Jones Homes have been granted planning permission for a residential development of 204 homes on land off Adlington Road. The controversial plans also include the demolition of outbuildings, public open space, highways works and associated infrastructure.
The site comprises approximately 10 hectares of open farmland and is identified as safeguarded land in the Macclesfield Borough Local Plan. It has now been identified in the new Cheshire East Plan as a strategic site which could deliver 200 homes and contributes to the five year housing supply.
A revised site layout was received on 16th May, increasing the proposed dwellings from 193 to 204 dwellings, to provide 30% affordable housing and a number of bungalows.
Over 500 letters were received during the consultation period objecting to the proposal and Wilmslow Town Council (WTC) recommended refusal on the grounds that the application is premature, being put forward at a time when school, medical and road facilities are inadequate to facilitate such a development and the adoption of new Cheshire East Local Plan could be some way off.
WTC also felt the application fails to demonstrate any regard for the CEC policy of prioritising brownfield space first for development, is presented before an adequate case has been put forward to support the need for these houses and contravenes GC7 of the existing Local Plan in presuming development on a safeguarded site. They also raised concerns that it represents an overdevelopment of the site, the applicant's traffic assessment understates the impact of the development and fails to acknowledge the proposed Woodford development.
Additionally Residents of Wilmslow sought legal advice which stated that safeguarded designation is not a "green light" to development and in the event that the safeguarded land is to be brought forward for development, it must be brought forward as an allocation, not a planning application.
However, the Strategic Planning Committee approved the application on Wednesday, 28th May, subject to conditions and a S106 agreement.
The officer's report prepared for the Strategic Planning Committee concluded:
"The site is located within an area identified as safeguarded land in the Local Plan. The safeguarded land policy (GC7) is considered to be out of date and whilst there may be outstanding objections to the local plan allocation of this strategic site (CS25), given the stage of its preparation some weight has to be afforded to it. Prematurity is a matter that has been raised in other cases across the Borough, and is a material consideration, however, this has not been found to justify a reason for refusal in other similar applications or appeals, and is not in this case for the reasons outlined above. The principle of the development can therefore be accepted subject to there being no significant adverse impacts arising from it.
"Paragraph 14 of the Framework therefore applies where it states that planning permission should be granted unless any adverse impact of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits from it, when assessed against the Framework as a whole. The Government has made it clear in the Framework that there is a presumption in favour of new development, except where this would compromise key sustainability principles.
"Whilst comments from the arboricultural officer are awaited, no significant adverse impacts are currently identified. Matters relating to the design, amenity, highways, the public right of way, ecology, air quality and noise impact can be adequately dealt with through the use of conditions and the s106 agreement, which will delivers a range of benefits, including affordable housing, contributions towards improving the Browns Lane public open space, and footpath improvements. 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.
"The proposal is a sustainable form of development, and in the absence of any identified significant adverse impacts a recommendation of approval is made, subject to the receipt of comments from the arboricultural officer, the heads of terms identified above, and the following conditions."
Speaking about the decision, Cllr Martin Watkins Chairman of WTC, said "I am bitterly disappointed that after all WTC has said in all the consultations and in meetings with CEC that planning permission has now been granted. We remain strongly against development of this site until the infrastructure has been developed, something which is unlikely to have been achieved before 2025. The impact of this development on the neighbouring properties requires careful and considerate management: we would expect the developers to engage with us and local residents to achieve this on an on-going basis throughout the whole development period."
A spokesperson for Jones Homes commented "Jones Homes is delighted with the outcome of yesterday's meeting. The officers recommended approval of the application and the committee endorsed their view. During the course of the application, the proposal has evolved into a development which will be an asset to the future townscape of Wilmslow. The benefits of the development are fully explained in the applicant's submission to the Council and the Council's committee reports and updates."
The Section 106 Agreement is expected to secure: nearly £425,000 as a contribution towards secondary education; nearly £500,000 for improving open space and recreational facilities at Browns Lane and other local recreational projects; £10,000 to fund a TRO to reduce the speed limit along Adlington Road and £30,000 for habitat enhancement works in the locality, to offset loss of biodiversity.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
None of the objections were listened to or acted upon.
