WINSFORD is one of the areas that is currently most likely to be the home of a west Cheshire borough-wide Gipsy and traveller transit site.


It is also possible that Middlewich could be getting another Gipsy transit site on top of the east Cheshire equivalent which has already been secured.


Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) has compiled a report with a list of 26 possible sites to build a transit site for travellers in order to meet government requirements.


The list includes five sites in the Winsford area with four in Whitegate and Marton, and one with a Middlewich postcode in Bostock Green. There are also seven sites listed in the Northwich area.


Each site is graded as red, amber or green, with the green sites the most viable. There are only two sites marked green out of the 26, with one of them being in Marton. The Bostock Green site is marked as red.


Cllr Bob Bisset, chair of the Local Plan Working Group, said that the plan is in its early stages and it is not yet known whether the sites listed will become available.


Cllr Bisset said: “The Government requires local authorities to meet the housing needs of all sections of our community.


“The council’s adopted strategic plan identifies a need for a number of pitches for gypsies and travellers and plots for travelling show people, and a transit site for travellers to use when passing through the borough. As part of our preparation for the Local Plan (Part Two), the council must find sites to meet these needs.


“Previously, where illegal encampments have been established in our borough, we have not had the power to remove them as we have not had suitable sites for families to relocate to.


“We have appointed consultants to identity sites that may be suitable for travellers. The starting point for this process was to identify land previously submitted as potentially being available for development.


“It should not be assumed that sites identified in the study have been put forward by landowners for traveller sites, or that these sites will be made available for that use by the relevant landowner.


“Further work is required before the council shortlists sites which will include full consultation with landowners, stakeholders and the wider public. We would emphasise that landowner intentions will be a key consideration in this process.”


CWAC cabinet is due to discuss the report on Wednesday, June 8.


Whitegate Parish Council held a public meeting to discuss opposing the four sites that have been suggested in the parish and Winsford ward member at CWAC, Cllr Mike Baynham, told residents he is behind them.


Cllr Baynham said: “I will promise you I am 100 per cent not putting any sites here. I am with you and will fight this.


“I have spoken to Antoinette Sandbach MP and I’m sure we will not have a problem getting this raised at the right levels.”

A list of locations of each site listed in the Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich area is below. 

  • Land adjacent to Winnington Leisure Park, Winnington Lane (Amber)
  • Land to the south of A556, Rudheath (Red)
  • Winnington Business Park, Winnington Avenue, Northwich (Red)
  • East of Shurlach Road/Chester Road, Lostock Gralam (Amber)
  • Land east of King Street, Northwich (Amber)
  • Land south east of Gadbrook Park (Red)
  • Crookes Lane, Rudheath, CW9 7SL (Amber)
  • Marton Villa Farm, Clay Lane, Marton, Winsford (Red)
  • Marton Villa Farm, Clay Lane, Marton Winsford (Green)
  • Marton Hall Farm, Marton, Whitegate, Winsford (Red)
  • Marton Villa Farm, Clay Lane, Winsford (Amber)
  • Meadow Island, Bradford Road, Winsford, CW7 2PD (Amber)
  • Land east of A533, Brick Kiln Lane, Middlewich, CW10 9JJ (Red)