Plans for 17 affordable homes in Church Lawton, which received 20 objections, have been refused by Cheshire East Council's planning officers.

The application site is Grove Manor, 79, Liverpool Road West, Church Lawton, and the proposal by GTZ Developments included a new access off the one-way section of Liverpool Road West.

The application was called in to Southern Planning Committee on the grounds of overdevelopment and highway safety by Odd Rode ward councillor, Liz Wardlaw.

However, Cllr Wardlaw confirmed she was happy for the application to be dealt with under delegated powers should it be recommended for refusal.

The application related to a site of a former horticultural business Greenacres Garden Centre & Nursery. The site is a piece of land measuring 0.5 hectares which sits on a corner plot where the junctions of the A50 Crewe Road and Linley Lane meet.

A Cheshire East Council planning officer, who recommended the application for refusal, said: "The proposal is inappropriate development of the green belt. The proposal is for 17 dwellings and not 10 or fewer on a rural exception site.

"No very special circumstances have been demonstrated that would outweigh the identified harm to the green belt.

"The proposed tenure of the properties is all shared ownership and not a mix of 65% affordable/social rent and 35% intermediate affordable housing strategy contrary to the requirements of the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy.

"The density and detailed design of the proposed development fails to take the opportunities available for improving the character and quality of an area and the way it functions.

"The development would cause harm to the green belt and the character and appearance of the area."

The application was refused under delegated powers.

Environmental Health stated that "insufficient information" had been submitted with the application, to adequately assess the impact of the proposed development having regard to noise and contaminated land.

According to the planning officer's report, the applicant also did not provide any information on the proposed split between rented and intermediate tenures.

No information was also submitted regarding how the tenures would be placed within the development and no affordable housing scheme statement was provided.

Church Lawton Parish Council objected to the application on the following grounds;

- Green belt

- Highway safety

- Environmental impact

- Car parking

Twenty objections against the application were submitted to Cheshire East and they included reasons such as: overdevelopment, impact on infrastructure, dangerous access and loss of community activities such as the annual bonfire.

A Cheshire East planning policy limits affordable housing developments to 10 or less. The submitted planning statement argued that because the 2016 Housing Need Survey identified 17 households needing affordable accommodation in Church Lawton, that made it acceptable to not comply with the planning policy.

The proposed tenure of the 17 properties was shared ownership, which again did not comply with another planning policy, which states that affordable housing should be provided at a ratio of 65% affordable or social rent and 35% intermediate affordable housing.

That equated to 11 affordable/social rent properties and six tenure properties, but the tenure mix submitted did not meet the criteria set out in the planning policy.

The planning officer highlighted that it was "unfortunate" that there was no open space as part of the scheme, "even it was for just toddler play".

In total 34 car parking spaces would have been required according to Cheshire East Highways, but only 31 were being provided.

As originally submitted, "insufficient information" was provided relating to trees and hedgerows. Subsequently an Arboricultural Impact Assessment was submitted, "albeit dated 2018 and with incorrect planning application number being quoted".

However, it was not considered that there would be any "significant adverse impact" relating to trees and hedgerows.

The development was expected to impact on local primary and secondary school places. To alleviated forecast pressures, a section 106 education contribution of £84,785 (£35,757 primary and £49,028 secondary) was requested.