Go-ahead likely for 13 home development in Chester village

Sep 26 2008 by David Norbury, Chester Chronicle

OUTLINE plans for housing development on a controversial Green Belt site are recommended for approval.

The application has been made at The Cedars, Plemstall Lane in Mickle Trafford by F McClements.

Two redundant poultry sheds on the smallholding just outside Mickle Trafford have been the subject of a number of planning applications in the last three years with permission being granted for business and storage.

Three other mainly business applications have been refused.

Chester's planning board is due to hear at a meeting on Wednesday (October 1) that approval is being sought for nine detached and four semi-detached homes.

The semis would be affordable rented accommodation.

The application is opposed by Cheshire County Council and neighbours have sent in 10 letters, six of which object.

They point out the development would be on Green Belt land and would be contrary to the Mickle Trafford and District Parish Plan.

It would harm the character of the village and would set an undesirable precedent for similar developments in the Green Belt.

Concern has been put forward that additional housing would add to trespass and vandalism on a nearby railway and could lead to increased risk of flooding.

Other occupiers say they support the scheme on the grounds that housing is preferable from a highway safety point of view than the approved business and storage use.

Mickle Trafford and District Parish Council believes the scheme would be overdevelopment and would harm the Green Belt.

Councillors are also concerned about highway safety.

Sufficient special reasons have been put forward to justify the development, the planning board will hear, including the fact that business and storage has proved unpopular with local residents.

Housing would also be less harmful to the Green Belt.

Planning officers accept that business development would have "a significantly greater effect" than 13 dwellings, particularly in terms of traffic.

The properties would cause no greater harm to the character of the open countryside than the disused poultry sheds, they suggest and would be more consistent with the character of the locality.

They describe the scheme as "relatively low density'' and feel there will be a greater sense of openness on the holding than the current poultry sheds.

Recommending the application should be approved subject to the views of the Government Office for the North West, planners argue very special circumstances exist and the development will improve the character and quality of the area.