Jubilant villagers can breathe a sigh of relief after plans to build 28 new homes in Tattenhall were unanimously rejected this week.

Councillors from Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Planning Committee decided the agricultural land, off Smithfields, would be ‘totally unacceptable’ due to its close proximity to many other houses.

A portion of the field already has been granted outline planning permission to the Bolesworth Estate for a further 28 homes.

Officers had initially recommended the plans for approval, but the application had been called in by Cllr Mike Jones, who represents the Tattenhall ward.

He told the meeting: “This is the most cynical attempt to destroy the Tattenhall Neighbourhood Plan and a flagrant disregard to the work of the community.”

The ruling comes in the same week the Tattenhall and District Neighbourhood Development Plan is being discussed by the Executive, where it will be decided whether the plan becomes part of the Development Plan for the borough, and part of CWaC’s planning policy.

At the meeting, Cllr Jones described the timing as ‘incredibly disappointing’.

“I was informed it would be after the Neighbourhood Plan was made. Even the Secretary of State is waiting for the Tattenhall Neighbourhood Plan before he makes a decision on three developments totalling 315 houses,” he said.

“Allowing this site will create a total development with the Redrow site and with the previous Smithfields application agreed, will create a development of 120 houses. This is massive urbanisation of the village of Tattenhall.  ”

However Matthew Morris, estate manager for the Bolesworth application, said they were simply responding to housing demands.

“ We are not land banking, Bolesworth has no intention of sitting on this permission. We want to deliver quality housing as rapidly as possible.”

Committee member Cllr Jill Houlbrook said: “It’s a Greenfield site surrounded by houses and we had to drive through several estates to get where the 28 houses that already have outline permission are going to be, and another 28 houses on top of that means another 56 cars, 56 car journeys per day, doubled maybe during school times and the whole thing is totally unacceptable.”

Councillors unanimously voted to reject the application because it was contrary to the Neighbourhood Plan.