Plans for a residential development at Heathfield Farm, off Dean Row Road, have been approved.
The Strategic Planning Board approved Taylor Wimpey's scheme for 161 homes on the previously undeveloped 6.4 ha greenfield site which was released from the Green Belt following adoption of the Cheshire East Local Plan.
Ten members voted in favour of the plans at their meeting on Wednesday, 28th February, whilst two abstained (Cllr Burkhill and Cllr Hough).
Councillor Toni Fox, who sits on the Strategic Planning Board said "I raised several concerns on behalf of residents and myself in relation to the ridge height and location of the 3 storey apartment blocks fronting directly onto Dean Row Road, current levels of traffic congestion at the Dean Row roundabout, the encroachment onto safeguarded land and requested the installation of air quality monitoring device at the Dean Row roundabout.
"As stated in the report, officers confirmed that they considered the proposals acceptable and air quality monitoring unnecessary.
"I also raised the outstanding highways works to improve the access onto the A34 at Summerfields conditioned as part of the Bollin Park development approval and requested this was implemented prior to any work on this site, should approval be given. Highways officers agreed to chase this up."
Cllr Fox added "As the Independent Ward Councillor for the Dean Row Ward residents may question why I did not abstain or propose a refusal of this application however I have been, and will continue to be, honest, straight and open with the residents I represent.
"An abstention would have been an avoidance of an uncomfortable decision and unfortunately in this case (the third planning application to be submitted locally on sites approved in the Local Plan) none of the concerns were substantive enough in terms of material consideration to support a recommendation to refuse the planning application that would undoubtedly have been lost at appeal."
The development will comprise a range of house types including townhouses, semi-detached, detached houses and apartments. The scheme is for 12 one and 12 two bedroom apartments, which will be affordable, along with 14 two bed affordable semis, 74 three bedroom houses, of which ten will be affordable, 35 four and 14 five bedroom houses.
Wilmslow Town Council recommended refusal of the application due to the use of the safeguarded land and raised concerns regarding the delivery of infrastructure.
Twenty-three letters objecting to the scheme were received, amongst the concerns raised were lack of infrastructure, impact on wildlife, loss of view to the Peak District, increased traffic adding to existing congestion, loss of green space, new buildings should be a maximum of two-storeys, impact on drainage and developments of this size should have more than one entrance.
Work is expected to commence on the development in 2018 and the construction period is likely to last 4 years.
Comments
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It would be helpful to receive an update on this essential element ASAP please, Cllr Fox.
It is worth mentioning at the outset that for the works to be carried out to widen the link road onto the A34 bypass at Summerfields that this junction will have to be closed for periods of time and one lane of the A34 bypass will also have to be closed.
Historically the Highways Department have stated that the contractor was unavailable to carry out the works on some of the agreed dates however the Highways Department have also stated "they (Cheshire East Council) cannot instruct a contractor to carry out the work until the SEMMS work is complete."
Commitments to several dates for the start of the works have therefore been given over the last 24 months but as none of these were met I reported it to the Planning Enforcement Department last September as a breach of the Condition imposed by the Council.
The Enforcement Department has set procedures and timescales for processing a report and when this one fell outside that timescale I asked if the Department could issue a Breach of Condition Notice and set a timescale for when the works are required to be completed by. I have been advised that because of the ongoing works and disruption being caused by SEMMMS in the local area this would not facilitate the works being carried out.
Yesterday the Highways Officer at the meeting agreed to follow this up yet again to try and resolve this situation.
When I have a definitive answer I will let residents know.
Councillor Toni Fox - Independent
Wilmslow Dean Row
Martin Kitchin
Summerfields Residents Association
The line around waiting for SEMMMS to complete feels like a stalling tactic and given the repeated delays to that project they should really get started with the Summerfields / A34 work during school summer break (that’s 2018!) in order to minimise overall disruption.
http://bit.ly/28LVL88
Actually , the outsourcing of iT to the failed (£8M?) Cosocius fiasco and the Lyme Green fiasco might be worse. Funny how the same names keep cropping up.
The original decision to outsource the maintenance of highways was made by Cheshire County Council (not Cheshire East Council) more than a decade ago and the contract then was awarded to the Bam Nuttall company. Towards the contract end CEC, who had inherited the CCC arrangements, went through the full OJEU compliant process. This judged that Ringway Jacobs offered the best value for money solution to the tax payer ahead of several bidders including the original contractors Bam Nutall.
The state of the roads nationally is a recognised problem with the trade body of the asphalt association estimating that £12bn is needed to bring the network up to scratch.
I have no in depth knowledge of Cosocius so cannot comment.
The Lyme Green project for a waste transfer site went to Strategic Planning and was rejected by the councillors on the committee. This was a democratic decision on an officer led project and after an internal investigation, the senior officers involved left CEC.
The above is in the public domain on matters occurring 5 or so years ago.
I repeat my offer to meet Pete Taylor, who resides in my ward of Wilmslow East, to discuss these or any other matters at a time and place of his choosing with or without others present.
Rod Menlove
http://bit.ly/2tKSn4a
Tell us what investment is planned for schools, healthcare, elderly care, road infrastructure and public transport so that these services keep pace with the housing development being nodded through by your colleagues at CE.
Explain (if you can) the nonsense of £50,000 of OUR money being paid out every month to very slowly investigate the alleged wrongdoings and inadequacies of Council Officers at CE