Plans for five homes on 'cramped' new Crewe estate refused
Plans for five houses on a Crewe site originally earmarked for a medical centre have been thrown out - with one councillor saying the 'cramped' scheme is a 'poor return' for residents.
Vistry Homes applied for permission to construct three detached and two semi-detached houses, including two affordable, on the site at its 245-home Hazelmere Estate, Haslington.
This latest application came after Cheshire East refused a proposal last year to build 17 apartments on the site.
At the Wednesday 5 April Southern Planning Committee, the board unanimously refused the housing scheme on the grounds it would result in a cramped over-development, causing harm to the character and appearance of the area.
Some councillors questioned why the medical centre wasn't being provided.
The developer's agent, Eleanor Lovatt, said it had been marketed for three years and no-one had been interested in taking it on.
She said Cheshire's Integrated Care Board had not identified a need in Haslington 'so there isn't the funding, there isn't the need to provide the facility here'.
Ward councillor Steve Edgar (Conservative), speaking as a visiting councillor, told the meeting on Wednesday: "More than 400 new residents have bought into this new development with the acceptance of a medical, community centre.
"This centre is still being marketed on three notice boards on the site – it says proposed medical centre and they were there as of yesterday."
He said if the developer was not providing the medical or community facility for Haslington, could £50,000 be contributed towards a scheme to replace the community hall, the Gutterscroft Centre, in the village.
This, the planning officer said, would not be a reasonable ask.
Cllr David Marren (Shavington, Independent), said: "Would it be unreasonable to say it should be left undeveloped for a future medical centre?"
He was told by planning officer Daniel Evans that would be unreasonable and the fact the land had previously been earmarked for a medical centre was no longer relevant.
Committee chair Andrew Kolker (Dane Valley, Conservative), said there was an issue with the proposed scheme as there was a 'significant overlap' on plots three and four.
Crewe councillor Joy Bratherton (Labour), said: "Whoever buys plot three has got to use the driveway of plot four to access their back garden. If you want to get your bins out, and you live in plot three, you are going to have to walk up the driveway of plot four to do that."
Mr Evans said: "The matter is so minor it could be controlled by the imposition of a condition to ensure there would be a footway provided along that boundary."
That led to a sharp intake of breath and muttering among several councillors.
Cllr Mike Hunter (Middlewich, Labour), said: "It's like someone trying to get a size nine foot in a size seven shoe. I think there's one property too many on there."
Cllr Mike Benson (Sandbach, Conservative), proposed the application be refused saying the configuration of the site is unacceptable, 'it's a little over-developed'.
He added: "Surely, as a planning committee, we can ask for something better than we've got. It's all about quality… It's just not good enough."
Willaston councillor Allen Gage (Conservative), said although the medical centre issue was not relevant to this application 'Haslington has one GP for 2,500 residents compared to an average of one to 1,800 for the wider area, that's why the medical centre was needed'.
He added: "To have it potentially replaced with a proposal which is as cramped and shoe-horned as this, I think it's a poor return for those residents."
He seconded the refusal on the basis of over-development.
The vote to refuse the scheme was unanimous.
READ MORE: Eight new jobs to apply for in and around Crewe this Easter bank holiday.
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