Plans to demolish a large detached house on Adlington Road, which is now surrounded by a new development of just over 200 homes, and replace it with seven new dwellings have been approved, two months after being refused.
The Northern Planning Committee refused the proposed scheme at their meeting in March on the grounds that the proposed access would result in the direct loss of a protected oak tree; it represents overdevelopment of the site and is out of character with the surrounding area which is mainly large houses fronting Adlington Road in their own grounds.
However, due to "a potential issue of pre- determination with the previous resolution" the application was presented to Southern Planning Committee for a fresh consideration at their meeting on Wednesday, 30th May.
Members of the Southern Planning Committee went against the planning officer's recommendation for refusal, on the grounds that the loss of the protected oak tree is unacceptable and would override any benefits of the proposal, and approved the planning application.
Eight members voted to approve the planning application, whilst one member voted against and one abstained.
Councillor Craig Browne, who sits on the Northern Planning Committee as Vice Chair, explained "The application had been recommended for refusal by the planning officer, it had also been refused at Northern Planning Committee a couple of months ago, but that decision was subsequently considered unsound, due to one of the members potentially being pre-determined.
"Members of Southern Planning Committee felt that the reason for refusal (the removal of a single Category B/C Oak Tree, covered by a Tree Preservation Order) would be difficult to defend at appeal and that the proposed mitigation measures proposed by the applicant (felling of the oak tree and replacement with 7 semi-mature specimens) were adequate."
Councillor Toni Fox, Independent Councillor for the Dean Row ward, said "Committee members felt that the single reason for refusal - the removal of the oak tree protected by a TPO - would not be upheld at appeal, particularly as to mitigate its loss the applicant proposes to plant 9 new trees."
She added "Committee members did however request that conditions were attached to the approval including that permitted development rights are withdrawn from the new properties and that the new tree's being planted in mitigation are included in the group TPO protection on the rest of the site."
Comments
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"CEC ; where common sense and public opinion doesn't count ! "
I'm feeling "potentially predetermined" myself, regarding the totally unnecessary impending destruction of Green Belt agricultural land opposite the (soon to be former) Royal London site. Especially so, as the CEC Tories are refusing to reconsider the Local Plan, in line with the revised formula for the number of new houses "required".
The housing estate will have knocked considerable value off their property and therefore this solution will not only give them what their house was worth before the fields were built upon (and some more probably £££), but also does away with the barmy idea of unacceptable development. And seriously one TPO - it's not as though King Charles hid in it!
As a local resident to this property I can state that I for one don't want the fields built upon, but having had CEC ride roughshod over the wishes of the people, then you can't blame someone for figuring a way of getting around the problem of having a housing estate built around you where once was nothing but green.
CEC and these planning vandals have absolutely no interest in preserving any of the aspects that made Wilmslow so attractive a place to live. It's just about 4pm on a Wednesday afternoon and I've driven home to Handforth following a coffee and a visit to an opticians in the heart of the 'village' - always has been a bit of a busy time but now it's an absolute nightmare; discount the grossly overrunning major (and minor) roadworks that have blighted the past 3 years or so, what's it going to be like when the 3000 odd extra houses go up along the A34 corroidor - not that any of the 'local plan' was demanded locally in the first place but there's no real increased road/services infrastructure planned anyway.
Many readers will have passed through London Heathrow but If you want to see the future for this part of isolated north Cheshire have a day out to visit the area around the airport - nice!!
Now take a bit more time to thank CEC for their consideration - and then give them a good kicking at the ballot box, might as well spoil their day seeing as they have no compunction to ruining yours' and mine.
I've only lived here 20 years, but I just can't comprehend what's happening to Wilmslow. It's just so sad... The new properties are very pleasing to the eye, but not as beautiful as this house, so it shouldn't be demolished (if I had the money, I would certainly buy it). No one builds houses like this anymore unless you're a footballer with endless pots of money; they're all square boxes, crammed together...
Will this land grabbing ever stop in Wilmslow :-(
Very sad Wilmslow resident.