‘This isn’t just about our generation, it’s about generations to come,’ a local resident says
Cronton Action Group march through village fields in protest against a proposed housing development in the village(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Over 100 people in the village of Cronton staged a walk on Saturday in protest against plans to build 120 new homes. Sue Fealey of the Cronton Action Group told the Liverpool Echo the demonstration was “absolutely fantastic” with a “real community feel”.
In March an application for a 120-home development on 10.5 acres north of Cronton Road abutting the existing settlement was put to Knowsley Council by housebuilder Bellway. Bellway said that the land can be classed as grey belt, which has been defined by the government as being low-quality or not serving the purpose of the green belt, as it endeavours to encourage housebuilding.
The developer said that the land currently does not make a strong contribution to preventing urban sprawl or towards preserving a historic settlement.
Bellway’s plans involve a mix of one to five-bedroom homes, 40% of which would be classed as affordable.
Cronton Action Group(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Over tea and coffee in Cronton’s Methodist Chapel after the protest walk, residents told the Liverpool Echo about their objections to the development.
Avis Lundberg, 71, said that she is “absolutely gutted” because she had only bought her bungalow on Wheatfield Road – which backs onto the proposed development site – five weeks before the planning application was lodged.
“It’s taken the shine off the bungalow completely,” she said, adding that “it’s the realisation that your privacy will be taken away; you’ll be overlooked. A large attraction of the house was the view over the fields behind, but a peaceful, quiet village environment will be lost.
Ms Lundberg added that she had spoken to a 93-year-old neighbour who is housebound, and “the only pleasure she has is looking out of her sliding doors at the birds.
Cronton Action Group(Image: Emma Morgan)
“It will have a huge, huge impact on a little area. A lot of the people here have been here for years and years. It’s their home; it’s their community. We appreciate change has to happen, but not in such a small radius,” she added.
Residents noted that the village does not have a doctor’s surgery or high school and that buses to nearby Widnes only depart once an hour, meaning that the vast majority of people have cars. They are therefore concerned that the village’s narrow lanes will see hundreds more vehicles passing through them every day.
Chris Holland, 66, who also lives near the proposed development, told the Liverpool Echo that she is concerned that “in winter it floods really badly” along Wheatfield Road, “to the point where it comes out” onto the main Cronton Road, and that contractors have to come four times a year to clear the drains, causing an unpleasant odour in the houses.
She said that she is worried that the existing strain on the infrastructure will worsen if the new homes are built.
Cronton Action Group(Image: Emma Morgan)
Fiona Harris, 58, who also lives on Wheatfield Road, said that for her it comes down to this: “What is a village? What makes this a village and what makes it just an extension of Widnes without any “green fields or biodiversity”?
“We’ve tried to wild our garden so that the birds and butterflies come in. Once you’ve lost that biodiversity, it never returns.
“This isn’t just about our generation; it’s about generations to come. I know there have to be houses built; I get that absolutely, but there are a lot of brownfield sites around this area, and there is no mention of social housing in the development plans.”
Her partner, Jeff Moss, 57, said that there would be a significant height difference between the new houses and the Wheatfield Road bungalows, “blocking the daylight” for existing residents.
Both said that they are concerned that if this development is approved, it will “give the green light” to other projects in the village, which will dilute the “sense of openness while being part of a community”.
Lynne Heywood, 73, who has lived in Cronton for 53 years, said that she is concerned about air pollution and road safety. She said that there are already a lot of cars parked along the kerb near the village primary schools in the mornings that are difficult to see around, and that the more there are, the more unsafe it will be.
Gordon Thomas, 56, who is a parish councillor but was speaking in a personal capacity, said that he is not “anti-development” but that these newbuilds would cut across land included in a village footpath scheme that has been in existence for 20 years.
“They might replace the paths, but they will then be through a built-up area,” he said, questioning, “What is in this for this community?”
The demonstration formed part of a National Day of Action across 145 communities, organised by the Community Planning Alliance, which included activities such as human chains across threatened green belt land, nature and protest walks, litter picks and communal gardening.
Cronton Parish Council said in a statement: “Cronton Parish Council remains firmly committed to preserving the integrity of our green belt and protecting the unique character of our village.
“We will continue to actively support residents in challenging developments that encroach on protected green belt land. Recent applications not only propose building on the green belt but also threaten established public rights of way, assets that are central to Cronton’s rural identity and valued by the community.
Cronton Action Group march through village fields(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“Our priority is to safeguard these pathways and green spaces for current residents and future generations, ensuring that Cronton retains the character and heritage that make it such a special place to live.”
Bellway Strategic Land has previously said in a statement that it would make financial contributions towards education and outdoor sports provision and that improvements to footpaths and bus stops close to the site are also being proposed.
It said that the plans include two areas of public open space, the enhancement of an existing public right of way and the creation of a new footpath leading to a dog-walking field to the north-east corner of the site.
Bellway added that it has proposed the widening of footpaths and bus stops on Cronton Road and that it would ensure that there is at least a 10% uplift in the biodiversity value of the land.
Sebastian Burrow, Strategic Land Director for Bellway’s North West region, said: “The council currently has insufficient land within the urban area to meet housing needs in the borough, and this site represents a logical and appropriate location for residential development. It is sustainably located within walking distance of local services and amenities in Cronton and is well served by public transport.
“Significantly, the site’s classification as grey belt means that 40% of homes would be affordable housing for local people unable to purchase on the open market – an uplift of 15% on the council’s normal requirement for developments of this size.”
The plans have so far received over 130 objections from local residents, with three comments in support.
Bellway’s planning application can be found on the Knowsley Council website by searching the reference number 26/00006/OUT.