Members Newsletters
Members Newsletters
Summer 2026
Since my last update in February, the Association has been dealing with a busy mix of ongoing village matters, planning issues, community safety concerns and committee changes. I have grouped the updates below by topic to make them easier to follow.
Community Infrastructure Levy and Highways: A few committee members, along with Councillor Roberts met with a CWaC Highways representative to put proposals forward for reducing speeds and improving safety throughout Burton village. The Council levy a fee for new housing developments (CIL) so we are due to receive a percentage of this, just over £20k, from the Burton Manor housing project to spend on local infrastructure. With that in mind, BRA hope to purchase more Speed Indicator Display signs and install a speed table at the 30MPH signs on Neston Road, if approved and funds allow. We were also informed that a 40MPH speed limit has now been approved for Mudhouse lane, however costs of signage and updating of the Highways database will be the responsibility of the village if we decide to go ahead. A 20mph in the central village and hatched demarcations to provide a pavement zone were rejected. --- Lara Wild
The latest position on Lara’s article is that the Highways Engineer dealing with the matter lost the original quotes for the Speed Indicator Signs, which I had passed on at our meeting. I only received a response from Highways after asking Louise Gittins, Chair of CWaC, to press the engineer for an update!
You may also have noticed that, following the resurfacing of Neston Road, the “Dragons Teeth” road markings on the approach to the 30 mph signs have not been reinstated. I have confirmed this with Highways and hope they will be replaced soon.
Burton Manor: I have spoken with Peter Betts from the Burton Manor development company. There is still no firm interest in the Manor being sold. The sale details state that the Manor cannot be used as a hotel or wedding venue.
RTG Bidco Ltd., which is run by some of the former directors of Russell Taylor, will move out of the Manor at the end of July when the current lease expires. As they employ around half the number of people Russell Taylor did, the Manor is expected to remain vacant until a new buyer is found.
The sale of Mawson House is also affected by issues further down the chain. There have been comments on the Burton WhatsApp group suggesting that the buyers of Mawson House may also buy the Walled Garden and restrict access. Peter Betts has said that the Russell Taylor group administrators could include the gardens as part of the Manor sale, although he understands that access rights would remain for the Manor Friends and the general public. We will continue to monitor the situation.
Old caravan site on Chester High Road, next to Waterworld: Several committee members attended a site meeting with the owners and their agent in early May to discuss their ideas for the site. From the outset, I made clear that the Association would oppose any housing development, as this could set a further precedent elsewhere in our area.
The owners understood our position, although their preference is for retirement bungalows on the site. We repeated our concerns about housing development and the problems it could create. The site is expected to remain commercial, and storage units were discussed as one possible option. The owners and agent are looking into this further, and we are awaiting an update.
New Power Station at Connah’s Quay: The Examining Authority is preparing a report with recommendations for the Secretary of State. A local petition opposing the new station was launched last month and is gaining significant support.
Local residents, environmental groups and Flintshire County Council have raised concerns about the plant’s large footprint, the potential damage to the protected Dee Estuary, and traffic impacts. We hope their objections will be successful.
Peak Cluster Pipeline: The official public consultation has now been completed and the matter is with the Government for a decision. It remains to be seen whether recent ministerial changes will affect the outcome especially as Ed Miliband is now Foreign Secretary and Angela Eagle (MP for Wallasey) is the new Environmental Secretary? At our last meeting, Councillor Sion Roberts inform us that he has asked the Council to consider appointing a barrister for any future hearing.
Greenwood Farm Sale: I recently spoke to the selling agents, Bradburn Price, for an update. They currently have one bid to buy the whole farm and are in negotiations with the potential buyer. Due to confidentiality, they could not say whether the buyer is a farmer or another type of purchaser.
Bradburn Price has promised to contact me once matters are finalised, and I will email members with the details. If I do not hear from them, I will continue to call regularly for updates. As discussed previously, this is the largest land sale since the Gladstone family left the village, and we remain concerned about the possibility of developers seeking to buy land in the area.
