Land promoters push for Cheshire East consents

Henry Boot subsidiary Hallam Land wants outline permission for 130 Alsager homes, while Nightingale’s 75-home Nantwich pitch, already subject to an appeal, appears before members for a third time.

Both applications are recommended for approval, with the council’s lack of a five-year housing land supply front of mind for officers.

The schemes will go before Cheshire East’s strategic planning board on 9 June for consideration.

Housing at Manor Farm, Alsager (25/3904/OUT) – Hallam Land

Working with a team including Stantec, Marrons, NJL Consulting and Dunham Ecology, Hallam Land has mapped out a project in open countryside to the west of Alsager, adjoining the settlement boundary.

The site is described as sustainable in location terms, while the offer of 30% affordable homes is on the table. Two vehicular access points are proposed, from Hulse Way and William Howell Way.

Officers report to members that in accordance with the NPPF, permission should be granted unless protected areas or assets of importance provide a strong reason for refusing, or unless it is felt adverse impacts of development would “significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits”.

Alsager Town Council “strongly objects,” citing a variety of arguments, including the localised supply position being healthier than CE’s wider situation. ATC also notes it wasn’t invited to a specific meeting with the applicant, instead receiving an invitation to the general public consultation.

The town council is joined in its opposition by a further 119 representations.

Land off Broad Lane, Nantwich (25/2977/OUT) – Nightingale Land

The outline application from land promoter Nightingale for housing on the edge of Nantwich isn’t the largest in the area by any means, at 75 homes.

However, member concerns over the cumulative impact on the highways network of a raft of applications in the area – Seddon and Muller have a combined 700 homes in the pipeline in what has already become a development hotspot – saw the proposals deferred not once but twice at planning meetings in March.

As officers record here, the applicant – a firm set up by industry veteran David Gladman – has previously sought legal guidance from Kings Chambers, which advised there is no justification for seeking a cumulative assessment of the proposal, adding that Nightingale would have strong grounds for seeking costs should permission be refused or further delayed.

In other words, as legitimate as members’ concerns may be, there can be no compulsion on the developer of this scheme to do any more than it has.

The applicant has now appealed the matter on grounds of non-determination, leading officers to request that members reconsider and approve the scheme, also agreeing to not defend at appeal.

Nightingale has appealed by means of the written representations process, and is seeking a costs award on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour.

The application remains unchanged – covering the demolition of 6 Broad Lane to open up a site capable of delivering 75 homes, 30% of them affordable.