MP in swipe at council over plans for new houses in Churchtown THE town’s MP Damien Moore, has blasted Sefton Council for being ‘disdainful’ over plans for a controversial housing development on land off Bankfield Lane in Churchtown. The MP spoke out following the approval of a planning application for 327 new homes during a fraught council meeting attended by local residents. A decision was deferred in June following a motion for refusal submitted by councillors. Mr Moore criticised the council for ignoring residents’ concerns over the development, including those relating to flooding, ecology, and a lack of school places. He said: “Sefton Council has completely failed to address the concerns of local residents. This application has been passed without any consideration for ongoing drainage issues, highway infrastructure, and a lack of school places. Concerns “I wrote to the council on behalf of residents on several occasions and received no firm commitment that the concerns raised would be resolved. It now appears as though Sefton Council intend on pursuing with the development without a plan to tackle the serious concerns presented by the community. The decision demonstrates Sefton Council’s disdain for Southport residents.” A motion for refusal had been tabled at the meeting on August 29, however the application was subsequently passed as councillors voted in favour of the application. He added: “Councillors have condemned Churchtown residents to years of discomfort, shame on them.” Cont. inside
Vol 25 l Issue 37
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WOOL / CASHMERE
12 September 2018
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Historic arcade bucks downward trend on High Street..
THAT’S THE WAY TO DO IT
INSIDE THIS WEEK...
Delighted bosses at Wayfarers say they are ‘on their way to a full and vibrant shopping centre’
Doctor in the house!
Report by Danielle Thompson THE High Street may be full of doom and gloom with store closures and dwindling customers, but a Southport shopping arcade which is steeped in the past appears to be bucking the trend when it comes to attracting new retailers. Bosses at the town’s iconic Wayfarers Arcade will soon be celebrating the arrival of a raft of new businesses with four new shops about to open by the end of the month. It’s a real shot in the arm for the town centre with Wayfarers manager Yvonne Burns claiming the arcade is well on its way to becoming a ‘full and vibrant’ shopping destination. “We are bucking the downward trend in High Street shopping,” said Yvonne, who told the Champion that among the new shops to open will be a toy shop, a confectioner, a pottery shop and a hypnotherapy business. The shopping centre has 36 units, 27 of which are now let - hitting an occupancy rate high of 75%. Businesses which are already thriving at the centre include a sweet shop, cafés, restaurants, photographer's, barbershop, cosmetics store, furniture shop, two jewellers, a performing arts school, outdoor specialists and a wedding and occasions accessories shop. This is in sharp contrast to Southport's struggling Indoor Market, which the Champion recently revealed is having to slash rents for new traders after occupancy plummeted to just 13 out of a potential 40 units. Continued inside
Dad ‘n’ lads road trip challenge CROSSWORD Southport's Wayfarers Shopping Arcade manager Yvonne Burns.
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