Chairman has casting vote on plans for Handforth residential development

coppiceway

Plans for a residential development in Handforth have divided the Northern Planning Committee leaving the Chairman to have the deciding vote.

Jones Homes were granted planning permission for a development of up to 175 dwellings on a site south of Coppice Way in April 2016.

However their application (planning reference 15/0795M) which sought reserved matters approval for layout, scale and appearance was deferred by the Northern Planning Committee last month so it was considered for the second time today, (Wednesday, 5th April).

Despite being recommended for approval by the Planning Officer, committee members voted unanimously to defer the application to enable officers to go back to the applicant and ask for the designs to be amended.

Speaking about last month's decision Councillor Craig Browne explained "In particular, members expressed concerns over the lack of access to public open space, as well as the manner in which affordable homes had been clustered in certain parts of the development, rather than being spread evenly across the site."

He added "I also expressed concerns about the provision of just a single point of access/egress to the site, via the A34 at Handforth Dean and the lack of any direct vehicular access to the centre of Handforth. This will, I believe, have the effect of creating a separate community that is geographically isolated from the rest of Handforth, whilst I was also concerned about the ability of emergency vehicles to access the proposed development at busy times."

Once again the planning officer recommended that the application be approved stating "The proposed scheme provides an acceptable design and layout, the dwellings are appropriate to the character of the area, sufficient open space is provided in the development and landscaping is reserved for subsequent approval. It is considered that the development would not have a detrimental impact upon neighbouring amenity, ecology (subject to clarification on the ecological buffer), trees, or highway safety."

Members of the Northern Planning Committee were still divided over the scheme, with half voting in favour and half against. In the end the planning application was approved by the Chairman's casting vote.

Lee Sale, Regional Director, Jones Homes (North West) Ltd. said: "We are delighted to receive our approval of reserved matters and I look forward to bringing the site forward for development, bringing much needed homes to the region with the normal Jones Homes design, flair, quality and high level of Customer Service."

The plans can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council website by searching for planning reference 15/0795M.

Tags:
Coppice Way, Jones Homes, Planning Applications
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Comments

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DELETED ACCOUNT
Wednesday 5th April 2017 at 1:55 pm
There were some changes - namely improved elevations at road junctions and of houses overlooking other properties and some of the footpaths lit, but no movement on a number of key issues. Sad that a respected local company which gave us Summerfields housing estate in the 1970's and 1980's, with its high design standards for the time, and plenty of open space should be offering less now.