Jones Homes have been granted outline planning permissions to build a housing development on land to the south of Coppice Way in Handforth.
The outline application for approximately 175 houses to be built on an area of open fields, which are currently in agricultural use, was approved by the Strategic Planning Board on Wednesday, 6th November.
The site is located to the east of residential properties on Hill Drive and Cherrington Close and identified in the Macclesfield Borough Local Plan 2004 as Safeguarded Land.
The housing mix is not specified at this stage but the intention is to provide a range of 2, 3, 4, and 5-bed houses with 30% of the residential units being affordable, these will be 2 and 3-bedroom properties which will be dispersed through the site in small clusters.
The residential development will be accessed from a new road onto the existing roundabout which serves Coppice Way and the Handforth Dean Retail Park.
Handforth Parish Council objected to the application on the grounds that the greenfield site is currently safeguarded land; the Draft Handforth Town Strategy Consultation Report showed that 72% of respondents did not want this site to be developed; development of the site would have an adverse effect of the flora and fauna of Hall Wood and should permission be given to build a care village on land to the north of the site, the new access road would pass right through the care village.
Approximately 40 letters of representation were also received from local residents objecting to the proposal.
The Strategic Planning Board granted outline planning permission because:
"The proposed development would make an important contribution in terms of affordable housing provision and this would be a significant benefit. Matters relating to the detailed design, amenity, the public right of way, trees, air quality and noise impact can be adequately addressed through the use of conditions or at the reserved matters stage. Although there would be some visual impact resulting from the loss of a greenfield site, it is considered that due to the relationship with existing urban form, this would not be so significantly adverse to justify a refusal of planning permission. With regard to ecological impacts, provision of mitigation to offset the impact upon the local newt population is considered to be acceptable. It is also acknowledged that there will be some additional impact upon the local Highway network which can be adequately mitigated with the identified improvement works."
The application will be subject to Section 106 Agreement which the Council states should include education contributions of up to £347,000 to cover primary education for 32 children and £376,000 towards providing secondary education for 23 pupils.
The planning application can be viewed of the Cheshire East Council website by searching for planning reference 13/0735M.
Comments
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This makes a mockery of the current consultation process - years late and riding rough shod over residents' views.
I'm not against some development (preferably brownfield) for economic prosperity and to meet demand but the amount of development in this particular neck of the woods is disproportionate.
Pete Taylor - I am unsure about the ownership history of this particular piece of land but I think that Jones Homes did a deal in the by-pass construction project (along with the likes of Tesco and M&S) which has allowed them to build at The Villas etc (and the "Parklands"/Eden Point development just over the Cheadle Hulme border). Perhaps someone else knows better?
I presume that the greedy developers don't want to build in Northwich or Winsford as they won't make as much profit!!!
Also no mention of new schools as ours are full.
No mention of new roads or public transport - notice the gridlock on last Saturday and Tuesday afternoons.
Time to go while you can still sell
Adlington Road had no traffic survey and a major planning error will be the traffic and pedestrians. The pavement is too narrow, it finishes by Wilmslow Park, a private road, you cannot push a pram or a wheel chair along it on some sections, without going onto the road. Cars often drive within inches of you at 40mph +
Try walking to and from Edgehill cul-de-sac, just after a blind bend. Try walking past Rosegarth, on the blind bend in the middle of the proposed development site. It's dangerous. This is crazy planning.
And to cap it all, most essential services are a car journey away. What can you walk to? Doctor, dentist, schools, super market, leasure centre, train or bus services - too far. It's a car journey.
How will children get to the High School? Bikes on Adlington Road? No chance. Far too dangerous.
Think again Cheshire East and Jones Homes.
Pete, the land on which both the Jones housing and Care village are to be built is privately owned by the Wandsworth Trust.
Simon, you are quite right to highlight the "needed" 27,000 new houses stated by CEC. Based on the latest DCLG figures 20,000 new houses are required during the period 2010 to 2030. 9,000 have already been given planning permission, have been, or are, under construction (no doubt this figure will increase given the lack of a five year plan and flood of planning applications. The actual need therefore of further houses at this time is closer to 11,000.
Terry, projections of traffic volumes by the SEMMMS project team forecast a volume/capacity of up to 90 and even 100% during the peak hours. Additional flows as a result of any new housing in Handforth and Wilmslow have NOT been factored into these projections. A further 1,800 vehicles from the new settlement in Handforth alone would take those percentages up to perhaps 130 to 150 %, even when all the design improvements (widening, traffic lights etc) are factored in.
As a final point, the current consultation being run by CEC is the last chance to voice your opinions with any hope (?) of having any influence on their plan before it is finalised.
However, there will be another consultation early next year and views from residents in this consultation will be read by the Public Inspector who will decide whether to approve Cheshire East's plan or not.
Council's have failed to have their plan approved, particularly where Green Belt is under threat.
I would urge as many people as possible to submit their views to both consultations and to support and get involved in their local residents groups who are fighting very hard to protect our green spaces; Hands off Handforth Green Belt and Residents of Wilmslow. Both have representatives on your local Council; Councillor Brian Tolver in Handforth and Councillor Philip Enstone in Wilmslow and can be contacted through the Councils Parish Clerk.
They told us these houses are needed for the people of Cheshire?
However, this is a clear admission from our scheming council that the houses are not for those within the borough.
Also, previously this money was given for community projects (even if it took an age to spend it). But now it is going straight into our councils annual income, presumably to fund the numerous ways in which they find to waste it.
So who decided this one - because this is a double injustice to the local community?