Controversial King’s plans set for go ahead

MAJOR proposals for a new Kings School on Green Belt land have been recommended for approval by council planners.

The controversial planning application to build a new school in Prestbury and sell off its current sites for housing was rec- ommended for refusal when it last went before councillors on the strategic planning board in May.

But Cheshire East officers have recommended a revised plan - which increases the amount of affordable housing to 10 per cent and includes a £550,000 ‘education contribution’ - is approved, subject to conditions.

King’s applied to build the new school on green belt at Prestbury to merge its current sites at Fence Avenue and Cumberland Street.

To pay for the new school it wants to build 300 homes at Fence Avenue and 150 homes at Cumberland Street, on the Westminster Road playing fields.

There has been widespread opposition due to the threat to the green belt. Opponents say it fails to provide enough affordable housing, did not include enough money to reduce the strain on schools from the new housing, as well as concerns over green belt and traffic.

But representatives from the school have been in discussions with council officers to come up with a deal which has satisfied the officers.

Dr Simon Hyde, headteacher at King’s School, said: “The school welcomes the decision of Council Officers to recommend the planning applications for approval and we look forward to the meeting of the Strategic Planning Board on 27 July.”

Officers say the harm to the green belt has been outweighed by the benefits of the proposals, par- ticularly with the threat of King’s leaving Macclesfield if the plans fail to go ahead.

The school has agreed to provide a double roundabout at the junction at Prestbury Road/ Priory Lane/ Macclesfield Road instead of traffic lights.

It originally offered £383,000 as an education contribution but the council said it wanted £1,352,000 after three other housing developments were approved in the town. Kings has come back with an offer of £550,000 saying this is still a ‘significant risk’ to the school and arguing it will be providing facilities for the community.

It increased its affordable housing offer from 5pc to 10pc of houses to be sold at a 20pc discount.