Chester residents' group still has concerns over Wrexham Road housing plan

A residents’ group accuses developers of seeking to ‘maximise profits’ at the expense of the community as plans evolve to deliver a massive 1,300-homes estate next to Wrexham Road in Chester.

The new neighbourhood will be created on farmland removed from the green belt when the Local Plan was adopted by Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC), as planning authority, to make provision for future growth.

But Westminster Park Residents’ Association (WPRA) still has concerns about whether the highway network will cope as well as the mix of housing and the ‘pathetic’ amount of space allocated to the on site primary school.

In June 2017 Redrow Homes lodged an application with Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) for 509 homes and associated infrastructure including a shopping centre with supermarket, restaurant and pub plus a health centre, nursery and primary school with playing fields.

Then two further planning applications were lodged by Taylor Wimpey containing plans for the construction of a further 816 houses on land opposite the King’s School and Chester Business Park.

Also submitted is a linked plan showing a proposed ecological area where great crested newts, a protected species, will be relocated.

Residents champion Jennifer Crew, vice-chairman of WPRA, said Highways England had concerns about the current traffic implications prompting a new computer modelling exercise by the developers.

She said discussions were continuing in the background over whether a multi-million pound western relief road, linking Wrexham Road with Sealand Road in a third Dee crossing, could be funded to ease traffic in the city centre.

Mrs Crew said the position of the proposed primary school and flood lit pitch, to serve the new estate, had been moved because of concerns from some residents in Whaddon Drive about noise and light pollution. But Mrs Crew described the amount of space allocated to the two form entry primary school, for more than 400 pupils, including its associated playground and single junior football pitch, as ‘pathetic’.

The residents’ group suggests the lack of bungalows for older people in the scheme comes down to the larger footprint taken up by such homes.

“They are all about maximising their profits, “ said Mrs Crew, whose group has also raised concerns about the relocation of great crested newts to new ponds because the specially created ecological area straddles Lache Lane. However, two extra ponds have now been added.

Mrs Crew concluded: “I think the new plans are just tinkering with the fringes. I don’t think there is any material improvement as far as the community is concerned. There are still going to be a massive problems with the traffic and the school is not fit for purpose as it stands.

“And the type of housing is not suitable for the community as it will be in 10 to 20 years’ time.”

She has been told the revised plans are due to be determined by CWaC on October 26 but she feels more time is required to allow interested parties to comment on the revised scheme. CWaC says it is ‘too early’ to confirm a specific date at the moment.

Taylor Wimpey and Redrow Homes have issued a joint statement in response to the concerns from the residents’ association. The developers say the scheme has been amended to take on board comments from local authority officers, statutory consultees and the local community. Faye Whiteoak, development director for Redrow Homes, said: “The combined effect of the four applications will be a development of 1,269 new homes and associated facilities. A local centre is at the heart of the proposal and would include a small supermarket, a group of retail units, a café/restaurant, a public house and a crèche. “We have moved the proposed 1.5 form entry primary school closer to the centre of the overall development. The school will also be located adjacent to the on-site playing fields, which include the provision of a 3G pitch, two playing fields and changing room facilities.” Steve Williams, project manager, for Taylor Wimpey, added: “The proposed development will provide a significant proportion of Chester’s housing need over the coming years, including affordable housing. It will deliver high quality housing in a well-designed landscaped setting. “The updated scheme revises the site accesses for the park and ride junction, Chester Business Park and Kings School, and provides for off-site improvements in relation to pedestrian and cycle provision. “A dedicated ecological mitigation area is being proposed to the south of the residential development. This will be a purpose built, high quality and managed ecological area, which will provide ideal habitat for Great Crested Newts to thrive.”