A battle to save green space in Handforth has been lost after a plan for another 175 homes was approved.
Jones Homes has been given the green light to develop on land south of Coppice Way. The site is next door to farmland that Greystone UK Ltd is allowed build a care village on after winning its controversial appeal.
Despite opposition from borough councillors, the parish council and residents to the Jones Homes scheme, a strategic planning committee for Cheshire East Council agreed it. David Short, agent for Jones Homes told the committee that development will generate spending in local shops, provide mixed low-density housing with affordable homes, provide extra footpaths and help fund infrastructure.
But there was wide scale opposition, namely from Handforth’s councillors.
Coun Barry Burkhill branded the plans as a ‘raid on the green space of Handforth’.
He said: “This has suddenly come back to light because we’ve been told we have not got a five year housing supply.
“This application site is excellent farm land separated from the care home site by a footpath.
“Rolling back the green belt negates the fact it was safeguarded land to separate Cheshire East and Stockport. Handforth is giving up more than its fair share of housing. “This is ridiculous, puzzling and unbalanced.” Councillor Dennis Mahon said the housing would have a detrimental effect on local infrastructure. The view was shared by Brian Talbot from Handforth Parish Council who said the extra traffic produced by the housing estate would cause ‘major problems’.
During the committee debate councillors were torn between protecting the green space of Handforth and the recent Government ruling it does not have a five year supply of housing land. Proposing refusal Coun Brendan Murphy said: “There is a real danger of creating urban sprawl from Manchester into Cheshire.”
The committee voted seven for the scheme, two against and two abstentions.
