Controversial plans to demolish a former riding school located in the Green Belt and replace it with a church meeting hall have been refused.
Despite being recommended for approval by the Planning Officer, members of the Northern Planning Committee have today (Wednesday 8th February) rejected plans to demolish the majority of the buildings at the site of the former Mobberley Riding School and replace them with a modern meeting hall for the Brethren Christian Church, to accommodate 508 people.
The Planning Officer advised that the proposals, which included a car park containing 140 spaces, were an acceptable form of development within the Green Belt and would not have a detrimental impact on neighbouring properties or on the road network.
However, some committee members disagreed and the application was rejected by 8 votes to 4 on the grounds of inappropriate development within the Green Belt; having a greater impact on the open area than the current use as a riding school and being in an unsustainable location, resulting in reliance on private cars to access the site.
Councillor Craig Browne, who spoke during the debate, told alderleyedge.com "Development, or redevelopment in this case, within the Green Belt is only acceptable where there is a clear and identifiable public benefit to balance against any harm that results from the loss of the Green Belt. I am struggling with this application to identify any public benefit that would result, for example there are no proposals for a S106 contribution, no plans for highways improvements, or improvements to parks or alternative green spaces.
"A number of the objectors have stated that there will be no wider benefit to the community of Mobberley or surrounding area; however, the planning officer argues that this is not a certainty.
"There is one way in which we could make community use of the building (outside regular worship services) a certainty and that is to request a community use plan as an additional planning condition. If the Plymouth Brethren are as open and inclusive as has been claimed, then they should have no difficulty with this condition and we as a Council should have no difficulty with requiring it. If such a condition was added, then I might be persuaded to support a recommendation for approval, otherwise I am minded to vote against."
Cheshire East Council received 182 letters objecting to this application. Concerns raised included: the infrastructure and highway network not being ale to cope with the numbers of people proposed to attend; the amount of car parking spaces being inadequate; inappropriate design and development within the Green Belt which would have no community benefit.
Objections were also received from Wilmslow Town Council as well as the parish councils of Ollerton with Marthall, Great Warford and Mobberley.
Wilmslow Town Council raised concerns about the impact of the additional traffic heading towards and through Morley Green whilst Mobberley Parish Council stated "After careful consideration we cannot see how the village will not be detrimentally affected by the sheer volume of additional traffic that this development will bring. The development is intended to be a "Head Office", phasing out the Hale Barns meeting hall and consequently will be a very prominent and busy meeting place.
"Newton Hall Lane is not a major road and is extremely narrow in places and so naturally we are concerned that potentially it could lead to accidents. We also consider that due to the amount of time that the Brethren worship this could become an amenity issue for the surrounding neighbours."
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Care home a good idea but not that much demand for care homes in the middle of nowhere.