Cheshire East to mull 900+ homes
Harworth’s 660-home pitch for Wistaston and Bruntwood’s amended 145-home plan for Booths Park in Knutsford are recommended for approval, but Muller’s bid for an Audlem consent could be stymied.
Cheshire East Council’s strategic planning board meets on 27 May, when members will be asked to consider three significant residential development applications.
Harworth, Wistaston – planning reference 25/2639/OUT
Approval is recommended for listed property giant Harworth’s bid to establish outline consent for up to 660 homes and a neighbourhood centre on a ‘green gap’ site east of Middlewich Road.
Billed as Crewe West, plans were submitted last year.
Although development would cause a reduction of the strategic green gap, Cheshire East cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, said officers, adding that there appear no major issues around ecology, public right of way protection, flood risk and environmental impacts. Furthermore, the scheme could deliver 30% affordable homes.
Wistaston Parish Council is an objector, while around 120 letters have also been sent protesting the scheme. Approval is however recommended, with key conditions including 30% affordable homes and a £1.4m education contribution.
The site is adjacent to the Crewe settlement boundary. A new three-arm roundabout on Wistaton Green Road would provide access, while the neighbourhood centre would bring around 8,000 sq ft of retail and other facilities. Around 52 acres would be given to public open space.
Planner Turley is advising Harworth.
Bruntwood MTL, Booths Park – planning reference 25/1468/OUT
A decision on Bruntwood’s bid to secure outline permission for housing at Knutsford’s Booths Park was deferred in March, with the board requesting more information around rights of way and highways, the top number of houses proposed and detailed conditions.
A cap of 145 homes has now been set, some way below the 160 originally planned, with the precise amount to be determined at reserved matters stage.
Although various council departments had raised concerns at 160 homes, there are no objections at the new level, with the council’s ecology officer also satisfied with the proposals. Knutsford Town Council now supports the plans.
One change highlighted in the officer report is the removal of housing from the centre of the site, now earmarked as greenspace to provide a suitable setting for mature trees. Addressing the public right of way issue, a number of new routes in and around the development are suggested and others are set for upgrades.
A second application covering a new access road into the housing is also recommended for approval.
Gary Halman Land & Planning, Calderpeel and Planit are working with the applicant.
Muller Property Group, Audlem, Crewe – 25/2194/OUT
Cheshire business Muller is seeking outline permission for up to 116 homes, including 35 affordable dwellings, on land west of Moorsfield Avenue and Tollgate Drive.
As set out when the plans were lodged last year, Berrys and Barrie Newcombe Associates are advising.
The site is open countryside, adjoining the Audlem settlement boundary, with the Shropshire Union Canal forming the site’s eastern boundary. Although the officer report details the potential economic benefits of the project, and its sustainable location, there is a nagging issue over technical detail.
This is set out thus: “The application site is the subject of substantial level changes on either side, with levels dropping steeply towards the River Weaver and the Shropshire Union Canal.
“The application does not demonstrate that the topography of the site has been fully considered, and it has not been demonstrated that the proposed development could be accommodated on the site without substantial engineering works/retaining structures which would cause harm to the character and appearance of the area or cause harm to tree cover on the site.
“In addition, the proposal would cause harm to a major wide landscape view from Moorsfield Avenue. This would cause very substantial harm.” Refusal is recommended.
As a village, even without additional homes, Audlem has very restricted access with an incredibly narrow bridge and narrow through roads. With the addition of the anwyl estate the flow of traffic has increased and if this development is allowed to proceed then I fear for the future of audlem as a village. Just because a piece of land is available does not mean it is suitable for development. When tollgate drive and Moorsfield were built the cellar in our victorian house became a wet cellar because of the amount of hard landscaping created and the proposed new development may well create further problems in the future
By Anonymous
Any further development in Audlem would be ecological madness. No further building. Full stop.
By Barry Jordan
Cheshire East Council have no excuse and why have they not made a five year housing plan now. It seems negligent that these developers can step in and get land and these massive estates.
Re the wistaston one that area floods and is too narrow with already surface water flooding the narrow roads nearby.
There is a narrow bridge which won’t sustain the load of heavy vehicle’s. And middlewich road has seen many deaths on that stretch of road. Again CEC are failing their taxpayer’s with potholes and in developing a five year plan. How hard can it be to protect our countryside!.
What about NHS drs and dentists maybe those put in place before any application is approved.
By Anne oyed