The Government is to send a planning expert to help sort out the council’s local plan.
In a parliamentary debate, minister Nick Boles said he would send a former chief planning inspector after concerns were raised by Macclesfield MP David Rutley over earmarking green belt for future development.
His comments came after Mr Boles said that Cheshire East should not be earmarking green belt for development after 2030.
He said: “Anybody who is suggesting there is any requirement to safeguard land or wrap it up in wrapping paper and ribbons for the future development between 2030 and 2050 is getting it wrong.”
He agreed that a former chief planning inspector will work with Cheshire East to help get its Local Plan signed off.
After the debate, Mr Rutley said: “I’m pleased that the minister’s response means there will be less pressure to safeguard green belt for development after 2030, and that the council will be getting extra expert advice to assist in finalising the Local Plan.”
The minister’s statement throws more uncertainty over the latest draft of the Local Plan which has been delayed for another six-week consultation, due to start this week.
It comes after Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said the council has failed to prove it has earmarked enough land for a five-year supply of housing.
He stated this in a letter about his decision to uphold an appeal for planning permission to build 280 dwellings in Sandbach.
Coun Brendan Murphy, Tytherington councillor and member of the strategic planning board, said: “This is a real mess.
“For the past six months, we have been assured that we have sufficient sites to meet housing demand over the next seven or more years.
“The government’s decision will open the floodgates for random development on green belt and the fact we have delayed the Local Plan exposes us further.”
On Friday, Cheshire East is expected to sign off the extra six-week consultation on the emerging Core Strategy, the latest stage of the Local Plan, to run from November 5 to December 16.
Coun Michael Jones, Cheshire East leader, said: “The Planning Inspector agreed we had met the housing requirement of 5,750 homes.
“But because of the recession and the stall on house building, this figure has now inflated to 9,000 homes over five years.
“This is a relatively new target.
“The decision by the Secretary of State does not help Cheshire East in its fight against unplanned, speculative developments.
“We believe this is the wrong decision for Cheshire East and we will now be exploring all our possible options to reconsider our position and carefully choose our next steps.”
