Council planners look set to give a 240-home development on land in Nantwich the green light, despite objections.
Gladman Developments want to build on land off Queen’s Drive, along with a children’s play area and convenience store.
The proposals are back on the table after previous attempts to gain permission for 270 homes on the site were thrown out last year.
Many residents in that area of Nantwich are against the development, claiming it would make the traffic situation in the area “ridiculous”.
Similar objections have been lodged by Nantwich Town Council and Acton, Edleston and Henhull parish council.
Developers have proposed a new signal controlled junction where Queen’s Drive meets Welsh Row.
They also believe linking Taylor Drive to Edmund Wright Way could pave the way for Welsh Row to be closed at the junction with Waterlode, or to be turned into a one-way street.
The new homes would also be close to the Shropshire Union Canal, and the Canal and River Trust have asked to be involved in any developments.
And Network Rail has raised objections over fears that increased traffic in the town will have an impact on the three level crossings it operates in Nantwich.
In its objection, Network Rail states: “The developers of these proposals should provide funding to mitigate the imported risk from the increased number of residents in the area.
“This may include closure of the level crossings and replacement with footbridges or road bridges, subject to Network Rail approval.
“The developer at Queens Drive should eliminate all reference to the level crossing as a proposed walking route and should ensure that no access can be gained from the site.”
Cheshire East planners have recommended that the plans are approved with a number of conditions attached.
A final decision is set to be made at the council’s Strategic Planning Board this Friday, February 8.
The Appeal against the Cheshire East Council not deciding on the 270 homes planning outline is taking place today 5th March, Wed 6th, Thur 7th and Fri 8th in Macclesfield Town Hall. The Capesthorn Room, ground floor on left by door. The Inspector of Planning will hear comments from the public at this enquiry in person but not any written representations as the case is closed to new items. Cheshire East Council has not presented any evidence as they now approve the planning claim. See 12/2440n for full documentation. Main objections are road links and traffic light staging/timings. Edmund Wright Way being made through to Taylor Drive to mitigate congestion on Queens Drive and alteration of the lights at Water Lode and Taylor Drive at the Aqueduct. Your Council have sold out to save Stapeley and other sites from development. Your last chance to make comments is now in person at Macclesfield Town Hall until Friday. As the Council is not making representations, it could finish early. Gladman Developments can’t believe their luck as the site is described as undeliverable and the least developable of all the Nantwich sites. What has made them do this? Ask your local Councillor to explain, I can’t work it out. All the Parishes, town Council and locals object, why have the people been ignored in this matter. The Planning Inspector will decide the outcome in the next few days. Google 12/2440n for documents and details.
Please, please Cheshire East, spare a thought for the residents of Nantwich and surrounding areas. The “go ahead “for the development off Queens Drive would cause major problems in and around the town as the infrastructure can’t take anymore traffic. It is frustrating enough now to get into town from the Queens Drive direction. The traffic calming device on Welsh Row has caused more problems than it has solved, add another 200 plus cars and it will be horrendous. The traffic coming out of Queens Drive is from the rural villages between Nantwich and the Wrenbury/ Whitchurch/Cholmondley/ Malpas areas,(to name but a few) it’s not just residents of Queens Drive who use it.
There are so many plans for development in the Stapeley area surely this will satisfy the development requirements.
Nantwich just can’t take more homes….. there are so many unsold houses around here I can’t understand who would live in the new ones. Please we like OUR town as it is don’t let it become over developed.
The planners felt obliged to recommend acceptance because Cheshire East’s current 5 year allocation of new housing is lower than required by government rules. If the application had been refused, then Gladman would have appealed to the Secretary of State and there was a good chance the refusal would have been overturned. Thankfully the planning committee decided to defer making a decision until a later meeting.
At the same planning meeting a new 2013 SHLAA draft allocation of housing, which does satisfy official requirements, was put forward. Once this is approved and ratified the planners will be able to recommend refusal of planning applications such as this one.
Cheshire East now needs to work flat out to ratify the new SHLAA document before the next planning meeting, in order to protect this land and other similar sites which are totally unsuitable for new housing.
I agree with Stuart Hutton – it needs to be opposed. There are many issues within this application.
Cheshire East need to establish what their priorities are i.e consistent with the draft town plan. This document needs to be approved by Cheshire East that defines a clear strategy for the development and sustainability of future housing sites. Unfortunately whilst this document appears in a draft format it will be open to challenge by developers. Consequently, it would be in Nantwich Town Councils interest (and Cheshire East) to have a ‘blueprint’ to assess future developments against. Surely this is a benefit for all stakeholders.
Perhaps some of the builders so desperate to ‘cash in’ on the lovely town of Nantwich ought to be made to live in the shoe boxes they are building and negotiate the traffic morning and night due to the already over stretched roads in the town each day!!!!!!!!!!
I am interested to see that Nantwich has been targeted by Gladman Developments. I am so sorry for you. Here, in Northamptonshire, Daventry District Council approved a Gladman Devlopments plan for 200 huoses in the village of Woodford Halse. The only access to the village is via a steep hill situated in my home village of Byfield. There is a narrow road and a blind spot where it is difficult for pedestrians to see cars coming. To cap it all, within approximately 300 metres Five routes meet with two mini roundabouts. Here you have to negotiate the roundabouts to get to Banbury , Daventry and three local villages. The route is a rat run between the M40 and the M1. Gladman Is going to make the situation even worse. I despair.
Good luck to you in Cheshire. The HQ of Gladmans is in Congleton. Perhaps you could send a reporter to discover the truth.
Best Regards, Margaret Holland
This is completely unacceptable. We must do everything in our power to stop it. I am staggered by the incompetence of Cheshire East Planning in allowing this to go through.
It wouldn’t happen under a UKIP Planning Policy:
http://www.ukip.org/content/ukip-policies/1528-housing-and-planning-ukip-policy
My views on planning:
http://stuartthutton.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/development-in-our-towns.html
Bloody ridiculous!!!