Planning Applications: There have been recent changes to national planning policy which affect Burton. The Government now requires CWaC to plan for nearly 2000 new homes per year compared to around 500 previously. National policy now places greater weight on approving housing development unless there is strong evidence to justify refusal. For example, previously planners sought to limit extensions to the footprint of existing properties to a stated percentage. But we have recently seen applications for much larger expansion in footprints readily approved by planners. Also, residents have noted that developers are increasingly using the term "grey belt" to justify building on open countryside. However, "grey belt" is not a formal designation like "Green Belt" but suggests that some Green Belt land is of lower quality and should therefore be considered for development. BRA continues to monitor the above threats to Green Belt and the Conservation Area and has supported opposition to proposals that could harm the village…Donald Howell
Update: Following appeals to the National Planning Inspectorate, after permission had not been granted by CWaC, approval has now been given for a new house on land next to a property in Mudhouse Lane and for another on land at the top end of Dunstan Lane, near the High Road.
The Inspector’s reports refer to “housing infill” and the existence of the new bus service among the reasons for granting permission. This is a real concern for the future of Burton and our efforts to protect the Green Belt, particularly when decisions are taken nationally and local council refusals are overturned.
There has been a meeting between the Police and the National Trust, and the Police have agreed to continue monitoring the situation with the Trust. I have also written to the National Trust’s Head Office to explain that clear “No Cycling” signs would help resolve the issue and give the Police the powers needed to move riders on.
Lads on electric bikes and a potential car break-in: Those on the Burton WhatsApp group will already know about this incident. For those who are not, at around midnight on Sunday 28 June, Michelle and Simon Clarke, who live at Morningside on the corner of Wood Lane and Neston Road, disturbed six hooded lads on electric bikes who were trying to get into one of their cars.
A second incident took place at the village bus shelter at around 4.00 am, involving what appeared to be the same six hooded lads on bikes. They were doing wheelies in The Village and smoking weed! As far as I am aware, no damage was caused to the bus shelter or the books, but they were there for about 40 minutes. The Police have appealed for any CCTV or doorbell footage.
The site currently has no legal owner following the break-up of the Burton Estate when the Gladstone family left. There are additional concerns about maintaining the boundaries and protecting the site’s archaeological importance. An application has been made to the Council for Village Green Status, which would secure the land for the village. If you would like to volunteer with the Friends of Hampton’s Well, please email me and I will put you in touch with Emlyn.
New arrangements for Neston Recycling Centre: From September, all residents will need to pre-register their car or cars through the CWaC website to gain entry to Neston Recycling Centre. Each household will be restricted to 30 visits per year.
The Council has introduced these measures to prevent people from other areas using the facilities and to respond to budget pressures. Please visit the CWaC website to pre-register.
As mentioned in my last email, I only planned to serve as Chairman for this year only. Our Treasurer, Nick Denye, would also like to stand down at the AGM because of increased work commitments. The committee therefore urgently needs new members to come forward if the Association is to continue.
There has never been a greater need for the Association to support residents, especially as Burton does not have a parish council. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact me and we can arrange to meet for a chat. My email address is chairman@burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk
Recruiting new members: Our membership has now dropped below 100 households, although there are around 300 houses in the area. This is the lowest membership total for many years and may reflect older members passing away or moving out, while new residents have moved in.
Over the next few months, committee members will be encouraging recruitment. If you know of any households that may be interested, please speak to them and encourage them to join us.
To join or rejoin, please pay by Standing Order, as this helps us enormously. Unfortunately, due to branch closures, we can no longer accept cheques.
That is all for now. If anything urgent arises, such as an update on the Greenwood Farm sale, I will email members separately. Otherwise, I plan to send another update in the autumn, before our AGM in October.
Kind regards,
Steve.
Winter 2026 Newsletter
It has been a busy start for the new committee and myself as Chairman, after taken over the helm from Mark Watts at the AGM in October. Several of our members have had ongoing issues and we have provided our support.
Glenbrittle Kennels – One of our members who lives on Dunstan Lane and where land adjoins Glenbrittle Kennels has opposed retrospective planning for additional kennels which, in turn, was rejected by Cheshire West and Chester (CWaC) planning. The additional kennels have increased noise levels and also there is evidence of additional water flooding onto the members property when the kennels are washed down. Glenbrittle have gone to the National Planning Inspectorate to try and overturn CWaC’s decision and as I write this, the outcome is yet to be determined.
