A controversial planning application for a new residential development of up to 250 homes on land between Clay Lane and Sagars Road has been approved.
The Strategic Planning Board agreed with the Planning Oifficer's recommendation and approved the plans at their meeting on Wednesday, 25th October.
Eight committee members voted for the scheme from HIMOR (Land) Ltd, whilst four voted against.
The site, which is currently used as agricultural grazing land and consists of three fields, has been allocated in the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy (LPS) for the delivery of 250 dwellings. It is proposed that 75 of the 250 properties will be affordable housing.
Toni Fox, Independent councillor for the Wilmslow Dean Row Ward, is a member of the Strategic Planning Board and voted against the plans, which resulted in nearly 400 letters of objection.
Cllr Fox told wilmslow.co.uk "In my opinion those who voted for it did so because it is a site allocation in the Local Plan irrespective of the fact that the Inspector clearly stated during the hearings that not all sites would necessarily be considered suitable for development.
"It was approved irrespective of the lack of detail as to how the access - a new bridge - will be constructed in such a confined area; irrespective of concerns on access for large construction vehicles on a narrow residential road littered with parked cars; irrespective of the applicant refusing to advise if the cost of its construction will impact on the viability of the site; irrespective of the 400 objections from local residents and opposition from both Handforth Parish Council and the two Handforth ward councillors and irrespective of the concerns raised by the independent Traffic Assessment undertaken on behalf of Handforth Parish Council."
The Planning Officer's report stated "The applicant is providing financial contributions required in order to make the development acceptable and is providing the full amount of affordable housing on site which is essential in order to make developments sustainable in the future. It is considered that the proposals are environmental, socially and economically sustainable and accord with the development plan and the framework. The site is sustainably located within the town and the proposals represent an efficient use of the land."
It continues "It has been demonstrated the development will not have a detrimental impact on the local highway network, the trees on and around the site or to local ecology."
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Cash for the landowners, cash for the developers, cash for the council too from extra council tax, New Homes Bonus, Community Infrastructure Levy and S106 money.
What voters (residents) want is therefore irrelevant. Just keep paying CE your council tax cash and they will keep ignoring you. That is until May 2019, when some nice man in a blue suit will knock on your door and pretend he listened to you and is opposed all these new estates, hoping you wont trawl through the council records to see how they actually voted.
Then repeat every four years until you decide to do something different and elect an independent councillor - one whose only concern is to enact their voters wishes as Toni Fox has done in this case.
Cllr Mark Goldsmith - Wilmslow Town Council, Residents of Wilmslow,
Here's which committee members attended - http://bit.ly/2i6OS3z
As it is we're forced to pay for a council that is aloof, arrogant and out of touch.
As Clr Toni Fox so succinctly says there were few sound reasons to vote for this development but it was still given the go ahead.
For those Clrs that did vote for it, hold your heads in shame.
And then come back to to Meriton Road and Hampson Crescent when construction is in full swing and then when the houses are occupied.
If you really do care, come and see for yourselves the mayhem that you have sanctioned.
What is the definition of affordable housing?
Is it truly affordable to our young people?
And - much more importantly,
What are the safeguards to ensure the agreed level of affordable housing is delivered?
In my opinion, any development which fails to deliver the level of affordable housing promised in the planning application should suffer penal damages which exceed the profit made on the development.
SPB information papers list this as a Handforth site and a Handforth Councillor got to speak. But the site is in Wilmslow, Lacey Green and Styal Ward. Missing and silent as ever on this one is Ward Councillor Don Stockton. Think neighbours of this site with Wilmslow addresses would have appreciated some support in objecting to this from the start and throughout this painful process.
Quite a few will be bought by Housing Associations and rented out, this is what's they mean by "affordable", it's happening on most new build estates now.
In reality what happens though is that developers claim to build "30% affordable homes" on the site. However, they build 30 x 1 bed flats in a few blocks taking up a tiny part of the land. These are usually sold on mass to a housing association, so bad luck if your children fancy buying one to leave home.
The other 90% of land is used to build 70 x four or five bedroom top priced houses. Therefore, 30% of the homes are "affordable" but it is less than 10% of the total bedroom space they actually build.
It is another of so, so many ways councils and developers twist things so they can dig up OUR green fields (yes OUR, because the council owns much of this land).
Whoever drew the parish boundaries a few years ago when the parishes were introduced drew the Handforth/Styal boundary as the Dobbin Brook directly at the back of the houses on Hampson Crescent and Ullswater/Windermere Road. They obviously didn't expect Handforth to expand to the west.
