168-home development at Land At Dean Row Road, Wilmslow

The site and its setting

The nine-hectare site comprised open fields beside Dean Row Road, Cross Lane, Browns Lane, Bailey Road and Grimshaw Close, with trees, hedgerows and a pond.

“The application site comprises a number of gently undulating open fields (totalling 9 hectares in area) bordered by Dean Row Road to the east, Cross Lane to the south, Browns Lane to the west, and Bailey Road and Grimshaw Close (on the relatively recently constructed Heathfield Farm development) to the north. The site has an existing vehicular access from Dean Row Road. There are a number of trees and hedgerows within the site, and an existing pond.”

“There are several individual trees and tree groups within and adjacent to the site protected by Tree Preservation Orders.”

Officer report

Relevant planning history

The site was safeguarded land, and an adjacent development of 161 homes was approved in 2018.

“The site is allocated as Safeguarded Land within the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy under policy LPS58. The site is located within the Open Countryside and falls within the Council’s Ecological Network Core Areas and Ecological Network Restoration Areas, a Groundwater Source Protection Zone and Aerodrome Safeguarding area of Manchester Airport.”

“Adjacent site 17/5637M - 161 dwellings, associated access, drainage, and the provision of public open space and landscaping – Approved 07.08.2018”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because housing benefits, open space, active travel, biodiversity, renewable energy and drainage improvements outweighed limited policy and agricultural land harm.

“The proposal would provide benefits in the form of the delivery of 168 dwellings, 30% of which would be affordable. It would provide publicly accessible open space, and active travel linkages through the site connecting to existing facilities.”

“Weighing against these benefits would be the policy harm associated with the identified conflict with policies PG4, PG6 and LPS58 of the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy. These policy conflicts are considered to attract only limited weight given the provisions of NPPF paragraph 11d).”

Officer report

What people objected to

Residents and local representatives objected over flooding, safeguarded land, traffic, construction access, ecology, trees, infrastructure, housing mix, landscape and living conditions.

“Cllr Anderson – Raises the following concerns: • Landscape and neighbours not taken into account. • Redesign has ignored concerns on flooding and traffic impact. • Flood assessment is incorrect, with no mention of sewage flooding caused during phase 1 • Incorrect assessment of housing needs.”

“Not plan led growth • Safeguarded land protected during plan period • 5YHLS issue does not override safeguarded land policy • Inadequate education infrastructure • BNG requirements not met • Inaccurate ecological information • Cumulative impact on local roads • NPPF para 50 allows weight to be given to prematurity • Inappropriate non-native planting • Landscape value of site • Poorly conceived and intrusive cycle route • Lack of community consultation • Overdevelopment •…”

Officer report

Who spoke at the meeting

The meeting heard from three councillors, an objector and the agent.

The committee’s decision

The committee resolved to approve the application subject to conditions and a Section 106 agreement.

“That application 25/2071/FUL be APPROVED subject to the following conditions and S106 Agreement;”

Minutes

Conditions and agreement

The decision included a two-year implementation limit, 39 conditions and contributions for education, sport, allotments, open-space management and affordable housing.

“Conditions 1. 2-year time limit for implementation. 2. Development in accordance with approved plans. 3. Materials as application. 4. Landscaping – submission of details. 5. Landscaping – implementation of approved details. 6. Archaeology – written scheme of investigation to be submitted and implementation. 7. Updated conceptual site model to be submitted, and if required an updated Phase II ground investigation and remediation strategy to be submitted. 8.”

“Bird Hazard Management Plan to be submitted. 20. No reflective materials (including solar PV) to be added to buildings. 21. Dust and smoke management plan to be submitted. 22. Glint and glare assessment to be submitted prior to installation of any solar PV panels. 23. Solar PV panels to be bird proofed (no gap beneath the panels). 24. Biodiversity Gain Plan to be submitted. 25.”

Minutes