Residents urged to object to Wigan freight park plans

Lowton East Neighbourhood Development Forum (Lendf) wants people living in the Lowton and Golborne areas to express concern about the plans for Parkside across the border in St Helens.

Their call has been backed by local councillors amid fears that a huge freight park planned for the area will leave roads in the borough utterly unable to cope.

The size of the development, which includes considerable amounts of green belt land as well as the former mining site, has also caused alarm.

In his letter to St Helens Council Lendf chair Ed Thwaite said: “This would bury Lowton, Golborne and Winwick with uncontrollable traffic.

“Already the A580 and surrounding arteries are running at saturation point.

“We also feel aggrieved by you taking land out of greenbelt and destroying our area.”

Lowton East ward representative Coun James Grundy said: “The road network is simply not adequate to take a very large freight park. I urge everyone to write objections.

“Winwick Lane is looking at getting a weight limit in both directions yet it is proposed as an access point to this freight park. It will make an already-recognised problem significantly worse.”

Objections should be sent to Planning Officer, St Helens Council, Corporation Street, St Helens, WA10 1HF quoting planning application reference P/2018/0048/OUP