Cheshire East greenlights 800 homes
Harworth and Bruntwood had their residential applications for open countryside or safeguarded sites in Crewe and Knutsford approved during Wednesday’s planning committee meeting. Muller Property Group’s push to build 116 homes in Audlem was not so successful.
Crucial to the decisions to approve was Cheshire East Council’s lack of a five-year land supply – instead it has a 3.8-year one. Without the government required five-year housing supply, housing applications receive more weight in favour of approval.
Cheshire East has taken steps to amend this, and is looking to hire a director of planning to help lead the development of a new local plan that would show the required land supply.
You can find out about each of the three largescale housing applications that were greenlit this week below.
Land east of Middlewich Road in Wistaston by Crewe
- Application reference: 25/2639/OUT
The largest of the housing applications on the meeting’s docket, this application saw Harworth seek outline approval for up to 660 homes, an up to 60-bed later living home, 52 acres of public open space, and a local centre with 8,100 sq ft of flexible commercial and retail space.
The site in question is 109 acres of open countryside off of Middlewich Road, just outside of Crewe.
It was a narrow vote to approve, with the committee chair casting the deciding vote during the meeting.
Those working with Harworth on the project include Tyler Grange, Turley, ROC Consulting, and RSK.
Land at Booths Park Chelford Road in Knutsford
- Application references: 25/1468/OUT and 25/1469/FUL
This was the second time the Bruntwood project had come to committee, having been deferred in February’s meeting after a whiplash regarding officer recommendations.
The first time, the project had been recommended to be refused by planning officers, but when the number of proposed homes was slashed from 160 to a max of 145 the officers changed their mind.
On Wednesday, Councillors voted to approve, but noted that they would prefer to see a max of 130 homes on the 36.3-acre site.
Bruntwood’s proposals included 30% affordable housing provision as well as associated open space and an access road to serve the site. The site itself is safeguarded land and former Green Blet.
The project team includes Gary Halman Land & Planning, Calderpeel, Planit, Donald Insall Associates, Logika, Boothking, CWC, Curtins, Orion, and Tyler Grange.
Land west of Moorsfield Avenue and Tollgate Drive in Audlem
- Application reference: 25/2194/OUT
It was a unanimous vote to refuse for Muller Property Group’s outline application for 116 homes, including 35 affordable, on 23 acres of open countryside next to Audlem’s boundary. The decision from councillors was in line with officer recommendation.
The reasons for refusal were very substantial harm to the landscape. The officer judged that Muller had not adequately demonstrated that it had developed its designs in a way that was sympathetic to the site’s topography. They also flagged that there was no engineering works or retaining structures proposed, given the site’s proximity to the River Weaver and Shropshire Union Canal.
The council officer also said that the scheme would cause “harm to a major wide landscape view from Moorsfield Avenue” and would result in the lost of best and most versatile land.
Access to the project would have been from Moorsfield Avenue and Tollgate Drive. The project team included Barrie Newcombe Associates and Berrys.
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The Rapid Decline of Crewe Continues
By John Lynn
Strange how approvals are made when Cllr Gardiner does not attend Strategic Planning Board………..
By Anonymous
Ah, but he was there! Cllr Gardiner spoke during the discussion around Bruntwood’s application. But you are correct that he is no longer a member of the council’s planning committees.
By Julia Hatmaker
A wrong step , made by local authorities and rubber stamped by Government. This is in line , not with making life better for residents of Crewe but the councillors , property executives and eventually MPs. For they will all reap substantial financial rewards and incentives which will future proof them against a crumbling economy.
By Mr Lea Davenport
Hope the Co2 pipeline is not too close! Ches East councillors are not opposing it although a few are.Join AACCS if you are worried and learn the facts
By Anonymous
How many more houses are going to be built locally and ruin the farming / food production areas??? The infrastructure can not cope as it is! And who can afford to buy these properties anyway??
By Nantwich resident
The planning application for 660 homes near
CREWE to be passed by one Chairman vote is ridiculous .Crewe area is already overcrowded with resent new builds in the area .The road network is the same as it was 60 years ago and is almost at a standstill and is falling apart.
660 houses can mean mire than 1200ca
By Anonymous
Addington new town didn’t work
So they will just build a few thousand at a time until they get what they want.
We don’t need any farm land because we can buy it from everyone else.
No so great now are we
Welcome to walk all over us Britain
By Anonymous
I would say 90 percent of the cheshire east residents despise cheshire east council and want them sacked.
By Anonymous
Based on the comments of CEC residents here, ‘Anonymous’, I’d say 90% of them don’t understand what they’re talking about. (I invented that figure too, because it’s fun to make up your own numbers.)
By Northern Monkey