Willaston councillor “calls in” application to build five homes

A Willaston councillor has “called in” a proposal to build five detached houses in the village, branding it “contentious”.

Cllr Brian Silvester said he was “amazed” that a planning officer at Cheshire East Council was going to decide on the plan for the detached houses on land off Cheerbrook Road.

Now the plans are likely to go before the Southern Planning Committee.

Cllr Silvester (pictured) said: “The application is in the open countryside and the Green Gap so I was amazed to be advised that the planning officer was going to decide it himself without it going to committee.

“I thought it was such a contentious application that it needed to be put before the committee so I have called it in.

“I think it should be refused because it is in the open countryside and green gap, it is tandem development and the access down the side of the existing house is too narrow.

“I hope the planning committee will refuse it.

“In the past year councillors have passed two housing applications in the green gap in Willaston and I hope that now they will listen too local people and save the precious green gap.

“Local people are getting punch drunk with application after application in the village but I urge them to write in to object.

“We managed to stop the enormous slurry lagoon in the village so we hopefully we can stop this development as well.”

In a report from agents Emery Planning, on behalf of applicant Mr M Freeman, it cites the lack of a Local Plan by Cheshire East.

“Where the development plan is absent, silent or relevant policies are out of date, local planning authorities should be granting permission unless any adverse impacts would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits,” it continues.

“It has been demonstrated that there would be no adverse impacts from the development that would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits when assessed against the policies in the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework).”

Residents have until December 3 to submit their comments on the application which can be viewed online here.