Agenda Item No. 4

REPORT TO: Development Control Committee

DATE: 19 th December 2005

REPORTING OFFICER: Operational Director – Environmental Health and Planning

SUBJECT: Planning applications to be determined by the Committee.

APPLICATIONS TO BE DETERMINED BY ADJACENT AUTHORITY.

APPLICATION NUMBER: 03/00878/ADJ

APPLICANT: Omega Limited and the Commission for New Towns (carrying on business as English Partnerships).

PROPOSALS: Consultation by Warrington Council on receipt of further information in connection with the outline application for Omega Phases 1 & 2, redevelopment for employment uses (offices, industrial storage and distribution) with associated development for subsidiary uses with car parking, landscaping and infrastructure including demolition of existing structures on site.

ADDRESS OF SITE: Omega Phases 1 & 2 (both part of former Burton Wood Airbase), Burtonwood Road, Warrington.

WARD: N/A.

SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION:

That the comments in this report and its conclusions, on the further information provided by Warrington Council in respect of the planning application for Omega Phases 1 and 2 be agreed.

1.0 Background

1.1 In 2003 Warrington Borough Council consulted the Council about an outline planning application for the development of phases 1 and 2 of the Omega site, part of the former Burton Wood Airbase.

1.2 A report was presented to the Development Control and Licensing Committee on 6 th January 2004 recommending the Council’s response to this planning application.

1.3 The Committee agreed the following recommendation.

“That although the Council does not object to the proposed development of Omega Phases 1 & 2 in principle, the current planning application does not sit comfortably with Regional Planning Guidance or with the draft Warrington UDP. In view of the very substantial scale of the proposed development a number of issues need to be resolved before planning permission is granted. (These are listed in this report). In light of these concerns, the Council considers that this planning application is premature and granting of planning permission should not be considered until the outcome of the public inquiry into the Warrington UDP is known and appropriate policy modifications made in the light of its recommendations.’

1.4 The issues to be resolved mentioned in the recommendation were listed in the report as follows:

1. The apparent contradictions in the Warrington UDP with regard to the status of Omega South as a Regional Investment Site and the role of RPG Policy planning mechanism, as a means of ensuring that development here conforms with Regional Planning Guidance.

2. The conformity of this proposed with the ‘Core Development Principles’ of RPG.

3. The impact on the sub regional property market and the economic regeneration efforts of surrounding authorities.

4. How should the site be effectively connected via public transport links to the surrounding areas, including and ? How should the development contribute to the necessary improvements and be phased to coincide with progress on their implementation?

5. The sustainability of the proposal in terms of the increased car use for commuting and the impact on the highway network including the proposed Second Mersey Crossing.

6. The lack of any realistic distinction in the Masterplan between the ‘non-strategic’ and ‘strategic’ elements of development on Omega South.

1.5 The Omega planning application has not yet been determined by Warrington Council. However further information, some of which addresses the above issues has been submitted by the developer in support of the application to help resolve outstanding issues. Warrington have written to Halton Council asking for comments on this further information which comprises the following:

- a Supplementary Planning Statement; - an Omega Impact Report; - a Supplementary Environmental Statement; - a Non-Technical Summary to the Supplementary Environmental Statement; - a transport statement – which includes; • a car park management plan; • public transport strategy; • a walking & cycling plan; • a framework travel plan; - a Traffic Model Forecasting Report; - Highway Accessibility Report. 1.6 The purpose of this report is to consider the extent to which this additional information sent to us by Warrington, answers the issues raised by Halton Council listed above in the report to the Development Control Committee on 6 th January 2004.

2.0 Observations and issues

Planning Policy

2.1 Issue: 1) Warrington UDP and Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS 13 ) and 2) The conformity of this proposal with the ‘Core Development Principles’ of RSS 13 .

2.2 The Warrington UDP was the subject of a public inquiry into objections after the Halton Council considered the outline planning application for Omega. The inspector’s report was published in April 2005. He recommended that the Omega allocations be retained, and concluded that they comply with RSS and RES. He concluded that generally the WBC pre-inquiry changes were accepted, and the Highways Agency concerns have been articulated in a new UDP policy (LUT25), and in proposed modifications to the employment policies.

2.3 Following the publication of proposed modifications to the Warrington UDP that ended on 12 th September 2005 it is now well on it’s way to adoption during 2006. The proposed policies for the Omega Development are now policies EMP1, EMP2, EMP3 and LUT 25.

2.4 The WUDP Inspector considered that the level of employment land provision in Policy EMP1 was for WBC to determine and that 13 ha per annum are appropriate, in line with recent activity levels and in accordance with PPG4. He recognised that there may be a need for monitoring of land release and recommended a cross-reference to the new transport policy LUT25 which seeks to protect the efficient operation of the existing road network. The Inspector also recommended that the take up of employment land should be monitored to ensure no adverse impacts to regeneration in the regional conurbation cores. An Omega monitoring group set up by the NWDA has addressed this latter point.

2.5 Policy EMP2 allocates an additional 130 ha (gross) at Omega South as a Regional Investment Site (RIS) for high quality strategic business developments within the priority sectors highlighted in the RES. This is subject to consistency of the proposals with RSS13 policies (SD1, SD2, EC5, EC6 and EC8). The WUDP Inspector confirmed that the Omega site is brownfield and that there was no evidence to suggest incompatibility with the RSS and the NWDA RES. The Inspector recommended cross reference to Policy LUT25 in the policy and additional explanation to confirm that the level of job creation at the RIS would be dependent upon developer provision of adequate transport infrastructure and to achieve modal shift.

2.6 Policy EMP3 provides for the non-strategic allocations for Omega North and Omega South, and is linked to Policy EMP1 with the same comment for monitoring, and for compliance with new Policy LUT25. The WUDP Inspector confirmed his view that the non-strategic allocation at Omega South is appropriate to facilitate improving public transport facilities for the overall site area at an early stage.

Economic Impact

2.7 Issue : The impact of the sub regional property market and the economic regeneration efforts of surrounding authorities.

The Omega Impact Report has now addressed this issue.

2.8 Consultants GVA Grimley have prepared a report on the economic impact of the proposed Omega Development, based on different scenarios.

2.9 It is estimated that Phases 1 and 2 of the Omega development will directly create about 8,370 jobs in Warrington. The report states that the positive benefits of the development result from increased activity that will ripple across the economy, both spatially and sectorally, through industry supply chains and extra consumer spending. The consultants used an input – output model to quantify these indirect effects. It is these indirect effects that will have the most impact on the Halton economy.

2.10 The majority of the direct jobs associated with phases 1 and 2 are office based (5,794) with industrial (1,293) and distribution (1,283) making up the remainder.

2.11 It is acknowledged by the report that the Omega development may also have detrimental effects on other parts of the North West economy caused by instances where existing economic activity is displaced by new development. In order to test this effect two alternative impact scenarios have been considered. The first assumes that the Omega development in Warrington displaces activity already based in the North West. This is a worst-case scenario and unrealistic in the consultant’s view. The second scenario more realistically assumes only a proportion of the activity based at Omega replaces existing economic activity in the North West.

2.12 In the worst-case scenario, the 8,370 additional jobs created at Omega simply replace jobs already located elsewhere in the North West. Under this assumption, Halton, Manchester and Trafford will be most affected by displacement. Halton would suffer the greatest displacement affect of 1,429 job loses.

2.13 In the realistic case scenario the displacement effect is much reduced to only 132 job losses. However the model only consider the negative aspects of this scenario, namely displacement.

2.14 The positive or multiplier effects more than offset the losses from displacement. This leads to an overall growth of 8,697 jobs in Warrington that would help to create an addition 1,482 located elsewhere in the catchment area of which about 140 would be in Halton.

2.15 The consultant’s conclude that Omega will have an overall positive benefit on the North West economy with net gains of total employment in both Warrington and the rest of the North West.

2.16 The consultant’s study also examined links to areas of economic need. Whilst it is clear that there is sufficient labour within the market to accommodate Phase 1 and 2 of Omega, there are also areas within the vicinity of the site, which could benefit directly.

2.17 Links between the Omega site and areas of economic need can be established in accordance with RSS policy and the RES. A skills Action Plan to support the phase 1 and 2 proposals has been identified focussing on co-ordination, promotion and awareness, strategic engagement, an on-site training facility and links with educational institutions. A range of existing agencies will be involved in this process and the established Omega Skills Cluster Group will play a key role in co-ordination. There will also be support from and engagement with the Omega Site Management Company.

2.18 Physical access improvements are also planned which will provide new and improved public transport services and infrastructure as well as improved pedestrian and cycling accessibility. These measures will support access to the Omega jobs and will seek to remove a key barrier to entry of unemployed and economically inactive back into the workplace. These links provide the potential for improved accessibility to a range of deprived wards around the site in Warrington, St Helens, and Halton Districts.

