Guardian News
Controversial plans to build homes in The Green to be revisited by council yet again
9:00am Saturday 28th January 2012
A CONTROVERSIAL homes plan that was approved despite an overwhelming outcry from residents will be brought before the council again in March.
As reported in the Guardian, an outline application to build 64 properties in The Green, Middlewich, was given the thumbs up by Cheshire East Council in October.
Now applicants Muller Property Group and Persimmon Home have submitted full details and blueprints for the scheme which are expected to be discussed by the authority’s planning committee on March 21.
The borough council’s decision to approve the outline plans on greenbelt land caused anger in the community as an earlier proposal for 68 homes was unanimously refused.
“One of the reasons it was refused in the first place was the volume of traffic coming onto a narrow road,” said Stephen Larkin, who has lived in The Green since he was a three-year-old in 1951.
“The council now say it’s big enough but I don’t think so.
“It’s like a green island surrounded by properties but now the council deems it fit to pass the plans.”
At the time, residents launched a protest that was supported by Fiona Bruce MP.
And when the plans were approved, Clr Keith Bagnall, of Middlewich Town Council, accused Cheshire East of ignoring the needs of Middlewich saying the proposal was contrary to the local plan.
A report by Harris Lamb says that the development of the 2.25 hectare site, which will include 30 per cent affordable housing, will help the council meet its shortfall of housing land supply and ‘prove an asset to the wider Middlewich community’.
It says: “The proposals will make a significant contribution to the supply of family housing in Middlewich while retaining the open character of The Green.”