Wincham Parish Plan 2010 A Vision for Wincham… The Parish of Wincham,Cheshire 2010 database right and copyright Crown © data Survey Ordnance Contains Wincham Parish Plan 1 What is a Parish Plan? Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................... 2 A Parish Plan is a statement by a 2 History of Wincham ................................................ 3 community of the actions that will most 3 Local Geography ...................................................... 4 benefit the community. 4 Wincham Today ....................................................... 5 Parish Plans are developed from 5 Collecting Residents’ Views ................................. 7 widespread consultation, during which 6 The Environment .................................................. 10 all members of the community have the 7 Planning and Development .............................. 15 opportunity to express their opinions. 8 Leisure ...................................................................... 19 All aspects of the quality of life in a 9 Transport and Highways ................................... 24 community are considered in 10 Policing and Safety ............................................... 28 developing a Parish Plan, including 11 Communication ..................................................... 31 village facilities and services, and social, 12 Waste Treatment Facility .................................. 33 environmental, economic, transport, 13 Young People’s Questionnaire ........................ 35 housing, planning and recreation issues. 14 Children’s Questionnaire ................................... 38 The process of developing a Parish Plan 15 Businesses ............................................................... 40 is led by the community; and the final 16 References and Further Information ........... 42 Plan should be owned by the 17 Acknowledgements ............................................. 43 community. 18 The Parish Plan Implementation Group ..... 44 Church Street Front cover pictures: (top) near the Flashes; (bottom) Chapel Street. 2 Introduction The Wincham Parish Plan Steering Group Paul Psaila (Chair) Louise Henshall Kevin Davies Nikola Powell Alison Dunabin Andy Wolski Contact us [email protected] Rayner’s Corner Call Alison Dunabin on 01565 733751. 1 Introduction It is with pleasure that the Wincham Parish Plan In this Plan, we present the results of the Steering Group presents the Parish Plan for consultation, and the goals that have been Wincham. It has taken the team more than a identified from residents’ responses. These year to complete this document, which we hope goals for improvements in village life will only gives a fair and accurate representation of the be achieved if the necessary will and resources views of the community. are available. One of the aims of this document is to present the evidence, in the form of Parish Plans were introduced by the government residents’ expressed wishes, needed to obtain ten years ago, to support communities to plan resources and policy changes from service and influence their own futures. The Wincham providers and statutory bodies. But mostly, Parish Plan began with the Parish Council’s achieving the goals will depend on volunteers vision for the village to be a friendly, healthy and from the community, working together for the safe place to live, where all residents, businesses benefit of the community. and organisations could feel a sense of belonging and involvement. The next step is to form an Implementation Group (described on page 44) that will take the In October 2008, the Parish Council organised an issues forward. All parish residents, businesses open public meeting to discuss the possibility of and organisations are welcome to get involved – a Parish Plan for Wincham. The meeting, and will need to do so, if the ambitions attended by more than 60 residents, gave a clear expressed by residents are to be achieved. mandate for the development of a Parish Plan, Local government and other bodies will play a and was followed shortly after by the formation role, but nothing will happen without YOUR help! of the Parish Plan Steering Group. It won’t need much effort, and you may be The first achievement of the Steering Group was surprised at how big a difference you can make. to obtain a grant from Cheshire County Council If you feel you can help in any way, please in March 2009, for the essential costs in contact us using the details shown above. I look producing the Plan. Over the next 12 months, forward to working with you all soon! the Steering Group carried out an extensive consultation exercise, including a questionnaire delivered to all homes in Wincham in summer 2009. Out of 905 questionnaires distributed, 317 completed questionnaires were returned, many Paul Psaila with detailed comments. I’d like to thank all Chair of the Wincham Parish Plan those who took the time and trouble to complete Steering Group the questionnaire: understanding what residents wanted for the village was fundamental to the Plan, so your contribution was essential. History of Wincham 3 2 History of Wincham Wincham is shown on the Domesday Map (1086) The old public house ‘The Townsend Arms’, as Wimundesham. At that time, the Manor of known locally as the Witch and Devil, had an Wimundesham was held by Gilbert Venables, unfortunate location, as it was built near the old Baron of Kinderton, a free man who owned a salt workings on land liable to subsidence. One plough and one serf. The Manor of Wincham night in October 1917 it collapsed and was held by the Venables family at three completely disappeared under what is now different periods over the next millennium. A Ashton’s Flash. The sole remaining public house descendant of the Venables family, Lee Porcher in Wincham is the Black Greyhound, whose Townsend, rebuilt Wincham Hall in the 19th namesake was part of the coat of arms of the century. During the Edwardian era the Hall was Holfords of Holford Hall. used as a girls’ college. The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry used the Hall as an army post during World War II, and later in the war American servicemen were stationed there. The current building was erected after the old hall was demolished in 1952. The Kelly’s Directory of 1902 mentions the Free Methodist Chapel erected in 1873 and the Infants School built in 1896. By 1911, the population of The Townsend Arms Wincham was 1091 and the Infants School had an average attendance of 59 children. Ordnance Survey maps show that by 1874 the Parish supported several salt works and a mineral railway network that, along with the Trent and Mersey canal, helped to secure the region’s importance to the developing chemical industry. One of the most significant mines in Wincham was in the vicinity of Ashton’s Flash. A thriving community grew up around the mine until disaster struck at just before 6 am on the Providence House, Chapel Street morning of 6 December 1880. A great ‘roaring and rumbling’ was heard as the waters of Wades The part of the village now known as Higher and Witton Brooks flowed rapidly into a crack Wincham was mainly agricultural land. In 1906 which had opened in the earth. Part of Ashton’s there were twelve farms: the farmers were salt works collapsed into the hole. This had a Henry Beckett, Herbert Beech, William Bradbury, devastating effect on the community and the John Davenport, John Fryer, Edward Hopley, population reduced considerably as a result. John Hewitt, Arthur Platt, William Platt, Thomas Tasker, Hugh Woodall and James Yarwood. New Cheshire Salt Works was established in Today, three farms remain: Home Farm on 1891 by the Stubbs family. During the Second Linnards Lane, Bank Farm on Green Lane, and World War, the Salt Works provided facilities for Manor Farm on Hall Lane. Wincham was a more testing the first prototype jet engines. extensive residential and commercial settlement Wincham has two listed buildings: Home Farm in than in the present day. A number of farm and Linnards Lane and the now derelict Wincham salt workers cottages from the 19th Century Hotel alongside the canal. provide the core housing stock on Chapel Street and Church Street. 4 Local Geography 3 Local Geography The relatively flat landscape of Wincham is a result of geological deposits laid down about 200- 240 million years ago. The geology has had an impact on the whole of the parish and, in particular, has influenced the development of industry in the area. Saliferous deposits from the Triassic period occur 200- 400 feet below the surface and the pumping of brine from these beds was the foundation of the salt industry in Wincham and neighbouring Marston. Wincham Parish is contained entirely The Trent and Mersey canal, which is a strong within the Northwich Salt Heritage Landscape. visual reminder of the rich industrial heritage of The only natural watercourse in Wincham is the area, runs through the southern part of the Wincham Brook which drains into the River Parish and the canal corridor is now an Weaver, and forms the boundary between important conservation area. Both the canal and Wincham and Lostock Gralam. Subsidence from Wincham Brook could be important focal points salt mining has resulted in the extensive areas of in the Parish, and there is scope for enhancing brackish water known as the Flashes, which form them as aspects of the village environment. Part part of the Northwich Woodlands conservation of Wincham Brook is a site of Biological area. Quantities