Plans for new King’s School APPROVED
CON T E N T I O U S plans for a new King’s School on green belt land have been APPROVED by the council’s planning committee.
At a five-hour crunch meeting of Cheshire East’s Strategic Planning Board at Macclesfield Town Hall councillors voted by six members to five to approve the plans for a new King’s School on farmland at Alderley Road, Prestbury.
Plans were also approved for up to 300 homes at the school’s girls campus at Fence Avenue - also on green belt - and 150 homes at Westminster Road, which forms part of the boys’ Cumberland Street campus.
The school relied on getting approval for the housing schemes to pay for its new school building in Prestbury.
The decisions came after a string of passionate objections from councillors, residents and campaigners who said the plans pose a serious risk to the green belt and its wildlife. They said the ‘very special circumstances’ needed to give up the green belt had not been justified.
The audience applauded after coun Barry Burkhill slammed the recommendation to approve.
He said: “The green belt is not safe in Cheshire East’s hands. Anyone who comes along with a viable business case for building on the green belt will be allowed. I’ve been on the planning committee for 30 years and never come across a situation like this.”
Coun Liz Durham said the extra traffic around the new school would be ‘disastrous’, adding: “This is totally inappropriate in the green belt.”
The application was originally recommended for refusal but King’s School came back with an improved package of benefits as part of its housing schemes. It increased its offer of affordable homes to 10 per cent, instead of the original five pc, and offered more money for local education - a total of £550,000.
Steve Truswell, a resident from Prestbury, said: “Kings School wants a gold plated school for the privileged few and offers short change to everyone else.”
Council officers said they took account of all relevant planning policies.
Jeremy Hinds, head of planning (north) at Savills, on behalf of King’s School, said: “The implications of refusal are stark. There is no alternative site in the area.”
The plans will now go to the Secretary of State for final approval.