Burton Woods Anti-Social behaviour – Over the summer and ongoing, we have had teenage lads on mountain bikes using Burton Woods, by the old quarry. They have been creating ramps to ride their bikes in an area which is busy with walkers and dogs. Some of the lads from outside the village have been abusive to anyone who challenges them. They have built a den and have been playing loud music, along with smoking and lighting a campfire, which was put out by the fire brigade! Riding bikes and causing criminal damage to the woods is against the National Trust bylaws and is dangerous for other users. The police have been called out on numerous occasions and have warned the lads but are currently powerless to ask them to leave the woods without firm direction from the National Trust. Unfortunately, one of our members on Mill Lane has been the most affected by the noise, as their house backs right onto the area where the lads frequent. After much persuasion by the member concerned, and myself having a meeting on site with the National Trust and with our local PCSO Wendy Dalton (Vice Chair Lara Wild also attended), we are hoping that further action can be taken to ban the lads from using the woods on their bikes going forward. A meeting is planned between the National Trust and the Police early next month.
Village Parking Issues – Several members had raised issues about inconsiderate parking by those coming to the village to walk, some saying that their cars had been blocked in and driveways impeded. After discussions on the local What’s App forum, it appears that residents can apply to CWaC for a white line to be put down on the road across the entrance to their property. This issue along with other traffic concerns will be discussed at a planned meeting with CWaC Highways in due course (see CIL Payment).
CIL Payment
When the development of Burton Manor was agreed, the developers had to pay CWaC a “Community Infrastructure Levy”. After the council took the lion’s share of the total, just over £20k has been allocated for our community to spend on infrastructure/projects. The projects must be of a capital/permanent nature. The committee is therefore looking at ways to further improve road safety, which is still an issue for those walking in parts of The Village where there are no pavements. The speeding traffic, especially on Neston Road where some motorists have been recorded doing nearly 60 mph is also of concern. A meeting is to be arranged with CWaC Highways to discuss what we can achieve for the money. Ideas could be replacing and introducing “Smiley Face” speed indicator signs and entrance chicanes at both sides of the start of the 30mph. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please email so we can discuss these at committee level. Representatives of the committee will then meet with CWaC who will hopefully authorise the expenditure for our projects.
Burton Manor
During the last quarter of 2025, Russell Taylor Ltd. who own the manor (they purchased from the developer Peter Betts) was put into administration. The good news is that recently Russell Taylor has been sold to RTG Bidco Ltd. (run by some of the previous directors of Russell Taylor). Currently all 70 plus jobs at the manor are safe and, the future of the manor is currently secure.
Old caravan site on the Chester High Road next to Waterworld
We have been approached by Mr Mitchell who owns the site on the Chester High Road next to Waterworld. He asked our thoughts on developing the land further. After consultation with the committee, I confirmed that we would be against any housing development but appreciate the land has been used for commercial purposes for over 30 years and accept that it is likely to be used for that purpose going forward and not left for farming land. As I write this, we are waiting for Mr Mitchell to outline his intentions, and I have offered to share them with yourselves in order for him to gauge our feedback as a community.
Cheshire Police cuts to PCSO numbers
You may have read in the press recently, that due to recent budget cuts Cheshire Police has been required to reduce the number of PCSO’s from 87 to around 25. The number of police officers has been increased in some areas and, they will assume the duties previously carried out by the PCSO’s. As of early February, Dan Price, the Police Commissioner, has been able to gain permission from the Government to increase the Police part of the Council Tax going forward, meaning that only 30 roles will be lost instead. We know that PCSO’s have been going through the review process, and I understand our local PCSO Wendy Dalton will continue to cover our area.
