PAG AGM Thursday 14th March 2013 Winwick Leisure Centre 8pm
The committee are pleased to announce the date for the next AGM as detailed above. The meeting will focus on the progress that has been made since the last AGM was held in September 2010 and present proposals for the future of the group. Current Parkside Status There is currently no active planning application for Parkside. The previous planning application was withdrawn by the developer Prologis. For the last few years the Council have been developing and consulting on a new local planning policy called the Local Development Framework (LDF) which will set planning guidelines for the St Helens Borough for future years. All planning applications will need to adhere to the new planning policy. Planning Policy CAS 3.2 sets out the provision for a freight terminal at the site of the former colliery at Parkside and land extending far in excess of the original colliery boundaries. Even though PAG lobbied extensively for the removal of the policy with community support (over 9000 objections were lodged), an inspector ruled late last year that the policy should remain. Although this was disappointing PAG managed to influence and shape the policy to prevent the preemptive removal of Green Belt bounaries and set specific criteria that a developer must meet before an application could be approved. PAG has always been politically neutral and has enjoyed support from all parties. However, recent litrature dropped through our letter boxes by one particular party supporting development, provided deceitful messages claiming that the the LDF Core Strategy was approved 'unopposed'. Of course this clearly was not true given the level of objections to Parkside LDF policies during its development. One can only question the integrity of the individuals behind such litrature. PAG have always ascertained that the environmental impacts of a freight terminal in the area out way any alleged benefits, particularly given the potential destruction of vast areas of open countryside and massive increases in traffic and air pollution in recognised Air Quality Management Areas. The policy also prohibits any other form of development at the site other than a freight terminal, limiting alternative uses for the site, something the Council may wish to reflect on when they voted through the LDF Core Strategy 'unopposed'. The LDF Core Strategy which extends to 2027 now defines Parkside as a 'medium to long term' opportunity. It is clear from the previous Astral/Priologix application that any new application will have to deal with extensive motorway works, modify 17 major local road junctions, discharge methane gas at the site, move a huge slag heap, make the pit shafts safe, compensate poeple for damage to an existing air quality management area, relocate Newton Park Farm listed buildings to an alternative location, sort out the water basin, work out how to bring freight trains into the site without impacting commuter rail traffic, and convince a government planning office that is actually 'needed' when set in context of the existing North West freight capability including the new 700,000 container depot being developed as part of the Port of Liverpool. If a developer can justify and pay for all of this and still charge an attractive rental price for their new sheds compared to others in the immediate area e.g. Omega development, then we may see the beast return. Lets hope Prologis see sense and look for lower hanging fruit. | 