2.19 However the direct impact on deprived communities may be limited. Experience shows that such communities have low access to private transport and may not feel comfortable travelling what they perceive as large distances to jobs. If it is more likely that people already in the workforce will gain jobs there, then this will free up more accessible local jobs for unemployed/workless people.

TRANSPORT ISSUES

2.20 The previous report to Halton Borough Council members on the Omega Phase 1 and 2 planning application listed the following transport issues:

2.21 Public transport links to the wider subregional area lacking - must be certain that Omega will deliver links to Halton - with at least an hourly bus service 7am -7pm to Widnes and Runcorn recommended.

2.22 An overall traffic model was to be constructed for all phases (1-5) before decision is issued on phases 1&2 - with Halton needing to be satisfied with the effect of development traffic upon key junctions (eg. assignment of traffic onto A557 Fiddlers Ferry Road junction via Rd)

2.23 New Mersey Crossing link to be put in the transport model Cycle link along A5080 through St Helens to Barrows Green Lane to be provided

Taking these issues in turn:

Public transport -

2.24 For phases 1&2 the developer is proposing to fund an increase in frequency of the 110 services from Runcorn via Widnes to Warrington town centre from 20 minutes to 15 minutes with passengers then needing to change in Warrington and pick up new frequent service from Warrington town centre to Omega. A direct service would then be proposed for phases 3-5 along with a new station at Chapelford. This is considered appropriate by Halton’s transport coordination section, as the proposed number of patrons at phase 2 does not warrant a direct service. However it is noted that public transport will not be as attractive to Halton residents in the early phases.

Traffic modelling -

2.25 Two documents have been received - one (highway accessibility report) outlining the traffic impact of Phases 1&2 and the other (model forecasting report) projecting the traffic impact of all phases by 2021 (1- 5). However, neither of these documents have considered junctions within Halton with the exception of M62 junction 7, and further clarification has been requested on the traffic impact which appears to be high upon the Widnes Eastern Relief Road, Fiddlers Ferry Road, Birchfield Road, and Wilmere Lane (slightly over 5% by phase 2 and well over 5% by phase 5). It is therefore worrying that permission may be given for phase 1&2 and then followed later in a piecemeal fashion with Phases 3-5, with the developer claiming two smaller increases in traffic levels of less than 5% (which is the usual threshold of a significant impact). HBC have also raised concerns over the estimated traffic generation and distribution into the Borough being low and therefore giving an unrealistic result. Similar issues have also been raised by Warrington and the Highways Agency, and the developer is to carry out additional sensitivity tests, the results of which should be available in January.

2.26 Therefore it is recommended that Halton’s original holding objection is sustained until this further information and clarification is received, and this may lead to some junctions or links within Halton requiring assessment in more detail.

2.27 New Mersey Crossing - it appears that the Mersey Crossing has little effect on the traffic model, but this is to be clarified.

2.28 Cycle links - the proposed section 106 obligations include a "contribution" to the link to Barrows Green, but no level is agreed, and the link will also depend upon St Helens Council's agreement to the scheme.

3.0 CONCLUSION

3.1 The report to this committee in respect of the Omega planning application raised six issues that should be resolved.

3.2 The planning policy issues mentioned in issues 1, 2 and 6 have now been resolved through the public inquiry process of the UDP, the Inspector’s report and proposed policy modifications.

3.3 The issue (3) on the economic impact on surrounding areas has now been well researched. Although Halton will not benefit significantly form jobs created in Halton by the ‘multiplier effect’ of Omega, there will be significant opportunities from the creation of new jobs in Omega itself. However this opportunity will only benefit those who have private transport unless public transport is put in place to provide convenient and inexpensive access for those currently not in work.

3.4 The successful implementation of the proposed Skills Action Plan to support Phase 1 and 2 of Omega is also important to benefit areas of economic need.

3.5 The transport issues (4 and 5) require further information and analysis before judgement can be reached on the additional information provided. In particular:

It is recommended that Halton’s original holding objection is sustained until this further information and clarification is received, and this may lead to some junctions or links within Halton requiring assessment in more detail.

Cycle links - the proposed section 106 obligations include a "contribution" to the link to Barrows Green, but no level is agreed, and the link will also depend upon St Helens Council's agreement to the scheme.