Protecting the Conservation area and Green Belt
As discussed at the AGM, Burton is being targeted increasingly for development. As you know, BRA was set up many years ago to protect the conservation area and green belt to keep Burton as much as possible the way it always has been. We currently have one resident in Mudhouse Lane who wants to build a new house on their land. The planning was turned down by CWaC but they have since appealed to the National Inspectorate and are now on their second appeal. We have also heard on the grapevine that one resident in the centre of The Village wishes to build a new house at the back of their property right in the centre of the conservation zone. We know that CWaC Planning should turn the application down if the resident applies but there is now a trend for developers go higher to the National Planning Inspectorate in a bid to overturn CWaC Planning. It was the National Inspectorate who approved the Dunstan Lane development by Hillmorton after CWaC Planning turned it down and it was approved on a technicality we understand! The Planning Inspectorate have also turned down some applications in Burton as well.
As a committee, we look out for all planning permissions here in Burton on a regular basis and will oppose applications, if necessary, to help preserve the conservation zone and green belt. If we come across any plans for major development, such as a housing estate, we will let our members know immediately and arrange a meeting if need be.
New Power Station at Connah’s Quay
You will have seen the announcement concerning Uniper’s new low carbon gas power station to be built to the right of the old gas power station. I think we all agree that it will look appalling on the landscape and our view of that part of North Wales will unfortunately change forever. The view will be worse for those residents living on Neston Road facing Wales, where the current view is fields to the right of the existing power station. With this being a carbon capture project, coupled with the demand for more electricity going forward, I really can’t see this failing to get permission for the go ahead from the National Planning Inspectorate. A lot of the site will be on existing brownfield which has been used for power generation since the 1950’s, as it was a coal powered plant before the current gas plant was built. Unfortunately, the planning laws state that, “you are not entitled to a view” which is our main complaint, as the new plant will result in reduced noise and lower emissions. Any opposition to the development is likely to come from residents in Flintshire, especially those close to the coast who will be most affected. I know that some of our residents have responded to the consultation review by Uniper and have opposed it (closed 18/2). We will have to see how this progresses, but unfortunately, I believe this is likely to go ahead due to the demand for power.
Peak Cluster Pipeline
As residents, you will have received information through the door about this pipeline to be built from Derbyshire to the Irish Sea via the Wirral. The pipeline will carry waste carbon from the cement industry which will then be stored in redundant gas fields under the Irish Sea. Burton will not be directly affected by the proposed pipeline, but for those of us who travel through Willaston, we should expect disruption from construction traffic and works. The plans for Hoylake include a large booster station the size of four football pitches, so as you may have heard, there has been great opposition towards the whole project from all those affected in its path. Our new local councillor Sion Roberts has already attended consultation meetings with Peak Cluster and has asked for it to be diverted down the Mersey which they say cannot be done. There have been many action groups set up and, we will keep you updated.
Committee News
During December, Mike Davies stood down from the committee for personal reasons. We would like to thank Mike for his contribution over the past couple of years. We have welcomed Chris Litherland and Denise Bardsley who have both recently joined the committee. We are still looking for some new blood to join us, as several long standing members are now looking to step down going forward. If you are interested, please contact me to discuss further and we can meet up for a chat. My email address is chairman@burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk
I’m pleased to announce that Councillor Sion Roberts will be attending our committee meetings (held every two months) to update us on CWaC issues, in the same way as the late Myles Hogg did.
Recruiting new members
Our current membership stands at over 100 households, and we have around 300 houses in in the area. This is the lowest membership total for many years and could be the result of many of our older members passing on or moving out. We have seen new residents joining the association but would like to see more. We have no Parish Council, so the Association is the one collective voice for Burton to help fight off any plans for major development of our treasured green belt and conservation zone. Please spread the word and contact Nick our treasurer at treasurer@burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk to set up a standing order for the annual £5 charge.
That’s it for now. I plan to send another update during the summer some time but for the latest news, please go to our website burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk
Summer 2026
Since my last update in February, the Association has been dealing with a busy mix of ongoing village matters, planning issues, community safety concerns and committee changes. I have grouped the updates below by topic to make them easier to follow.
