Campaigners in Nantwich have lost their battle to stop 40 houses being built on green land off Audlem Road.
An appeal by Wainhomes (Northwest) Ltd has been upheld by the Planning Inspectorate who granted permission for the development on land behind 144 Audlem Road.
It follows a four-day inquiry into the appeal in June, which included a site visit.
And it now means developers can demolish the bungalow at no.144, and build a new access road into the development.
Wainhomes took it to appeal, claiming non-determination of the original application by Cheshire East Council.
In the appeal decision, planning inspector Mike Robbins outlines a number of issues he considered, in particular the claim by Cheshire East Council that it already had a 5-year Housing Land Supply in place.
Mr Robbins disagreed with this, and concluded that Cheshire East had failed to demonstrate a “robust five year Housing Land Supply”.
Protect Stapeley campaigner Pat Cullen said it was “bad news” for the area.
“This means that Audlem Road will be narrowed even more,” he said.
“And again, despite what Council Leader Michael Jones keeps telling us, Cheshire East did not have a 5-year housing land supply.”
Many residents have fought the plans over fears of the impact on traffic on the narrow section of A529 Audlem Road.
However, in his report, Mr Robbins states: “This is an A road which carries traffic approaching or leaving Nantwich.
“The traffic flows on this road are relatively low and this would accord with the fact that the road does not provide a particularly favoured route to destinations to the south.
“A width restriction to the north and a signalised junction to the south influence existing traffic flows and speeds, and I consider the proposed scheme would provide benefits for existing properties, particularly along the western side of the road.
“While visibilities available to drivers exiting the proposed junction would be at or just below those recommended by guidance, I consider that this would not represent material harm to highway safety.”
He also said that impact on character of area and loss of agricultural land was of “moderate” consideration to the overall development.
Cheshire East Council has been contacted and we are awaiting its reaction.
That’s just great!! More houses being built in an area that doesn’t need houses on a road that cannot handle extra construction traffic. What a load of rubbish. So the residents on Audlem road are going to have to put up with months of extra traffic, noise, construction traffic.
Another example where technicalities overrule common sense. Who are all these people who wish to buy houses in Nantwich?144 was up for sale for a number of years before a builder bought it