Plans for up to 120 homes in the green gap in Shavington have been approved after councillors were warned they must “pick their battles” when they initially proposed to refuse the scheme, writes Belinda Ryan.
The application site, in the open countryside west of Crewe Road and south of Gresty Lane, comprises 5.8 hectares of agricultural land.
The proposal considered by Cheshire East’s strategic planning board was for outline permission for the homes, which includes 30% affordable, together with public open space, associated landscaping and a new access off Crewe Road.
Shavington parish councillor Claire Wain said the site is outside the settlement boundary and in the open countryside.
“And most importantly, the land is within the strategic green gap between Shavington, Rope, Willaston and Crewe, as defined in local plan strategy…. which exists to prevent coalescence and protect physical and visual separation between settlements,” she said.
Concerns were raised by councillors about access to schools and safe walking routes.
Cllr Marilyn Houston (Crewe, Lab) said with older children “I’d be wanting to encourage them to walk to school, but I wouldn’t want them to walk along Gresty Lane”.
Cllr Steve Edgar (Haslington, Con) said: “I would dearly like to propose a refusal based on road safety or something, but I can’t see it.”
He said his other concern was the erosion of the green gap.
Cllr Janet Clowes (Wybunbury, Con) did propose refusal.
She told the meeting: “It is an erosion of the green gap, whichever way you look at it.
“When we talk about coalescence, we are talking about the loss of a village.
“We are talking about a suburb of Crewe, and that is not appropriate, because that is going to happen all over the borough, and if this needs to be the test case for green gap and a fight against coalescence, then I would say refuse it.”
Head of planning David Malcolm agreed the application is contrary to green gap policy but warned the council was likely to lose if it went to appeal.
“I don’t think this is the one to test at appeal because it’s not on a sufficient scale, and that’s the point here,” he said.
“I was quoted last time saying we’ve got to pick our battles. I’ll say it again, we do need to pick our battles.”
Cllr Clowes withdrew her proposal to refuse the application and Cllr Martin Edwards (Crewe, Lab) then proposed it be approved, as per officers’ recommendation.
This was seconded by Cllr Heather Seddon (Congleton, Lab) and the scheme was approved with six voting in favour, three against and one councillor abstaining.
When you’ve got a government (and a local MP) hell bent on covering every field with as many houses as they can the council might as well save some money by making its planning department redundant.
Need a larger car park at rope lane surgery, and more spaces at local schools which will no doubt come from this estate
People just object for the sake of it these days so they can be seen to be doing something for the community. It was always obvious get would get planning even if it had to go to appeal