Planning, Development and Infrastructure
Glenbrittle Kennels: A member living on Dunstan Lane, whose land adjoins Glenbrittle Kennels, has objected to retrospective planning permission for additional kennels. Cheshire West and Chester Council rejected the application. The concerns include increased noise levels and evidence of additional water flooding onto the member’s property when the kennels are washed down. The matter remains ongoing while we await a final decision from the National Planning Inspectorate.Community Infrastructure Levy and Highways: A few committee members, along with Councillor Roberts met with a CWaC Highways representative to put proposals forward for reducing speeds and improving safety throughout Burton village. The Council levy a fee for new housing developments (CIL) so we are due to receive a percentage of this, just over £20k, from the Burton Manor housing project to spend on local infrastructure. With that in mind, BRA hope to purchase more Speed Indicator Display signs and install a speed table at the 30MPH signs on Neston Road, if approved and funds allow. We were also informed that a 40MPH speed limit has now been approved for Mudhouse lane, however costs of signage and updating of the Highways database will be the responsibility of the village if we decide to go ahead. A 20mph in the central village and hatched demarcations to provide a pavement zone were rejected. --- Lara Wild
The latest position on Lara’s article is that the Highways Engineer dealing with the matter lost the original quotes for the Speed Indicator Signs, which I had passed on at our meeting. I only received a response from Highways after asking Louise Gittins, Chair of CWaC, to press the engineer for an update!
You may also have noticed that, following the resurfacing of Neston Road, the “Dragons Teeth” road markings on the approach to the 30 mph signs have not been reinstated. I have confirmed this with Highways and hope they will be replaced soon.
Burton Manor: I have spoken with Peter Betts from the Burton Manor development company. There is still no firm interest in the Manor being sold. The sale details state that the Manor cannot be used as a hotel or wedding venue.
RTG Bidco Ltd., which is run by some of the former directors of Russell Taylor, will move out of the Manor at the end of July when the current lease expires. As they employ around half the number of people Russell Taylor did, the Manor is expected to remain vacant until a new buyer is found.
The sale of Mawson House is also affected by issues further down the chain. There have been comments on the Burton WhatsApp group suggesting that the buyers of Mawson House may also buy the Walled Garden and restrict access. Peter Betts has said that the Russell Taylor group administrators could include the gardens as part of the Manor sale, although he understands that access rights would remain for the Manor Friends and the general public. We will continue to monitor the situation.
Old caravan site on Chester High Road, next to Waterworld: Several committee members attended a site meeting with the owners and their agent in early May to discuss their ideas for the site. From the outset, I made clear that the Association would oppose any housing development, as this could set a further precedent elsewhere in our area.
The owners understood our position, although their preference is for retirement bungalows on the site. We repeated our concerns about housing development and the problems it could create. The site is expected to remain commercial, and storage units were discussed as one possible option. The owners and agent are looking into this further, and we are awaiting an update.
New Power Station at Connah’s Quay: The Examining Authority is preparing a report with recommendations for the Secretary of State. A local petition opposing the new station was launched last month and is gaining significant support.
Local residents, environmental groups and Flintshire County Council have raised concerns about the plant’s large footprint, the potential damage to the protected Dee Estuary, and traffic impacts. We hope their objections will be successful.
Peak Cluster Pipeline: The official public consultation has now been completed and the matter is with the Government for a decision. It remains to be seen whether recent ministerial changes will affect the outcome especially as Ed Miliband is now Foreign Secretary and Angela Eagle (MP for Wallasey) is the new Environmental Secretary? At our last meeting, Councillor Sion Roberts inform us that he has asked the Council to consider appointing a barrister for any future hearing.
Greenwood Farm Sale: I recently spoke to the selling agents, Bradburn Price, for an update. They currently have one bid to buy the whole farm and are in negotiations with the potential buyer. Due to confidentiality, they could not say whether the buyer is a farmer or another type of purchaser.
Bradburn Price has promised to contact me once matters are finalised, and I will email members with the details. If I do not hear from them, I will continue to call regularly for updates. As discussed previously, this is the largest land sale since the Gladstone family left the village, and we remain concerned about the possibility of developers seeking to buy land in the area.