The consulation process was just something that had to be seen to be done.
Opposite One Oak Lane off Adlington Road two proposed houses have exits suicidally near a blind bend from Wilmslow. Pedestrians, who can listen for traffic, never cross as near to that bend as these exits yet neither Jones' Homes or CEC seem to care though they will when it stops sales of these houses. This is just one of so many examples of the complete lack of interest in the composition of the estate. Their only interest is how much money it can generate for them: Soviet Russia with a veneer on top!
Stand by Wilmslow and Handforth for more of the same, and be very afraid if you live near a field or require any services - they will be extremely hard to access if not impossible in the very near future.
There was nothing to make CEC say no but millions of reasons for them to say yes and there was nothing to stop them. That is the worst part of the whole saga. The government encourages building and this is happening nationwide. Heaven knows where it will all end. Not in a green and pleasant land that is for sure. Nigel Farage for MP for Tatton? We may reject the Conservatives next year but will the rest of Cheshire East if they are not victims like us?
This is not just a Cheshire issue, it's happening across England.
The developers don't want brownfield sites, to much trouble. They don't want to do small pockets of building spread evenly around the borough. They want big green fields, easy logistics, and no build issues on old land.
With additional bribes to local councils etc. to build, also from the Government along with land owners seeing this as a golden opportunity (I don't blame them, it's financial security for their families). It's a perfect storm for poor, vested interest, planning mistakes.
I hope you all remember how you have been treated at the ballot box.
Every shred of common sense was ignored, by planners, a builder and councillors who don't live in Wilmslow. WTC acted honourably on our behalf, especially Cllr Phil Enstone for his Dean Row constituents. They cared, but nobody else did on our behalf.
I do hope that Residents of Wilmslow are able to finance a full judicial review.
It's needed.
Establishing powerful new rights for local people and communities - powers for councils are accompanied by greater powers for local people to hold their local authorities to account. Local people and communities’ will have real power and a bigger say over their area through a new right to challenge to take over services; a new right to bid to buy local assets such as libraries, pubs and shops; a new right to veto excessive council tax rises through a referendum.
Communities Minister, Andrew Stunell said:
The Localism Bill will pave the way for the long overdue push of powers out of Whitehall to councils and neighbourhoods across the country, and give local communities real control over housing and planning decisions.
Welcome to the Big Society.
We need a Richard Branson and an open cheque book.... if only!!
Regarding the 'sea of houses', there is a large area of grass as one would enter that estate. If they built the same number of houses and reduced that from development now - we are not alone though that is small consolation.that it would help to relieve the density.
We have some friends in Yorkshire who fear the National Park is not safe
The path they propose around the recreation ground off Browns Lane is potentially dangerous because football/cricket etc. is often played on there now and a stray ball could hit a walker or a cyclist. Have they thought of that?
There is a Rayleigh Action Group in Essex fighting a bigger development than ours and one resident has pledged £40,000 towards it. Their case is that the Consultation Period was illegally handled. This is apparently becoming a big issue nationwide.
I agree with your comments yesterday Jackie but how does one make CEC listen to reason?
Next job is to move somewhere still nice. Check out North Shropshire/South West Cheshire on rightmove. Twice the house for your cash and then maybe there won't be a market for the new Jones boxes
The level of duplicity over this process is also staggering and makes Qatar's World Cup bid look exemplary. The Leader of Cheshire East Council said building work will never happen here and 5 months later planning permission is rushed through ignoring all objections.
This whole farce also shows the utter pointlessness of Wilmslow Town Council too. Voters were told that having our own town council would give Wilmslow a strong voice on local issues. Well that never happened did it.
Instead, all WTC could do was talk a lot and issue a Policy Statement. Brilliant. Now we have another layer of pointless bureaucracy to pay for that delivers very little - like CEC don't do enough of that already.
No wonder people are voting for UKIP en masse.