Warm welcome for council planners’ decision

Our West Lancashire’s Knowsley ward spokesman, Peter Banks has given a warm welcome to the decision of council planners to refuse a change of use, which if passed would have lost another retail shop in Ormskirk.

Council planners have refused the application to change the use of the shop on Aughton Street to restaurant or café use.

Peter Banks said, “I made representations to planners that we needed to keep a diversity of uses and a high percentage of retail in our town centre and I’m pleased that planners agreed with me and that a retail use in this location is being retained.”

He continued, “Although Shoe Zone is scheduled to close later this month, the council need to be more energetic in promoting our town. It’s a concern that the Ormskirk town centre strategy has been delayed for a further three months. The council already successfully manage retail parades elsewhere in the Borough which are flourishing with few, if any, vacancies. They need to take a more hands on approach to attracting new retailers to Ormskirk as they do in other parts of West Lancashire.”