Green light for massive Omega expansion
WARRINGTON Borough Council has approved the next stage of the Omega site which includes 2.1 million sq ft of manufacturing and logistics space.
The proposal also includes a new access road to junction 8 of the M62 and plans for a 35-acre green area – known as the Green Heart – at the centre of the site.
The application by Omega Warrington Ltd (OWL) covers an area known as Zone 7 to the south of the M62, twice the size of the scheme to the north, which the council estimates could deliver 3,000-4,000 jobs.
On the 80-acre plot north of the M62 there are distribution bases for catering group Brakes and Hermes Parcelnet, and a third unit for Travis perkins is under construction.
So far the only development in the southern section is a 600,000 sq ft, £100m distribution base for Asda. Attempts are being made to lure the online retailer The Hut to an equally large shed.
A Warrington Borugh Council masterplan has suggested the 495-acre southern part could also accommodate 1,100 houses as well as shops and other commercial space. Two further planning applications covering these phases are expected soon.
The Zone 7 application by OWL – a joint venture between Miller Developments and Royal Bank of Scotland-owned KUC Properties – was met with some opposition by a handful of nearby residents who fear greater traffic pollution and a strain on amenities if new houses are built.
But in a report prepared ahead of last night’s planning meeting, planning officers said: “It is acknowledged that the development of Zone 7 – as proposed – would lead to some negative impacts – such as increased traffic congestion and the loss of natural habitat, which would not be fully mitigated.
“However this is a site that has been designated as a ‘strategic’ employment site and benefits from excellent motorway links.”
