LATEST NEWS – Come and chat to our volunteers on Saturday 21st June
📍Grappenhall Walking Day
📍Thelwall Rose Queen
Welcome to the Grappenhall and Thelwall Neighbourhood Plan
Giving the community of Grappenhall and Thelwall more control over Local Developments
The UK faces a shortfall of 1.5 million homes, and local councils including Warrington BC are working to meet this demand. While we can’t halt development, we can influence and shape it.
Since January 2024, a group of volunteers has been engaging with local residents to understand what matters most regarding future developments in our parish.
From your feedback, five key priorities have emerged. Let’s work together to ensure we have a say in shaping our areas’s future.
Neighbourhood Plan - What is it?
A Neighbourhood Plan is a community led document that sets out planning policies for a specific area – Grappenhall & Thelwall Parish in this instance.
A group of local volunteers create policies that represent local views and consults with all 10,000 residents.
A referendum vote enables residents to show their support for the plan, developers must take account of the plan and then the local council must use when deciding on planning applications.
Thus giving our community more control over local developments.
Our chance to influence how development happens
The Neighbourhood area covers the whole Parish. The Plan can’t restrict the level of development set out in Warrington’s local plan, but it provides an opportunity to design a framework for future development of our parish to create the best for our community, e.g.
- Housing and community infrastructure
- Green spaces and recreational facilities
- Respecting heritage i.e. The Former Rectory, Grappenhall Hall School
- Towpaths, cobbles, canal bridges
- Integrated transport for walking and cycling
- Local shopping centres
GREEN AND BLUE SPACES
Protecting and Improving
Protecting and improving woodlands, hedgerows, open spaces, sports facilities and water bodies and safeguarding them from built development.
Identifying and giving the highest level of protection to a series of green spaces which are seen as special by the local community.
HERITAGE
Protection and Reuse
Ensuring the protection, reuse and where necessary, renovation of local historic sites and buildings, such as Grappenhall’s former Rectory and Grappenhall Hall.
Protecting the historic village of Grappenhall and its features such as canal bridges and cobbled street from excessive vehicle traffic arising from new development.
Identifying and designating sites and buildings of local heritage importance; Grappenhall Hall and the gardens of Massey Hall, Thelwall.
DESIGN
Design Principles
Setting out design principles for new housing developments to ensure that it contributes positively to existing character and heritage, and is mindful of sustainability objectives.
Setting out design parameters for the three new large housing sites (Thelwall Heys, off Broad Lane, Grappenhall and off Stockton Lane, Grappenhall) to be developed as part of the SEWUE.
Seeking to improve the attractiveness and accessibility, and therefore commerical success of the main shopping areas of the Parish.
HOUSING NEEDS
Meeting The Needs Of Residents
Making sure that new housing meets the needs of residents in terms of size, tenure and affordability and are adaptable to meet people’s changing needs throughout their life.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Supporting Community Infrastructure
We’re committed to protecting the Parish’s existing community facilities – such as schools, healthcare and community spaces – and ensuring that new development is matched with the infrastructure needed to support it.
As the area grows, we must not allow the need for new or improved services and facilities to be overlooked. This means planning for the long-term needs of local people and making sure growth benefits the whole community.
