Muller files 520-home masterplan with Cheshire East
Making up the third phase of the Crewe Northern Gateway, the hybrid application also includes local centre facilities and green infrastructure.
In taking forward plans for the land off Hurcomb Way, Muller said it is looking to build on the successful delivery of earlier phases to the west of the plot. Anwyl and Watkin Jones are partners within those earlier phases.
Muller said last summer that is was working phase three plans up, working with a team including Roberts Environmental. Redmore, Steve Shields, Brindle & Green, Bower Mattin, Arthian, Georisk, Focus Transport Planning, JPM Acoustics, Walsingham, SV Surveying, TDS, and EHP Consultants.
The phase three site extends to around 64 acres on the north-eastern edge of Crewe, and will form a natural continuation of the emerging neighbourhoods off Sydney Road – a busy area for housebuilders in recent years.
Full consent is sought for the primary access and spine road through the site, with outline permission requested for the residential development, local centre and community facilities.
Muller, which is also behind the large-scale Maylands Park masterplan in Nantwich, where work so far has included housing plots sold on to David Wilson Homes and Anwyl for delivery, plus retirement living and a care home, is looking for a broad consent covering one- to four-bedroom homes.
Around 30% of the homes in this phase would be designated as affordable.
Local centre facilities would include around 4,300 sq ft of flexible commercial space, for shops and services to serve the growing community.
Other facilities proposed include a junior football pitch, multi-use games area, children’s play spaces and allotments, along with around five acres of public open space.
Colin Muller, founder and chief executive of Muller Property Group, said: “Throughout the process, we have worked proactively to show how this development can make a meaningful contribution to meeting local housing need, including the delivery of affordable homes, alongside new infrastructure and community facilities.
“This is about more than housing. The proposals will support the wider community through new open space, sports provision, local services and investment towards education, healthcare and transport improvements.
“We are proud to have reached this stage and look forward to continuing to work positively with all parties to deliver a high-quality, sustainable neighbourhood that supports Crewe’s long-term growth.”
The design of the scheme has been shaped by the site’s natural features, including Fowle Brook, which runs through the centre of the site within a defined valley. Existing landscape features—including hedgerows, mature trees and a woodland area known as Fox Covert—will be retained and enhanced.
A new spine road will connect the site from Hurcomb Way through to Maw Green Road. Walking and cycling routes will be integrated throughout the site.
Pre-application discussions wit the council and with consultees have shaped the application, Muller said, with one outcome being greater emphasis on community infrastructure.
Like Muller’s recent pitch for a second phase of 400 homes at Maylands Park, the proposals come forward at a time when Cheshire East faces a shortfall in housing supply.
With this factor being a material planning consideration, recent meetings of the council’s strategic planning board have seen a number of large-scale housing projects come forward from land promoters and developers seeking to secure valuable consents – although not always with immediate success.
It’s alright these builders putting these fancy plans in what they don’t realise how it affects speople that have lived most of there lives what about the infrastructure ie roads policing and schools nantwich is already gridlocked know with out more houses if you don’t believe what I’m saying go down beam street between the hours of 4pm and 5pm it’s a joke
By Michael fournier
But will Cllr Gardiner come up with some very oblique reasoning tonight 1) defer or 2) refuse this application. Surprised the Labour / Independent administration in Cheshire East has not gripped the Strategic Planning Board (unlike Cllr Gardiner).
By Anonymous
Crikey crewe will look like city
By Anonymous
They should also include a primary school, GP surgery as these are sadly lacking with the hundreds of homes built so far in the Crewe area
By Ainsley
Unless I missed something hear I don’t see anything about schools or doctors surgery’s.
More country side being thrown to the builders,
How much money is know being taken in rates with the amount of new builds being built,
And where is it all going because it’s certainly not been re allocated in Crewe to improve the town and roads etc.
By P CORNES
@Michael fournier – any town in ‘peak hours’ will be busy, that’s why they’re called peak. Fortunately there are another 23hrs in the day. Try NYC, Shanghai etc to see what gridlocked actually means – 10 extra minutes on a journey in exchange for a roof over families heads is worth the compromise.
By DarioG
More vehicles onto already gridlocked roads. No activity from council to repair
Shameful condition of current roads.
Schools. Medical facilities amenities and other infrastructure should be made available prior to building more houses.
Surely our run down town centers should be the first priority of this council.
Beyond belief that this area can cope with the influx of even more houses.
Brassed off resident who can not even get out of his driveway between the hours of 8 and 9am due to volume of traffic already. Give us all a break.
By Anonymous
1 it’s bog land and floods regularly so not ideal for houses
2 it’s down wind from the landfill which is just out of shot on that photo
3 weeks need more infrastructure first instead of houses like schools and gp’s and wider roads. It’s already a traffic nightmare getting around Crewe without 500 more homes (which it about 800 or so more cars to deal with)
4 even less green around Crewe
By Anonymous