FEARS over planes landing close to the M6 have grounded a microlight centre's bid to land at Barthomley.

Councillors also expressed concern that aircraft could frighten horses stabled near Walnut Tree Farm, which is where the Cheshire Microlight Centre planned to relocate.

The club, currently based at Worleston, having previously occupied a site at Arclid for 30 years, found its planning application stirring up turbulence at Cheshire East Council's southern planning committee.

Planning officers had recommended the application was refused for a number of reasons and councillors agreed, questioning the safety issues of emergency landing close to the M6 motorway.

While concerns were expressed over whether the noise over a predominantly rural area would "frighten" horses in stables.

The microlight centre proposed the creation of a grassed landing strip and the extension of an existing barn to store aircraft.

Haslington ward councillor Steven Edgar called in the application and he warned the committee, which met on Wednesday (October 27) of the dangers it posed.

"I believe there is a safety problem. The wind direction in this location is west, south-west or south which means the aircraft will take off over stables and diary farms. The engines will be at their full power and loudest potentially causing residents disturbance and perhaps frightening animals," said Cllr Edgar.

"The landing approach to this site is over Alsager, Radway Green Industrial Estate and the M6 as well as a planned distribution site. Any aircraft with a power loss is in a very compromising position and needs clear open space for emergency landing and not over a motorway, industrial estate and sections of busy roads."

Among other reasons the application was refused was the scant details of the number and type of aircraft being stored as well as no information about number of movements per day.