Planning Applications: There have been recent changes to national planning policy which affect Burton. The Government now requires CWaC to plan for nearly 2000 new homes per year compared to around 500 previously. National policy now places greater weight on approving housing development unless there is strong evidence to justify refusal. For example, previously planners sought to limit extensions to the footprint of existing properties to a stated percentage. But we have recently seen applications for much larger expansion in footprints readily approved by planners. Also, residents have noted that developers are increasingly using the term "grey belt" to justify building on open countryside. However, "grey belt" is not a formal designation like "Green Belt" but suggests that some Green Belt land is of lower quality and should therefore be considered for development. BRA continues to monitor the above threats to Green Belt and the Conservation Area and has supported opposition to proposals that could harm the village…Donald Howell
Update: Following appeals to the National Planning Inspectorate, after permission had not been granted by CWaC, approval has now been given for a new house on land next to a property in Mudhouse Lane and for another on land at the top end of Dunstan Lane, near the High Road.
The Inspector’s reports refer to “housing infill” and the existence of the new bus service among the reasons for granting permission. This is a real concern for the future of Burton and our efforts to protect the Green Belt, particularly when decisions are taken nationally and local council refusals are overturned.
Community Safety and Local Issues
Burton Woods anti-social behaviour: Over the winter and into recent months, teenage lads on mountain bikes have been using Burton Woods near the old quarry. The National Trust has now agreed to reinstate “No Cycling” signs, although these have not yet been erected.There has been a meeting between the Police and the National Trust, and the Police have agreed to continue monitoring the situation with the Trust. I have also written to the National Trust’s Head Office to explain that clear “No Cycling” signs would help resolve the issue and give the Police the powers needed to move riders on.
Lads on electric bikes and a potential car break-in: Those on the Burton WhatsApp group will already know about this incident. For those who are not, at around midnight on Sunday 28 June, Michelle and Simon Clarke, who live at Morningside on the corner of Wood Lane and Neston Road, disturbed six hooded lads on electric bikes who were trying to get into one of their cars.
A second incident took place at the village bus shelter at around 4.00 am, involving what appeared to be the same six hooded lads on bikes. They were doing wheelies in The Village and smoking weed! As far as I am aware, no damage was caused to the bus shelter or the books, but they were there for about 40 minutes. The Police have appealed for any CCTV or doorbell footage.
Community Assets and Services
Hampton’s Well, Station Road: At our July committee meeting, we were visited by Emlyn Jones from the Friends of Hampton’s Well. Emlyn explained the current situation at the site, where one of the main concerns is finding enough local volunteers to help maintain it in its present condition.The site currently has no legal owner following the break-up of the Burton Estate when the Gladstone family left. There are additional concerns about maintaining the boundaries and protecting the site’s archaeological importance. An application has been made to the Council for Village Green Status, which would secure the land for the village. If you would like to volunteer with the Friends of Hampton’s Well, please email me and I will put you in touch with Emlyn.
New arrangements for Neston Recycling Centre: From September, all residents will need to pre-register their car or cars through the CWaC website to gain entry to Neston Recycling Centre. Each household will be restricted to 30 visits per year.
The Council has introduced these measures to prevent people from other areas using the facilities and to respond to budget pressures. Please visit the CWaC website to pre-register.
Association News and Membership
Committee update: During June, Danielle Campbell resigned from the committee for personal reasons. Denise Bardsley will also be standing down during the summer as she returns to the USA with her husband due to his job.As mentioned in my last email, I only planned to serve as Chairman for this year only. Our Treasurer, Nick Denye, would also like to stand down at the AGM because of increased work commitments. The committee therefore urgently needs new members to come forward if the Association is to continue.
There has never been a greater need for the Association to support residents, especially as Burton does not have a parish council. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact me and we can arrange to meet for a chat. My email address is chairman@burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk
Recruiting new members: Our membership has now dropped below 100 households, although there are around 300 houses in the area. This is the lowest membership total for many years and may reflect older members passing away or moving out, while new residents have moved in.
Over the next few months, committee members will be encouraging recruitment. If you know of any households that may be interested, please speak to them and encourage them to join us.
To join or rejoin, please pay by Standing Order, as this helps us enormously. Unfortunately, due to branch closures, we can no longer accept cheques.
- Bank: Barclays Bank
- Sort code: 20-29-50
- Account name: BURTON RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION
- Account number: 00437816
- Amount: £5 per household
That is all for now. If anything urgent arises, such as an update on the Greenwood Farm sale, I will email members separately. Otherwise, I plan to send another update in the autumn, before our AGM in October.
