Residents vow to fight greenbelt homes application

ANGRY residents have vowed to fight a proposal to build on the greenbelt in Prestbury.

More than 60 residents from Chelford Road, Collar House Drive, Packsaddle Park and surrounding areas packed into Prestbury Village Club to discuss a planning application which has been submitted to Cheshire East Council.

The outline planning application is to build 15 houses on land designated in the greenbelt which is to the North of Chelford Road and lies to the western edge Prestbury, adjacent to Collar House Drive. Five of the dwellings will be affordable housing.

A total of 74 letters have been submitted to Chesh- ire East to comment on the plans, all of which object to them. Prestbury Parish Council is also against the proposal.

There is a supporting statement for the application by agent for the applicant, JWPC Ltd.

It reads: “While the existing site is currently undeveloped and falls within part of the Chesh- ire greenbelt, there is a history of representations and inspector comments which have considered the release of the site from the North Cheshire Green Belt, even to the extent that in 1982, the Local Plan Inspector recommended removal.”

But protesters say that there are ‘no special circumstances’ proved for changing the status of the land from greenbelt, and that the extra access points and vehicles that would use the road would create highway problems.

The meeting was also attended by Prestbury ward Coun Paul Findlow, and Macclesfield MP David Rutley, who both vowed to fight the plans.

In a letter to the council objecting to the applica- tion, Mr Rutley MP writes: “I attended the packed residents’ meeting at Prestbury Village Club, at which all those who attended opposed the proposed development. I am in full support of this opposition.

“The proposed development will have a clear harmful impact on the openness of the greenbelt land adjoining the Chelford Road. The proposal to build fifteen dwellings on the land north of Chelford Road will permanently damage the greenbelt. There is no evidence of ‘very special circumstances’ to override the harm to the green belt.

“In addition, there are major road safety concerns relating to the proposal.”