A green belt housing scheme was approved at a village on the outskirts of Chester despite hundreds of objections.
MCI Developments and Plus Dane Group had previously submitted an application for 18 houses with 14 affordable dwellings and four market homes at the site off School Lane, Guilden Sutton.
The developers argued the scheme should be treated as an exemption to green belt policy because of the proportion of affordable homes and claimed an assessment showed that without the four market units, the development would not be viable.
But groups like the Campaign to Protect Rural England pointed out for an exemption to apply it must involve “a group of low cost dwellings immediately on the edge of or within a settlement in the green belt”.
When the scheme came before committee it was revised to 17 dwellings with every house categorised as affordable.
Resident Richard Haywood told Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning committee: “I’m here with many of my neighbours today and in spirit with the 300-plus objections from residents cited on the planning portal, also along with the parish council and the CPRE, all of which object to this planning application.
“Guilden Sutton residents are not against new developments or affordable housing per se.
“Testament to this fact is the recently approved and adjacent Wood Farm development that provides nine properties including three affordable properties. This had general support from the parish council and residents.”
Mr Haywood said the location was neither infill nor of limited scale as required under the rural exceptions policy.
However, councillors approved the plans in principle subject to the developer making a contribution towards open space and the extra costs facing the education department.
