WORK to almost triple the size of Wincham could get under way by the end of the year if all goes to plan.

Plans for 1,000 new homes, shops and a village green were revealed by Emery Planning at a public exhibition at Wincham Hall Hotel on Thursday.

The notion of an urban village on land between Warrington New Road and Church Street was first conceived in 2003. It failed to materialise after Vale Royal Borough Council failed to include the site in the local plan.

But a renewed request for housing by Cheshire West and Chester Council has led to this modified plan.

Emery is agents for a development consortium, including Ben Bailey Homes and Russell Homes.

Senior consultant Helen Leggett said it hopes to apply for outline planning permission within weeks, secure approval by the end of summer and begin work within a year.

She said the original plans were for 600 homes with office and retail space, but a shift in the market prompted a re-think.

She said: “We looked at Lostock Gralam where there is all that empty office space. And for this site, we feel that the housing works better than the mixed use. There is a lot of employment space locally already. This plan includes the football club being relocated. Where to I don’t know at this time.”

Thirty per cent of the homes would be earmarked as affordable housing. This is a requirement of CWAC, and they would be family homes rather than apartments.

Talks are ongoing with local bus companies to connect the village to the town, and Ms Leggett said this would initially be funded by the developers.

The plans would also see Chapel Street turned into a cul-de-sac, putting an end to the stream of lorries that thunder past homes each day.

She said research showed local services should be able to accommodate the extra people brought in by the new homes.

She said: “We have been in contact with the primary care trust and education department and have been advised that they could cope.

“There are spaces in local primary and secondary schools. We are not looking at 1,000 homes in the next six months. This is going to be 11 or 12 years of development.”