A COMMUNITY is anxiously awaiting the outcome of a crucial meeting that will decide if dozens of houses will be built in the centre of their village.

Residents in Kelsall are fervently hoping Bloor Homes’ planning application to demolish two homes and build 33 houses will be rejected at a meeting of the planning committee at Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) to be held on Tuesday.

They fear that if permission is granted at the meeting, it could pave the way for future housing developments to be built in surrounding villages.

Kelsall Parish Council chairman Terry Harrop, who has lived in the village since 1978, described the meeting as ‘critical’ for forthcoming applications, and should the Bloor development be given the green light, it could set ‘some harmful precedents’.

“We fully appreciate that planning officers are in a difficult situation with regards to government legislation but we hope that common sense will prevail,” he said.

"We would hope that if this was to get permission, others wouldn’t follow suit as it could make it more difficult for CWaC to refuse.

"We do have a Neighbourhood Plan that’s progressing well at this stage and the parish council as a whole would hope to be afforded the opportunity to ensure the community is developed in a manner that meets everyone’s needs.

"We are not against development, but do object to the location of this one; at this point I just can’t see any benefits of putting it in the centre of the village," he added.

Concerned residents fear the development would ‘add to the existing problems’ in the village, which include flooding risks, oversubscribed local schools and housing land supply.

The annual Kelsall Folk Festival which has been held on the village green every year since 1979, could also be affected by the development.

Mr Harrop said if the plans are approved on Tuesday, there would be some ‘very disappointed’ people in Kelsall.

"We’re keeping our fingers crossed but if it goes ahead we will just have to get on with it and look at the positives, if there are any.

"We’ll have to make the best of it."

The Chronicle tried to contact Bloor Homes for comment but, at the time of going to press, had not received a response.