COUNCIL chiefs look set to approve plans to build a controversial custody suite in Halton.
Despite receiving 985 letters of objection and three petitions, council officers have recommended members of Halton's development control and licensing committee give the scheme the green light when they meet on Wednesday.
And planning officers have claimed that fears from residents about an increase in crime as a result of the opening of the custody suite must be disregarded.
A report says: 'Whilst the fear of local residents is undoubtedly real, no evidence has been provided other than anecdotally to demonstrate that crime will increase as a result of such a facility being introduced into the manor Park area.
'According to Cheshire Police Authority there is no evidence where centralised custody facilities have been built, that people released from custody contribute to increased crime in the local area.
'Although crime and fear of crime can be a material planning consideration, it is not considered that adequate justification exists to warrant resisting the present proposal on these grounds.'
The council has received only one letter of support for the project - from the governor of the northern panel of the Cheshire Independent Custody visitors, who is concerned with the welfare and condition of detention of detainees.
They wrote: 'The present suites in Widnes and Runcorn do not provide adequate facilities for detainees and fail to serve the community with their lack of proper accommodation for visiting solicitors, appropriate adults and others who need to conduct interviews with detainees in private or for the provision of basic medical examinations.
'Maintenance and refurbishment of the custody suites cannot disguise their age and heating and ventilation are problematic.'
