Kingsley Fields site, from Waterlode looking towards Reaseheath, new school to be built

Councillors in Nantwich have hit out at detailed plans unveiled for the Kingsley Fields 1,000-home development in the town.

North West Nantwich Consortium already has outline planning permission for the site which borders River Weaver, Waterlode, the A51 and Welshmans Lane.

But more detailed reserved matters plans displayed at a Nantwich Town Council meeting sparked a series of objections from councillors.

They claim developers have failed to take account of feedback and concerns made during initial consultations for outline permission.

These include the proposed ‘spine road’ through the development, connecting Waterlode to the proposed A51 Reaseheath bypass.

Michael Houlston, chairman of Acton, Edleston and Henhull Parish Council, said: “We are objecting to the proposals as they stand.

“All the traffic from this new development is going to have to go through the lights at Welsh Row. This will overload that junction completely.

“There is a road through the development, but it’s a residential street with right-hand bends, not the direct link connecting Waterlode and the A51 as was discussed time and time again!”

Nantwich Town Cllr Douglas Bowyer-Bates added: “Those 1,000 houses are likely to generate 1,500 more cars on our roads.

“We need a proper spine road for that amount of traffic, not a tree-lined 6.1m-wide residential street with traffic calming measures on.

“It’s going to be hell, so this spine road issue needs looking at urgently.”

Councillors also criticised the lack of consultation and labelled it more ‘notification’.

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Council clerk Ian Hope told the meeting: “They seem reluctant to change the plans from the outline planning permission made with Cheshire East highways.

“It seems developers are taking a hard line.

“They don’t want through traffic through the site as it could impact on property prices.

“Signage from Bluestone lights will be addressed at a later stage.

“But if it’s not signed Nantwich Town Centre, most traffic will go along Barony and down Beam Street, rather than the more obvious and more accessible new route to Snow hill.

“There’s no indication when the link road will be completed – it could be a number of years before that reaches the A51.

“There is no information on when the Reaseheath bypass will be completed.

“With regard to the primary school, they are quite happy to provide the site and contributions, but only when 500 houses have been built.

“This will mean around 150 children of primary school age living there before the school is even thought about – and it takes five years to build a new school.

“Those children will have to be schooled off site.

“The Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) is next to the school, when it should be next to the football club away from houses as it will be floodlit and in use up to 10pm.”

Cllr Arthur Moran added: “We need to emphasise strongly we need that school.

“This is reserved matters plans, we can object to these issues.

“We know and accept it is a preferred site for development in the Local Plan, we’re not against that.

“But we’ve got to get this right. This is our last chance, if we don’t get it right we will rue this for years to come.”

We contacted HOW Planning, agents for the North West Nantwich Consortium, and are awaiting a reply.

Members of the public can submit their comments on the plans before November 3.

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