Kind regards,
Steve.
Winter 2026 Newsletter
It has been a busy start for the new committee and myself as Chairman, after taken over the helm from Mark Watts at the AGM in October. Several of our members have had ongoing issues and we have provided our support.
Glenbrittle Kennels – One of our members who lives on Dunstan Lane and where land adjoins Glenbrittle Kennels has opposed retrospective planning for additional kennels which, in turn, was rejected by Cheshire West and Chester (CWaC) planning. The additional kennels have increased noise levels and also there is evidence of additional water flooding onto the members property when the kennels are washed down. Glenbrittle have gone to the National Planning Inspectorate to try and overturn CWaC’s decision and as I write this, the outcome is yet to be determined.
Burton Woods Anti-Social behaviour – Over the summer and ongoing, we have had teenage lads on mountain bikes using Burton Woods, by the old quarry. They have been creating ramps to ride their bikes in an area which is busy with walkers and dogs. Some of the lads from outside the village have been abusive to anyone who challenges them. They have built a den and have been playing loud music, along with smoking and lighting a campfire, which was put out by the fire brigade! Riding bikes and causing criminal damage to the woods is against the National Trust bylaws and is dangerous for other users. The police have been called out on numerous occasions and have warned the lads but are currently powerless to ask them to leave the woods without firm direction from the National Trust. Unfortunately, one of our members on Mill Lane has been the most affected by the noise, as their house backs right onto the area where the lads frequent. After much persuasion by the member concerned, and myself having a meeting on site with the National Trust and with our local PCSO Wendy Dalton (Vice Chair Lara Wild also attended), we are hoping that further action can be taken to ban the lads from using the woods on their bikes going forward. A meeting is planned between the National Trust and the Police early next month.
Village Parking Issues – Several members had raised issues about inconsiderate parking by those coming to the village to walk, some saying that their cars had been blocked in and driveways impeded. After discussions on the local What’s App forum, it appears that residents can apply to CWaC for a white line to be put down on the road across the entrance to their property. This issue along with other traffic concerns will be discussed at a planned meeting with CWaC Highways in due course (see CIL Payment).
CIL Payment
When the development of Burton Manor was agreed, the developers had to pay CWaC a “Community Infrastructure Levy”. After the council took the lion’s share of the total, just over £20k has been allocated for our community to spend on infrastructure/projects. The projects must be of a capital/permanent nature. The committee is therefore looking at ways to further improve road safety, which is still an issue for those walking in parts of The Village where there are no pavements. The speeding traffic, especially on Neston Road where some motorists have been recorded doing nearly 60 mph is also of concern. A meeting is to be arranged with CWaC Highways to discuss what we can achieve for the money. Ideas could be replacing and introducing “Smiley Face” speed indicator signs and entrance chicanes at both sides of the start of the 30mph. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please email so we can discuss these at committee level. Representatives of the committee will then meet with CWaC who will hopefully authorise the expenditure for our projects.
Burton Manor
During the last quarter of 2025, Russell Taylor Ltd. who own the manor (they purchased from the developer Peter Betts) was put into administration. The good news is that recently Russell Taylor has been sold to RTG Bidco Ltd. (run by some of the previous directors of Russell Taylor). Currently all 70 plus jobs at the manor are safe and, the future of the manor is currently secure.
Old caravan site on the Chester High Road next to Waterworld
We have been approached by Mr Mitchell who owns the site on the Chester High Road next to Waterworld. He asked our thoughts on developing the land further. After consultation with the committee, I confirmed that we would be against any housing development but appreciate the land has been used for commercial purposes for over 30 years and accept that it is likely to be used for that purpose going forward and not left for farming land. As I write this, we are waiting for Mr Mitchell to outline his intentions, and I have offered to share them with yourselves in order for him to gauge our feedback as a community.
Cheshire Police cuts to PCSO numbers
You may have read in the press recently, that due to recent budget cuts Cheshire Police has been required to reduce the number of PCSO’s from 87 to around 25. The number of police officers has been increased in some areas and, they will assume the duties previously carried out by the PCSO’s. As of early February, Dan Price, the Police Commissioner, has been able to gain permission from the Government to increase the Police part of the Council Tax going forward, meaning that only 30 roles will be lost instead. We know that PCSO’s have been going through the review process, and I understand our local PCSO Wendy Dalton will continue to cover our area.
