{"id":486709,"date":"2025-10-09T21:59:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T21:59:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/486709\/"},"modified":"2025-10-09T21:59:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T21:59:13","slug":"housing-development-held-up-amid-concerns-as-older-people-are-scared","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/486709\/","title":{"rendered":"Housing development held up amid concerns as \u2018older people are scared\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Taylor Wimpey are set to build 350 new homes on a site in Widnes that straddles the boundaries of two council areas, including Knowsley\"AA group of residents at Huyton’s Municipal Buildings campaigning against the current plans for Chapel Lane, south of Cronton(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

A major new housing development on the outskirts of Merseyside has been held up after residents raised safety concerns about an access road. The project will create 350 homes in Widnes<\/a>, but the access point is located in Knowsley<\/a>, and on a stretch of road residents say is dangerous to cross.<\/p>\n

On its website the developer, Taylor Wimpey states: \u201cWe are aiming to deliver up to 350 high quality and energy efficient homes in a range of styles and sizes, including affordable homes, to respond to the local housing needs in Widnes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe site will be a natural extension to the north of Widnes, on land east of Chapel Lane. The site is in a sustainable location with good transport links, including safe, convenient access to nearby bus stops, railway station and other local facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

The project already has already been examined by Halton<\/a> Council\u2019s planning committee, but the access onto Chapel Lane is within the borough of Knowsley and hence, that part of the proposal had to be presented at Knowsley\u2019s planning committee.<\/p>\n

This application was presented at tonight\u2019s (October 9) planning committee and a group of residents turned up at Huyton<\/a>\u2019s Municipal Buildings to lodge their objections. The group was represented in the meeting by campaigner Sue Fealey who addressed their concerns to the chamber.<\/p>\n

Discussing the proposed access point of the scheme, Ms Fealey said: \u201cI wish to bring to your attention the high safety risk associated with the location. The car park for the chapel is on the opposite side of the road and has no pedestrian pavement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen leaving the car park, you can\u2019t see cars coming from the right, and they can\u2019t see you due to the bend in the road and these pictures don\u2019t really show the extent of the blind bends on Chapel Lane.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CampaignerCampaigner Sue Fealey addresses Knowsley Council’s planning committee(Image: Knowsley Council)<\/p>\n

Ms Fealey went on to discuss the development\u2019s potential impact on older people, Ms Fealey added: \u201cIn practice, when changing a road or approving a development that affects a lane or a village, the authority must consider how their decision might affect older people\u2019s mobility, safety, independence, increase of isolation due to increased traffic, feeling unsafe on walking routes or pavements, or affect physical and mental well being through increased noise and pollution.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cIf a change of road makes it harder for older people to get around safely, or reduces their quality of life, the council may be failing its equality duty. I\u2019ve talked to a number of older people on Chapel Lane, and the above things I\u2019ve just said now are real concerns for them, and they\u2019re really scared.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also making an address to the chamber was Brian O\u2019Connor from Lichfields, who are acting as the planning agent for Taylor Wimpey. Mr O\u2019Connor said: \u201cTaylor Wimpey has worked collaboratively with the council throughout the determination of the application. This has ensured that all consultee comments were positively and appropriately addressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis includes making changes to include provision for an emergency access on Chapel Lane, alongside moving the proposed primary access further south along the lane itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs outlined in Knowsley\u2019s highways authorities response, the access proposals are considered acceptable. A comprehensive traffic calming scheme has been prepared, which illustrates how mitigation measures will ensure increased compliance with the posted 30 mile an hour speed limit along Chapel Lane.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis development also includes an extensive package of off-site highway improvements to support active travel and ensure the safety of all users of Chapel lane.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese include a comprehensive traffic calming scheme on the lane itself, upgrades to the public rights of way crossing points to ensure safe and convenient pedestrian passage over Chapel Lane and the lighting scheme and improvements to Sandy lane to improve its continued use as a desirable active travel corridor.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, despite these assurances, Cllr Kai Taylor proposed elected members defer the application until such a time that the planning committee officers can arrange a site visit. This was put to a vote and passed with a majority in favour.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Taylor Wimpey are set to build 350 new homes on a site in Widnes that straddles the boundaries…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":486710,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8815],"tags":[748,393,4884,6333,41030,179,12147,16,15,35702],"class_list":{"0":"post-486709","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-liverpool","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-housing","12":"tag-knowsley-council","13":"tag-liverpool","14":"tag-regeneration","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom","17":"tag-widnes"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115346458412147341","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/486709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=486709"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/486709\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/486710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=486709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=486709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=486709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}