Plan for 40 new homes in Cheshire hamlet goes to appeal

Dec 9 2008 by David Norbury, Chester Chronicle

A DECISION by councillors to overturn the advice of their officials and refuse permission for more than 40 new homes in a Chester hamlet has led to an appeal.

The development was proposed on industrial and commercial land on Tattenhall Road, Newton by Tattenhall by Mr R Blackham and Blackham Developments where it would more than double the number of dwellings in the locality.

The site is occupied by a number of commercial buildings and The Oak Room pub, originally a Victorian hotel, all of which are vacant, together with a yard and a car park.

The commercial part of the site was previously occupied by an architectural salvage business which has moved to premises on the opposite side of the road.

The land at one time provided storage for Tattenhall Station.

Thirty nine new dwellings would be built, planning officers at Chester City Council were told and four self-contained flats would be created above the pub.

The pub itself would be retained and refurbished and a small shop would be reinstated attached to the pub.

The vacant commercial buildings and modern additions to the pub would be demolished.

The traditional design houses would be mainly two storey dwellings arranged as semis and in terraces.

Objections were raised by Cheshire County Council and by the city council's affordable housing officer who said the development would not include any affordable housing.

Forward planners at the Town Hall argued the site is in an unsustainable location and there would be a loss of employment land.

The development was opposed by Tattenhall and District Parish Council which believes it is premature and that a master plan for the hamlet should be produced.

The density of housing was too high, councillors felt and would detract from adjacent cottages.

Parish councillors pointed to the lack of affordable housing and said parking was inadequate and the scheme would affect highway safety.

They were also concerned about the possibility of flooding.

The city council had seven objections from residents raising similar concerns and arguing the developers had not identified a need for the proposed housing which, they said, would significantly impair views of the open countryside towards Beeston and Peckforton.

Occupiers were also worried about the effect of the development, taken with other large-scale projects in the area including a nearby 300 berth marina, which they felt would be highly detrimental in terms of traffic and light pollution.

Councillors heard that Chester district is required to provide 7,500 new houses by 2021 with eight out of 10 being built on previously used land.

They were told that “large windfall sites”, such as the land in Newton by Tattenhall, can play a “major role” in ensuring the district's housing targets are met.

Planning officers accepted the land is in a rural area but said the benefits include the redevelopment of the vacant site.

They point out it can lawfully be used for a variety of business purposes including storage and warehousing and has previously seen the storage of haulage vehicles, a motor repair garage, a reclamation yard and a coal yard.

Since 1992 it has had a permit to allow the storage of up to 1,500 tonnes of any hazardous substance.

“The applicants have indicated they intend to dispose of the land for commercial purposes if this application for housing development does not succeed,” said a report.

It argued the use of the site for business purposes does not conform to the character of the area and has the potential to cause significant harm to the visual amenity of the open countryside and nearby dwellings.

The development would allow for the creation of a pub and shop which could serve the “significant levels of visitors” to the area expected from the large marina, said planning officers.

They accepted the development would normally be required to include 22 affordable homes but said the applicants had shown this would make the scheme unviable bearing in mind the high value of the site for commercial purposes and the current economic slowdown.

The developers had offered three homes at a 30% discount together with a financial contribution towards affordable housing in Tattenhall, according to the report.

Recommending the application should be approved, planning officers said the Environment Agency had raised no objection with regard to flood risk.

Councillors were asked to agree the development subject to a number of conditions including the pub and shop to be let before the first dwelling is occupied and a legal agreement to cover the affordable housing.

Raising concerns about the amount of industrial development taking place in the hamlet, Tattenhall City Cllr Mike Jones (Con,) told Chester’s planning board he had “no problem” with the principle of developing the site for housing.

Pointing out he had “fought very hard” for Chester district to have growth point status, he said there was “a desperate need” for affordable housing and none was proposed in the development.

This was in direct contradiction to the city council's policies.

He pointed out there are was an opportunity for housing to be provided to support industrial development in the neighbourhood but said the jobs might not be well paid and low cost housing was needed.

Supporting proposals for a masterplan for the area, he believed the application was “premature” and asked for it to be refused.

Offering strong support to Cllr Jones's comments, Boughton Heath Cllr Jim Latham (Lib Dem) said the parish council held similar views and described the site as “isolated” with no local facilities except a bus stop on a road with no pavements.

The proposed new marina, he argued, was not immediately accessible to the development.

“We do need a comprehensive look at the area,” he suggested adding: “We should support the parish council.”

Cllr Latham told the board he believed the application should be deferred.

Cllr Gwyn Cooper (Lab, City & St Anne’s) asked if there was a timetable for a masterplan while College ward Cllr Janet Black (Lab) said she was concerned at the lack of affordable housing.

Development control manager Fiona Edwards pointed out the city council is required to seek 80% of new housing on previously used land and has only 4.4 years supply of housing land available when the requirement is for five years.

“I feel this offers a positive contribution,” she suggested.

Cllr Jones suggested there was a “sizeable difference” between the value of the affordable housing which was proposed by the developer and that which was being provided by other housebuilders in Chester district.

The board agreed on a 12-0 vote with one abstention that the application should be refused as the site, set in open countryside, was not sustainable and did not include affordable homes.

Councillors also believed that there should be a master plan for the hamlet.

The developers have now appealed to communities and local government secretary Hazel Blears who is to appoint an inspector to decide the issues at a hearing.

The city council says any additional comments are due with the Planning Inspectorate by New Year's Day.

Views should be sent to the inspectorate in Room 3/18a, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN.