PLANS to build homes on a Frodsham town centre site are at a standstill.

The site has become landlocked after Vale Royal Borough Council changed its mind over allowing access through the station car park.

Despite winning planning permission to build 12 three-storey apartments and a three-storey office on the site of Gleave's builders yard, Frodsham-based developer Charter Homes says the council is blocking its scheme.

The scheme was rejected by the borough council last year on the grounds of over-supply of housing in Vale Royal.

Frodsham Town Council also objected to the scheme, citing over-supply of housing, over-development of the site, concern over the height of the proposed buildings and lack of parking space.

Charter Homes appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, which overturned the borough council's decision and granted planning permission for the proposed development.

However, the company cannot start the development because, it claims, Vale Royal Borough Council's estates department has pulled out of an earlier agreement to allow access to the site over the adjacent railway station car park, owned by the council.

A spokesman from Charter Homes, Dermot Fitzmaurice, said: 'A couple of years ago we reached an agreement with the borough council's estates department that, subject to planning permission and a payment to the council, there would be a permanent right of way.

'Now they have come back to say the car park is under consideration for alternative uses and as a result they cannot process the agreement.'

A builders' yard has operated from the site for more than 100 years. For the past 24 years, Gleave's has been run by Joe Halpin, who rents the right of way from the council.

Mr Halpin is transferring the business to operate alongside his family-run garden centre in Mill Lane, Frodsham. He said: 'The problem Charter is having over access to the site has not affected plans to transfer the business, which I hope to complete by January.

'As it is, the developer has won permission for these apartments but has no way of getting to them.'

A council spokeswoman said that they are in discussion with the developer.