Controversial homes plan in conservation area gets the final OK

WORK on a controversial housing development in a conservation area is imminent after final planning issues were passed by councillors.

A Cheshire East planning meeting has agreed details of a 12-home scheme on land on the former bowling green, Ingersley Vale, Bollington.

The development had previously been given outline planning permission granted on appeal in July this year and the meeting was to decide on the layout and landscape of the plans.

Speaking on behalf of developers Ingersley Crescent Ltd, Caroline Payne addressed the committee.

She said: “We could be on site in the next few weeks.

“This amended scheme moves the development slightly further away from Rainow Mill Cottages.

“The details submitted are entirely consistent with the information before the inspector and the materials to be used have been approved by the council’s conservation officer.

“The appeals decision on the outline application required only appearance and landscape to be approved at this reserved matters stage.”

Work on the scheme, which is expected to take around a year to com- plete, will create 11 twoand-a-half storey townhouses and one two-storey detached house.

A total of 18 objections were received over two periods of consultation.

Reasons given included overlooking and impact on privacy and overshadowing from the height of the dwellings.

Bollington town councillor Ken Evans urged the committee to delay their decision.

He said: “The town council has consistently objected to this development.

“Its size, siting and design will have an unacceptable effect on the Bollington conservation area.

“There’s little that can be done about the deeply unsatisfactory road conditions which provide a pinch point where cars cannot pass each other.

“We understand highways are powerless to make proper arrangements for the free flow of traffic as the road is unadopted and the ownership unknown.”

Kate McHale, a Rainow Mills Cottages resident, said that the development would extinguish forever what little light entered her kitchen diner.

She added: “The development is positioned only 16 metres from our house. It would be like closing the lid on a box.”

The committee narrowly passed the scheme by six votes to four with one abstention.