Crewe businesses 'considering futures' after council-owned land intended for Gypsy site
Local businesses are "considering their futures" with Cheshire East Council-owned land earmarked for a permanent Gypsy and Traveller site, despite Leighton, Minshull Vernon and Woolstanwood Parish Council wanting a new community hub.
The site, located at the junction of Parkers Road and Kents Lane, Coppenhall Moss, was allocated in Cheshire East's site allocations and development policies document (SADPD) for seven permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches.
In September 2024, councillors decided to go ahead with a conditional sale of the site, much to the frustration of local businesses, including The Eight Farmers and The White Lion.
Leighton, Minshull Vernon and Woolstanwood Parish councillor, Jim Weir, told Nub News: "An auction for the site is being held on Tuesday 1 July with the land set aside for a traveller site, however anyone can bid.
"But, when bidding, anyone other than travellers has got to pay a 25 per cent uplift on the land. It is listed for £175,000 with loads of interest already.
"As a parish council we are very interested in buying the land for a new community hub, with it being just a stones throw outside of our boundary.
"We have been told Cheshire East would look at all bids but would favour a permanent residential Gypsy site, with the land likely to be sold in excess of £250,000.
"Even if we put in a bid of £300,000 and a bid of £250,000 is put in for a Traveller site, Cheshire East in all likelihood would still accept their offer and not ours.
"Due to the 25 per cent uplift on the development for anyone other than travellers, the council would be getting £135,000 more.
"We were also told that if we were to apply for planning permission, another 25 per cent uplift would be required, and the same again for if we reapplied.
"Despite historical complaints and a previous rejection, Cheshire East are doing their absolute upmost to make this a Gypsy site, with local businesses now considering their futures.
"Cheshire East are not looking at the community of the area, they are only looking at their own self-gain and ticking a box for providing a site for Travellers.
"It's not that there shouldn't be new traveller sites, it's that in this location on a main road in plain site. It is close to multiple businesses, nearby housing developments recently approved, with more likely on the way even closer to the site.
"The only way we think we can block this site going ahead now is through the power of local people's voices. We are trying to develop a letter to send out to everyone, which can be distributed to all key figures."
Undertaking a conditional sale of the Coppenhall Moss land, is the quickest route to the development of a new Gypsy and Traveller site.
Such a sale would enable Cheshire East to determine the end use for the site without undertaking a resource-intensive procurement exercise or having to borrow capital funding to enable development.
The owner of The Eight Farmers, Parkers Road, said: "What gripes us about this potential development, is the complete underhand tactics by Cheshire East Council, who haven't put this through public consultation.
"There is no transparency, it is almost as if what they say goes, with local people silenced. There are homeowners that will have to drive through the site to get to their residence, that has not even been considered.
"We take great pride in this area and a site like this will negatively impact the look of it and likely impact local house prices."
The need for adequate new pitches was established through Cheshire East's Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment, which identified a requirement for five to 10 transit pitches.
A transit site is currently being developed in Middlewich to meet this need, including 32 permanent pitches for Gypsies and Travellers and five plots for travelling show people.
Chair of Cheshire East Council's environment and communities committee, David Jefferay, told Nub News: "Cheshire East has a duty to address the identified housing needs of all its residents, including our Gypsy and Traveller community.
"The land at Coppenhall Moss in Crewe was assessed as part of the process to identify suitable sites to meet the need for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation in the borough, through the council's Site Allocations and Development Policies Document (SADPD).
"In September last year, the economy and growth committee considered the options to bring forward the site to provide seven residential pitches and took the decision to undertake a conditional sale.
"More detailed work and assessment would be required at a planning application stage when the public will have the opportunity to comment."
The Crewe site would still have to go through the usual planning processes once it is sold off on July 1.
READ MORE: Cheshire East waits on government decision before imposing pavement parking ban.
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