Councillors have refused an application for a replacement concrete processing plant which has already been built in Wrenbury near Nantwich, writes Belinda Ryan.
The Graham Heath Group has had permission for several years to operate its existing concrete panel business at the site off Wrenbury Road, next to the village railway station.
They then applied to Cheshire East Council to change the use of that site at Station Yard from mixed storage and retail to general industrial, along with the provision of the replacement plant.
The application, recommended for approval by the council’s planning officers, was deferred by the southern planning committee earlier this month.
On Wednesday (August 30), when it was considered again, several councillors were concerned the new processing plant had already been built without permission – although it is not operational – and been moved closer to neighbouring houses.
Committee chair Joy Bratherton (Crewe, Lab) asked the applicant’s agent Carl Copestick: “What was the thinking behind building it prior to submitting an application for it, because it clearly has moved from where it was to a more local, residential part of the site than previously.”
Mr Copestick, who had earlier explained the existing plant had come to the end of its operational life, said: “You can replace the plant under permitted development rights but that plant should be on the same location, so that was an error.
“The re-location took place on a different part of the site because, from a logistical perspective, the existing plant would need to be turned off and immediately the new plant would need to be switched on, so replacing it on the same location, from an operational perspective, wouldn’t be ideal.”
Nantwich councillor Anna Burton (Lab) said: “To me, it would have made sense to shut down the other site and move the new machinery on to the old site and then you wouldn’t have the issue of having moved the machinery closer to the residential properties and everything else.”
Dane Valley councillor Andrew Kolker (Con) said he still didn’t believe conditions relating to dust and noise could be properly enforced.
He added: “It’s [new plant] much, much closer to residential properties.
“I see no way that the amenity and pleasure from the properties will not be impinged by this new site.”
Willaston and Rope councillor Allen Gage (Con) told the committee: “If this came through as a fresh application we wouldn’t let it be built so close to those houses, but we’re kind of being forced into it based on the existing geography of this site… I’d be quite upset if I lived in any of these houses.”
He recommended the application be refused and this was seconded by Cllr Kolker.
The application was unanimously refused by the committee on the grounds insufficient information was submitted to demonstrate that it would not cause cumulative harm to the adjacent neighbouring residential properties in terms of noise, disturbance and dust.
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