Protecting the Conservation area and Green Belt
As discussed at the AGM, Burton is being targeted increasingly for development. As you know, BRA was set up many years ago to protect the conservation area and green belt to keep Burton as much as possible the way it always has been. We currently have one resident in Mudhouse Lane who wants to build a new house on their land. The planning was turned down by CWaC but they have since appealed to the National Inspectorate and are now on their second appeal. We have also heard on the grapevine that one resident in the centre of The Village wishes to build a new house at the back of their property right in the centre of the conservation zone. We know that CWaC Planning should turn the application down if the resident applies but there is now a trend for developers go higher to the National Planning Inspectorate in a bid to overturn CWaC Planning. It was the National Inspectorate who approved the Dunstan Lane development by Hillmorton after CWaC Planning turned it down and it was approved on a technicality we understand! The Planning Inspectorate have also turned down some applications in Burton as well.
As a committee, we look out for all planning permissions here in Burton on a regular basis and will oppose applications, if necessary, to help preserve the conservation zone and green belt. If we come across any plans for major development, such as a housing estate, we will let our members know immediately and arrange a meeting if need be.
New Power Station at Connah’s Quay
You will have seen the announcement concerning Uniper’s new low carbon gas power station to be built to the right of the old gas power station. I think we all agree that it will look appalling on the landscape and our view of that part of North Wales will unfortunately change forever. The view will be worse for those residents living on Neston Road facing Wales, where the current view is fields to the right of the existing power station. With this being a carbon capture project, coupled with the demand for more electricity going forward, I really can’t see this failing to get permission for the go ahead from the National Planning Inspectorate. A lot of the site will be on existing brownfield which has been used for power generation since the 1950’s, as it was a coal powered plant before the current gas plant was built. Unfortunately, the planning laws state that, “you are not entitled to a view” which is our main complaint, as the new plant will result in reduced noise and lower emissions. Any opposition to the development is likely to come from residents in Flintshire, especially those close to the coast who will be most affected. I know that some of our residents have responded to the consultation review by Uniper and have opposed it (closed 18/2). We will have to see how this progresses, but unfortunately, I believe this is likely to go ahead due to the demand for power.
Peak Cluster Pipeline
As residents, you will have received information through the door about this pipeline to be built from Derbyshire to the Irish Sea via the Wirral. The pipeline will carry waste carbon from the cement industry which will then be stored in redundant gas fields under the Irish Sea. Burton will not be directly affected by the proposed pipeline, but for those of us who travel through Willaston, we should expect disruption from construction traffic and works. The plans for Hoylake include a large booster station the size of four football pitches, so as you may have heard, there has been great opposition towards the whole project from all those affected in its path. Our new local councillor Sion Roberts has already attended consultation meetings with Peak Cluster and has asked for it to be diverted down the Mersey which they say cannot be done. There have been many action groups set up and, we will keep you updated.
Committee News
During December, Mike Davies stood down from the committee for personal reasons. We would like to thank Mike for his contribution over the past couple of years. We have welcomed Chris Litherland and Denise Bardsley who have both recently joined the committee. We are still looking for some new blood to join us, as several long standing members are now looking to step down going forward. If you are interested, please contact me to discuss further and we can meet up for a chat. My email address is chairman@burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk
I’m pleased to announce that Councillor Sion Roberts will be attending our committee meetings (held every two months) to update us on CWaC issues, in the same way as the late Myles Hogg did.
Recruiting new members
Our current membership stands at over 100 households, and we have around 300 houses in in the area. This is the lowest membership total for many years and could be the result of many of our older members passing on or moving out. We have seen new residents joining the association but would like to see more. We have no Parish Council, so the Association is the one collective voice for Burton to help fight off any plans for major development of our treasured green belt and conservation zone. Please spread the word and contact Nick our treasurer at treasurer@burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk to set up a standing order for the annual £5 charge.
That’s it for now. I plan to send another update during the summer some time but for the latest news, please go to our website burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk