Plans for up 660 homes and a 60-bed care home on fields in the strategic green gap at Wistaston have been recommended for approval.

About 120 residents have objected to Harworth Group's proposals for a residential development and neighbourhood centre on a 44-hectare site to the east of Middlewich Road.

But Cheshire East's planning officers say the council does not have a five-year supply of housing land which is a significant material consideration which weighs in favour of permitting the development.

The proposal, which has been submitted in outline form, includes:

• Up to 660 homes comprising a mix of two, 2.5 and three-storey properties;
• New three-arm roundabout on Wistaston Green Road, providing access to the site;
• Emergency highway access onto Wistaston Green Road;
• Footpath enhancements to the existing public highway along Wistaston Green Road;
• The provision of new and enhancements to existing footways/tracks and cycleways;
• Up to 60-bed later living accommodation;
• A local neighbourhood centre;
• Public open space including children's play space and ecological dark corridors to support biodiversity

Wistaston Parish Council has objected to the application arguing it encroaches on the strategic green gap and ignores the neighbourhood plan.

The application site for the 660-home development is fields east of Middlewich Road at Wistaston (Photo: Google/CEC planning docs).

The parish council says the proposed entrance to the site will be on a very narrow road that is already badly congested and liable to flooding.

It says the site is a haven for wildlife and adds: "The spread of urbanisation is destroying the character of Wistaston."

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Residents have listed numerous reasons why they feel the application should be refused.

These include loss of open space and agricultural land within the green gap; highways impact and access concerns given the surrounding narrow roads; local infrastructure such as doctors, dentists and schools being at capacity and, they say, there are alternative brownfield sites available for development.

A report from the council's planning officers to next week's meeting of the strategic planning board states: "The proposal would cause the loss of open countryside and a reduction in the Willaston, Wistaston, Nantwich, Crewe green gap.

"There would be some adverse landscape impacts on the character and appearance of the area, however, these impacts could be appropriately mitigated and limited by securing appropriate details of open space and landscaping at the reserved matters stage, as demonstrated in the latest illustrative masterplan."

The report says highways impacts can be mitigated through proposed measures and 'whilst there is a loss of trees and in particular stretches of hedgerows especially those required to provide satisfactory site access and footpath/cycle links to the site, this again can in part be mitigated overall at any reserved matters stage'.

It acknowledges the development would also result in the loss of an area of best and most versatile agricultural land.

The officers also say there are a range of benefits in favour of the proposal.

The report says: "The construction of a substantial number of dwellings, including 30 per cent affordable units, is provided substantial weight…

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"The development would produce some economic benefits in terms of employment opportunities during the construction phase and direct and indirect benefits associated with additional household expenditure within the local economy."

It considers 'any adverse impacts of allowing the development would be significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the benefits'.

The strategic planning board meeting takes place at Crewe Municipal Buildings on Wednesday 27 May at 10.30am.