Julian Barlow- No I can't and I don't expect to ever be able to as long as
everything proposed is objected to! Maybe if there hadn't been such vehement
opposition to the retirement village, the retail development, the garden
village, the Lidl/gym, to name a few I've read about in the past couple of
years although I'm sure there are more! Then maybe the 400 objections to
this Ill-conceived development may have been viewed a bit more seriously?
Just my opinion.
Gina Thompson- I'm not suggesting that at all, I just think that by opposing EVERYTHING it dilutes the objections and eventually the decision makers stop taking us seriously. I think battles should be carefully chosen that's all!
Why would such a council be sensitive to public opinion? They have no need listen.
The culture in the town hall becomes one of arrogance and invincibility.
Sadly this is the result.
The anti-anything mob have lost the plot - their opposition is somewhat diluted. It might surprise the mob however i actually think they make some valid points. If they targeted their opposition a little more .... I would probably get behind them. However their unreasonable and absurd anti-anything policy does them little credit.
I've said it a million times ....even our cosy little affluent towns and villages need to move with the times.
I've seen everything on here from issues with flat roofs..... to road designs.....to access roads.... building heights........affordable homes.....pepper-potting.... brownfield sites blah blah.
Kathryn - the comments / objections do not always come from people who live directly opposite. It's a fairly simple to check addresses of contributors. On this basis your statement is inaccurate.
So do we read between the lines that you are of the opinion then that it is okay only for those living directly opposite to a development to comment/object to that planning application or is it that you are of the opinion that no one at all should ever comment/object to any planning application ? Either would be undemocratic which was kind of my point.
Sorry to all who voiced their opposition to the 250 dwellings planned for this site (approx 400 written responses).
Sorry to all who are fearful of the repercussions of using Meriton Road as the sole entry / exit point, and the additional stress this will create in the centre of Handforth.
A huge thank you to Cllr Toni Fox, Cllr Barry Burkhill, Cllr Steven Hogben and Cllr Janet Jackson. You made a valiant stand in representing the views of so many residents in Handforth and area. It is unfortunate for us all that you were outvoted 8:4 at the Cheshire East Council Strategic Planning Group last week.
The section of the meeting given to this agenda item was approximately 2 hours. Joe Public was given only 3 minutes in total, to address the meeting. So much for valuing residents' opinions and preferences.
Together with most people I speak to, I am strongly in favour of the government's plan to increase the supply of housing stock nationally, but object to the excessive concentration, both housing and commercial, in Handforth. Cheshire County housing requirements, need to be equitably distributed throughout the county.
Cheshire East county is approx 40 miles in distance, north to south. In the most northerly 1 mile (i.e. Handforth) 20% of the county's new dwellings are to be built. Add to this Little Stanneylands, Dean Row, and Wilmslow. Adjoining us to the north will be Greater Manchester's 8000 new dwellings planned for in Heald Green, Seashell Trust site and Woodford. Add to all this the three commercial sites within the parish of Handforth which are planned to be increased in size. Result: excessively concentrated development.
Worry not! All is not lost!! We are told that educational provision, medical services, bus services (pardon????), train services, car parking, AND, WAIT FOR IT, the roads, will all be able to cope with the increase in number of residents, and traffic flow.
Once again, thank you to the four councillors who supported us, to the Handforth Parish Council who also supported us unanimously, and to all who made representations.
At least we tried.
I moved from one over built, ruined village (Bramhall) almost 40 years ago to a pleasant country village and am making plans to do the same again.
Also in this area there are vast empty spaces of offices, which are open plan, ideal for small wooden prefabricated starter units could be fitted. How generous of some of these office owners/developers if they made some sort of donation to get these young couples on the housing ladder
Julie makes an excellent point here. At the mere whisper of breaking ground anywhere around our town, our lamentable NIMBY brigade is out in force with their digital pitchforks and emotionally charged rhetoric often accompanied by insulting language about council members. When are they going to learn?
Moving forwards, lets take a more considered view please. Choosing our campaigns (not battles or fights you’ll notice!) carefully and be open to compromise where necessary.
We cannot afford to be anti-everything any longer. It doesn’t work. It’s counterproductive. It’s noise.
Further I seem to recall that you support Styal Football Club and so would presume then that you live close by the Stanneylands development which would make you a fully paid up member of the NIMBY club yourself given your comment that development gives you 'most concern' would it not ?
Opinion Poll my rear end!