Cheshire East Council’s Leader has warmly welcomed a planning inspector’s decision to block plans for a housing development in Congleton.
Councillor Michael Jones said the decision showed that the Council had been right to refuse planning permission for up to 104 homes at Waggs Road on highways grounds.
The appeal victory is the Council’s second in as many weeks, following refusal of planning permission for a housing development at historic Grade II listed Dingle Farm, in Sandbach, on heritage grounds.
After a three-day inquiry in October, inspector Olivia Spencer concluded that Belway Homes’ proposals for Waggs Road would have an adverse effect on highway safety and rejected the appeal against refusal of permission for the new homes.
The previous December, the Council’s strategic planning board had rejected the scheme saying the proposals would have a detrimental effect on Waggs Road.
Ms Spencer said: “The harm I have identified in respect of highway safety ... would be in direct conflict with the objective of the social role of the planning system to support the well-being of the community.”
She also added that, in the absence of appropriate mitigating measures, ‘the detrimental effect of the development on the safety of highway users would, I consider, be severe’.
Councillor Jones said: “I am delighted that the inspector has backed this Council’s decision to refuse planning permission. This is very good news for Congleton and Cheshire East.
“A second appeal victory in as many weeks shows we can stand up to developers and prevent inappropriate and unsustainable development.
“It shows that we are continuing to fight for the interests of Cheshire East’s residents – and having some hard-earned successes.
“People can be assured that we will make every effort to prevent inappropriate development, to preserve our precious heritage and get the right development in the right location.”
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