The Strategic Planning Board were divided over plans to demolish a house to create an access for a new residential development of over 200 homes in Handforth.
The Planning Officer recommended that the Planning Board refused the applicant permission to demolish 15 Hampson Crescent, create a new vehicular and pedestrian access from Meriton Road / Hampson Crescent, realign Dobbin Brook and create a temporary construction haul road and compound from Sagars Road.
The site forms part of site LPS 34 in the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy which has outline planning consent for up to 250 dwellings. A reserved matters application is currently being considered for 217 dwellings.
In the end, members of the Strategic Planning Board approved the application with 8 votes in favour and 4 against.
Councillor David Jefferay said "It was a very difficult decision because there is going to be significant disruption for the residents and Sagar Road is likely to be damaged by the construction traffic for which Cheshire East Council (ultimately the council tax payer) will have to pick up the bill. However, it is allocated as a strategic site in the local plan and planning permission for the access on Hampson Crescent had already been approved.
"In the end, I couldn't in good conscience endorse it though because of the impact on residents so I voted against."
In a report prepared for the meeting on Wednesday, 24th July, the Planning Officer stated "The proposed access through the site of 15 Hampson Crescent was approved as part of the outline permission and therefore no issues can be raised with regard to the principle of this in terms of highway impact or impact upon neighbouring properties.
"The application site is a Strategic Site within the CELPS, and in order for the allocated houses to be delivered on the site, construction access has to be achieved. The only options for this are via Meriton Road or Sagars Road. There is clearly significant local opposition to the use of either of these routes, which is acknowledged, however, one or both routes must be used.
"The advice from the Strategic Infrastructure Manager is that either road could be used, but it is recommended that both are used so that the burden is shared. The proposed access routes are therefore acceptable from a highways perspective. There is also no significant impact upon protected trees arising from the proposed development. Additional, more detailed proposals have also been provided for the Hampson Crescent access, Brook culvert, retaining structure and open space.
"As a standalone application, the submitted details do raise concerns in terms of the extent of biodiversity mitigation, the provision of pedestrian and cycle links to the east, and the form of the proposed landscaping. There is considered to be conflict with the development plan arising from all these matters.
"In addition, the construction access route and proposed site compound is located immediately adjacent to existing residential properties and is considered to result in an unacceptable level of noise and disturbance, contrary to policy DC3 of the MBLP and SE12 of the CELPS. Comments from the Environment Agency are awaited on whether the revised proposals for the realignment of Dobbin Brook are acceptable and will be reported as an update, as will comments from the LLFA."
Comments
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Cheers, Dave
at the northern end Clay Lane meets the airport relief road.
So it is that at Stage 3 Handforth looks forward to increased congestion increased air pollution and a significant risk to the general public. This application states that all construction traffic will turn left into Wilmslow Road from Meriton Rd and Sagars Rd and traffic via The Link and Bulkely Rd will not be allowed. Of course there is no mention of of how this will be ensured supervised monitored or controlled.
Councillor Gardiner had the temerity to say that one cannot make an omellete without breaking eggs. Let us hope there are no broken legs broken roads broken sewers and broken pavements because the planning in CE is already broken and promises to safeguard the Green Belt are already forgotten. Next comes Handforth Garden Village on land previously reserved for recreation. Welcome to the Manchester Conurbation.
We have now got the much awaited bye pass to bramhall and as I write this it’s closed because of once again flooded
We are the dumping ground for CEC because of the new bye pass we have got more traffic with people from surrounding areas coming through handforth
Why can’t styal have the entrance and exit would be a much better option
Let's wait until all the other developments have been completed round here and a 12 month probation period has taken place so we can all judge whether the roads and other infrastructure can take any more housing development. It’s all too much too soon. The town needs a breather.
It seems now that I can add David Jefferay to the list of 'Muppet' councillors who have presided over us for far too long and were almost cast aside in the last election to be replaced by 'the good guys' who now seem to be no different and were just masquerading under a different name - the of Residents of Wilmslow (RoW). Leopards don't change their spots but a different leopard can have almost identical spots - so what's the difference? Before the election I happened to fall into conversation with someone whilst waiting to pay for parking in the Sainsbury’s car park in town and the gentleman said that things would change for the better soon because there was a really good candidate called Jefferay who was standing for RoW. I said that it was a shame they weren't putting up a candidate for the Lacey Green ward too. Any more of this crass decision-making Mr Jefferay and you will be out next time with a stain on your character as a creditable person who can be trusted. You even state the reason that this should not have been approved - "It was a very difficult decision because there is going to be significant disruption for the residents and Sagars Road is likely to be damaged by the construction traffic for which Cheshire East Council (ultimately the council tax payer) will have to pick up the bill". I totally agree with Rick Andrews who doesn’t see why the cost of putting right the damage to the local roads by the construction traffic should not come out of the profit from building all these unnecessary ‘boxes’ - sorry ‘homes’. I suppose there will be a set of traffic lights next to let the 200 plus cars out onto the A34 and so bring traffic to a standstill there more often. Plus GREENBELT Mr Jefferay - it ISN’T for houses.
I can only apologise again and must take more care reading news items in future.
I’m perversely quite heartened that I made a mistake and that you did stand up to vote against, which also confirms the sentiment and support attributed by the gentleman I conversed with whilst waiting to buy a parking ticket in Sainsbury’s car park - that you were going to be fine councillor and that more of RoW is what we need around here. Shame that you were in a minority and think that we all should see how the voting went so that we know who is pressing to make such unwanted changes to the town in which we live. I am pleased that you made a stance and in that respect we are of the same mind about what has been going on within Cheshire East in the recent past. It’s still early days but as a RoW councillor - and sadly not mine - I give you my support, which I am at the moment not finding easy to give to my own councillor.
So I can only apologise again and will have your spots removed to see you in future as the roaring lion that I had assumed you always were!
I hope that is a satisfactory apology?
Styal Council were quite happy to prevent access and egress from the Clay Lane/Station Rd side which would have helped share the burden of congestion air pollution and noise. Nope - let Handforth have it.
The time has come for the Styal Wilmslow and Handforth Parish Councils to work more closely together since what happens to each affects the other. Talk about 'not in my back yard'.