INTERVENTION by Frodsham mayor Andrew Dawson failed to halt plans dating back almost 10 years for 60 new homes in the town.

The application was made on land at Chapelfields by Widnes-based property developers Morbaine.

Eighteen of the dwellings would be affordable.

The ‘large-scale development’ was called in to Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning committee by Cllr Dawson (Con) as he was concerned about ‘damage’ to important parts of Frodsham and its heritage and the effect on traffic and local facilities.

Frodsham Town Council objected as the site was no longer zoned for housing. Councillors believed the application would constitute overdevelopment and would affect the conservation area.

There would be a mix of two and three-storey houses and four-storey apartments, according to a report.

Permission was first agreed in 2004 subject to a legal agreement.

A new permission was granted in 2007 but there was no progress during the next three years as the land is in multiple ownerships.

Cllr Dawson argued the development would affect listed buildings in the ancient town ‘which goes back far beyond the Domesday book’.

He referred to possible flood risk and pointed out the Environment Agency was consulting on turning off the pumps which drain Frodsham marshes.

The land was one of the few open spaces in the town and with the likelihood of 120 cars ‘we know that if you want to get out on to the main street you are in trouble’.

Residents did not believe the development would benefit the town as a whole, he argued.

Development planning manager Fiona Edwards pointed out there were no objections from the Environment Agency.

Permission was ‘reluctantly’ proposed by Cllr Eveleigh Moore Dutton (Con) and agreed by the committee on 9-1 vote with one abstention.