PLANS put forward by Warrington Borough Council’s housing company to build 161 properties at two sites in the town have been approved.

The Labour-run authority created two firms to generate income and deliver hundreds of properties in the coming years.

Developments at two locations came before the development management committee during its virtual meeting on Wednesday.

They were the former Fox Wood Special School site in Birchwood, on Chatfield Drive, and the former Sycamore Lane Community Primary School site in Great Sankey.

The council is the sole shareholder of the applicant Incrementum Housing Development Company Ltd, the development firm, as well as Incrementum Housing Management Company Ltd, the management firm.

Plans to build 69 properties for private rent and private affordable rent – 32 two-storey houses and 37 apartments – were approved for the Birchwood land.

Meanwhile, the proposals for 92 homes for private rent and private affordable rent – 47 two-storey houses and 45 apartments – were approved for the Great Sankey land.

Residents objected to the Great Sankey scheme on the grounds of there being too many properties for the site, along with the development causing further ‘traffic chaos’ and it ‘diluting’ community spirit.

Warrington South Tory MP Andy Carter had expressed concerns ahead of the meeting.

He questioned whether the site entrance is the most appropriate for the land and said a correct balance between the environmental concerns of residents and highways issues should be reached.

During the discussions on plans for the former Sycamore Lane School site, Cllr Bob Barr (LD – Lymm North and Thelwall) said: “These are for affordable rent and for private rent which will be low cost, it’s effectively a mono-tenure development which is aimed at people who are in need of affordable housing.

“I really do question the wisdom of having mono-tenure estates of that sort.”

The two schemes were approved by the committee subject to conditions and a section 106 agreement, as recommended.