Huge funding boost for new homes plan

A MASTERPLAN to build almost a 1,000 new homes in the south of the town has been given a huge funding boost.

The Government has agreed to pay £10m towards a new link road between Congleton Road and London Road, which will serve a new housing estate known as the South Macclesfield Development Area.

It comes after a successful bid from the Engine of the North, Cheshire East Council’s development company, which was given the green light to build 950 homes, a primary school and supermarket in the south of the town in September last year.

The SMDA was given the go ahead in September last year. The plan also includes a 4,000sqm retail development and space for warehousing and offices. Permission was granted despite being unable to offer the normal levels of affordable housing, public open space, or expected contributions for highways, ecological mitigation and education.

Developers claimed they could only afford to pay £3.8m towards improving open space, highways and education, because of ‘abnormal costs’ associated with building the £19.5m link road from Congleton Road to London Road and the £11m needed to prepare the site to be built on.

In order to push the scheme through officers said they were also are willing to accept that only 10 per cent of the 950 homes will be affordable

The money comes from the Government’s £2.3billion pot for housing infrastructure funding.

A further £10m - also awarded to Cheshire East - will go towards a new link road as part of the Leighton Green scheme in Crewe.