Unanimous refusal for Winterley housing

Land promoter Footprint’s plans for 55 homes on a semi-rural site in Winterley have been unanimously refused by Cheshire East Council.

After only a short discussion at Cheshire East’s southern planning committee, the plans were refused in line with officer recommendation with the rejection hinging on a loss of open countryside.

Footprint’s outline application was for a five-acre plot of agricultural land in Winterley, a village to the east of Crewe. The company was seeking permission for up to 55 three and four-bedroom homes on the site, with more than a third of these put forward for affordable tenures. Calderpeel is the architect.

It is the second time Footprint has attempted to secure planning consent at the site; a previous application was refused 12 months ago, with councillors knocking back the scheme due to its impact on the open countryside.

While planning officers had praised the delivery of affordable homes on the site, the latest application did not fare much better; a move to refuse was put forward by Sandbach Labour councillor Kathryn Flavell and seconded by Sandbach Conservative councillor Mike Benson.

Cllr Flavell argued the application was “totally out of character” with the surrounding village and highlighted the lack of amenities in the area to support the development, as well as raising its impact on the open countryside.

The site borders several others with a chequered planning history. A first phase of housing was built out by Bellway on a neighbouring plot following a successful planning appeal in 2015, while another adjacent site is set to begin with a reserved matters application now put forward; this second plot also secured planning permission following an appeal in 2017.