Residents asked to keep up their fight against proposed housing development in Willaston

 

I am pleased that the members of the Strategic Planning Board of the Cheshire East Council have  rejected the proposed housing development of 170 houses off Moorfields and Wistaston Road in Willaston.

I campaigned for the application to be refused because it would have had a significant detrimental impact on the open countryside and the Green Gap and would take good agricultural land out of production for ever. Also the application is unsustainable for a variety of reasons. Roads in Willaston are congested and dangerous now at peak times. Parking is already a nightmare for many Willaston residents, particularly in the Wistaston Road area. Recently some buses had to divert from the centre of the village because the congestion is so bad they cannot get through with the bus. To have over 340 more cars a day added to the traffic movements can only lead to further highway congestion, more parking problems, add to the accident numbers and the pollution concerns. The local Primary School is already over subscribed and can’t take any more children. The Chairman of the Governors of the school wrote to the Council to tell them that the school does not have the facilities for the extra number of children that the development would generate. There is already a flooding problem across the village after heavy rain and this further development will add to the pressure on the capacity of the sewers. The nearest Secondary School and Health Centre are not within a safe walking distance because the road leading to them, is a narrow country lane which is unlit and there are no public footpaths.

In summary there were good planning reasons to reject this application. I strongly feel that applications like this should be refused because they are detrimental to the open countryside, impinge on the green gaps between our towns, uses valuable agricultural land and are unsustainable

The application will now go to appeal and will be decided by a planning inspector from Bristol at a  public inquiry later in the year. All those who have battled against this application  can feel pleased with the support they have now won from the Borough Council but they must continue the fight to ensure that the application is also thrown out at the appeal.

Brian Silvester
Cllr Brian Silvester BA (Hons) (Photo attached)

UK Independence Party Councillor

Willaston and Rope Ward Councillor

Cheshire East Council

11 Rimsdale Close

Rope,Crewe

CW2 6RS

Tel/fax 01270 567757

Twitter @CllrBSilvester

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