A development of up to 1,100 houses, businesses, shops and a possible school in Nantwich has been recommended for approval.
The proposal, for land at Kingsley Fields (pictured), has been put forward by the North West Nantwich Consortium, including Reaseheath College.
It also includes allotments, open spaces, cycleways, access road, and landscaping on 58 hectares of open farmland bound by the A51, Welshman’s Lane, Nantwich Town FC and the River Weaver.
Applicants are seeking outline planning permission from Cheshire East Council’s Strategic Planning Board on Monday December 9.
And planning officers have recommended that it be approved with conditions attached.
Forty letters have been received from local residents and interested parties, 17 objecting, 19 in support, and the remainder make general observations on the proposal.
Some organisations have raised “concerns” and called for amendments to the plans.
English Heritage has said there is some potential for the setting of the registered Battlefield of Nantwich to be affected, but that “impact is unlikely to be substantial”.
Cheshire Wildlife Trust has requested plans to be modified to avoid any development on flood plains, and to protect wildlife such as water voles and other habitats.
Acton, Eddleston & Henhull Parish Council said it will not object but has called for a number of conditions, including a Waterlode to A51 link road.
Worleston & District Parish Council said it was reluctant to support the application, but “recognises that the sponsors of the development, Reaseheath College, are a significant local employer and generally a good neighbour”.
Nantwich Town Council also said it was “opposed” to large scale development in the town such as this.
“If Nantwich has to accept some major growth, the town council considers that the Reaseheath/Kingsley Fields site is the option that will cause the least harm. The site should however be phased so that brownfield sites within the town are developed first.”
One of the biggest concerns is traffic impact, and planning officers have called on developers to make major contributions to improving the road network around Nantwich.
This includes more than £1.3 million to improve the Burford Crossroads, with the re-alignment of Chester Road away from the junction.
Another major concern is availability of school places. With most primary schools already full, developers may be required to fund a new £2.3 million school on the development, as well as more than £1 million to help accommodate the extra secondary school age pupils.
In a report to go before councillors on Monday, officers state: “The proposed development would make an important contribution in terms of affordable housing provision and this would be a significant benefit.
“Although there would be some visual impact resulting from the loss of open countryside, 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.
“It is also acknowledged there will be some additional impact upon the existing highway network, however financial contributions towards junction improvements will adequately mitigate for this impact.
“The proposal is a sustainable form of development offering a balance of housing and commercial uses and in the absence of any identified significant adverse impacts, a recommendation of approval is made.”
These developments provide a huge increase in revenue to the Council, way over and above the cost of providing additional services. No wonder the Council are keen to increase their income to compensate for their appalling financial management.
I have land near to this proposed site. When I queried with the council about putting a log cabin on my land and being allowed business use for equestrian purposes, I was told I would not be allowed to do either as they didnt want to develop the countryside further. How then is this development being pushed ahead with planning consent? If one log cabin is not allowed, how can an entire development of bricks and mortar be acceptable in the countryside?
Reaseheath greed coming to the forefront once again.
Shame they couldn’t have earmarked some of this land to compensate for the closure of the Golf Course.
It appears that any application that is supported by Reaseheath gets the go ahead, what is happening with the planning department in Cheshire East, have they got no balls.
I am totally against any more large scale housing developments in Nantwich. The town has already expanded greatly and there is no actual need fir a development if this scale in a small town. Where is the need?? Kingsley Fields has already been developed along with land hat was attached to Malbank School and no more housing is needed there. This is just money grabbing developers wanting to stick there nose into a thriving town that has a good sense of community spirit but this is being stripped away by these large developments of samey houses and flats. Nantwich is a small market town with a gorgeous town centre, adding a development of this scale to what is already a growing town is unnecessary and vulgar.