Cheshire East voted it is “minded to approve” a controversial housing proposal for Wybunbury – but the applicants had already lodged an appeal and could now have to wait months for a planning inspector’s decision.
Martin and Simon Poole applied for permission in principle (PIP) to build up to six homes on a field off Bridge Street at Wybunbury.
The council’s planners had recommended the application be approved when it went before the southern planning committee at the end of July.
But councillors deferred it so they could visit the site to see what impact the development would have on the surrounding area.
This week councillors were told the decision will be made by a planning inspector because the applicants had appealed against the council’s failure to determine the application within the statutory time limit – which is five weeks for a PIP application.
But the committee this week still had to give an indication as to whether they would have approved or refused it – and they narrowly voted they were “minded to approve”.
Cheshire East planning officer Dan Evans told the meeting: “Logically, I can’t see the benefit in doing it [appealing], because an inspector’s decision could take up to nine months.
“In my view, it would have been better to wait for the outcome of this meeting, which was a matter of a week and a half from when they lodged their appeal.”
The committee heard from Wybunbury Cllr Janet Clowes (Con) that the application was “opportunistic” and the site conflicts with the council’s development plan and the neighbourhood plan.
Speaking as a visiting member, Cllr Clowes said: “We cannot afford to nibble away at the edges of our settlement boundaries, which are also our conservation sites.
“These are so important, and once you build on them, they’re gone forever.”
Because the application was for permission in principle, councillors could only consider the location, land use and amount of development.
Cllr Andrew Kolker (Dane Valley, Con) said he sympathised with villagers, but added: “I am really, really struggling to think of any reasons why this should not be approved as a planning in principle application.
“We’re simply looking at the principle of development, nothing else, so, with that in mind, I propose approval.”
Cllr Ben Wye (Crewe, Lab) said he teaches on-road cycling for children at the local primary school “and it’s the only place in the whole of Cheshire that we won’t let them ride on the road”.
He said in in terms of sustainability, it is dangerous.
Cllr Linda Buchanan (Shavington, Lab) said: “I think, within the terms of the village, this is an inappropriate location because of the value of the countryside.”
Three councillors voted they were minded to approve the application, two voted against and five abstained.
Mr Evans told the committee the council would advise the planning inspectorate it would not be submitting an appeal statement.
He added officers will write to residents and they can make representations to the inspector, who will now make the final decision.
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