Plans for 325 New Homes in Sandbach Face Over 1,100 Objections

Controversial plans for the construction of up to 325 homes in Sandbach have been recommended for approval, despite facing significant opposition from the local community. The proposal, submitted by Bloor Homes, involves developing a site of 19.28 hectares of open countryside and agricultural land located between Manor Road and the A533. Alongside the housing, the project includes plans for a community park and promises that 30 per cent of the homes will be classified as affordable.

The Cheshire East Council’s strategic planning board is set to consider the application on November 19, 2023. The council’s planning officers have acknowledged the site’s designation within the open countryside, where national and local policies typically restrict development. However, they noted that the council currently lacks a five-year land supply, a situation that has arisen following changes to the national planning policy framework implemented at the end of last year.

A report from the council’s planning officer states: “The loss of open countryside is balanced against the benefits of providing much-needed housing on the edge of one of the borough’s key service centres… The site is sustainable, is not of particular landscape value, and the delivery of the site for residential development will provide a positive contribution towards the council’s housing land supply while representing an efficient use of land. The principle is therefore acceptable.”

Local opposition to the proposal has been robust, with 1,100 objections submitted from over 600 addresses, including from local ward councillors. The objections cite more than 50 reasons against the development. Notably, Sandbach Town Council has formally objected, asserting that the application is “procedurally unlawful.” The council claims that the submitted information is “substantively deficient” across various areas, including biodiversity, flood risk, and highways.

Betchton Parish Council has also expressed concerns, arguing that the numerous new documents provided by the developers seem aimed at confusing the public. They maintain that the alterations are significant enough to warrant a declaration of the outline planning application as invalid and call for the process to restart with fresh public consultations.

The council’s planning officers, while acknowledging the objections, reiterated their stance on the necessity of housing development. They emphasized that the proposal aligns with the current strategies outlined in the Cheshire East Local Plan. The planning meeting will take place at Crewe Municipal Buildings at 10:30 AM on November 19. As the date approaches, the outcome remains highly anticipated by both supporters and opponents of the project.