Just When you Think its all Over

Just when you think it's all over!

Parish Councillors had just recovered from what appeared to be the final stage of the planning application to build 120 dwellings at Little Heath (reserved matters) when they were approached by McCarthy and Stone just days after Cheshire East had given approval.

McCarthy and Stone are a national company that builds apartments for 'Retirement Living'. In informal discussions with McCarthy and Stone Parish Councillors discovered the following:

McCarthy and Stone want to build a two-storey block of 24 or 25 apartments on the Little Heath site adjacent to Little Heath Barns; The proposed site is where Anwyl Construction had gained approval to erect 10 of the houses. This means that instead of 120 dwellings on the whole site, there would be 134 or 135;

McCarthy and Stone have been in discussion with Cheshire East planners for about 15 months and with Anwyl Construction since January this year.

In other words, before Anwyl Constructio submitted their planning application; The draft layout that McCarthy and Stone brought with them only allowed for 19 or 20 parking spaces – less than one per apartment and considerably fewer than the number required in the Neighbourhood Plan.

McCarthy and Stone are planning to submit their application in January 2017.

Whilst accepting that there is a need for such a development, it is a long way from the village centre and would require residents to use a car just to reach the shops Those on foot or motorised scooter would need to cross over Cheshire Street twice.Needlessto say, Parish Councillors made it clear that they were extremely concerned at this revised proposal, which appears to make a mockery of the planning process by trying to circumvent the restriction on the number of dwellings on the site.

As a result of the meeting, the Parish Council has written to the Head of Planning asking for confirmation

a) how the potential increase on the site from 120 to 134/135 can be allowed, and
b) that the planners were in discussion with McCarthy and Stone at the time the reserved matters application was approved.
The letter also quoted the Decision Notice for Anwyl Construction which states very clearly that any variation to the approved planning layout must require a new application to be submitted.

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