Cheshire East Council has confirmed at a meeting the partly occupied Acorn Meadows housing estate in Crewe does have a valid planning permission.

Concerns were raised about the status of the 245-home Watkin Jones development at a southern planning committee meeting in July.

At that summer meeting, councillors deferred a decision on an application from the developer to vary a condition relating to house-type on part of the site, because they wanted written legal confirmation regarding a possible breach of regulations and whether the existing planning permission had been nullified.

At Wednesday's meeting (22 October) council lawyer Peter Jones assured committee members the estate's planning permission was valid and 'there are no legal restrictions that will prevent you from making the decision that you've been asked to make today'.

The application before the committee today was effectively to downsize some of the homes yet to be built on the site from four bedrooms to two and three-bed dwellings.

Iain Smith, planning director at Watkin Jones, told the committee: "Sixty five per cent of the homes are now owned and operated by registered provider Plus Dane.

"The open market is primarily comprised of four-bedroom homes. These have not sold as well as expected.

"Through discussions with potential house buyers and Plus Dane, all were pointing towards a need for smaller homes."

Watkin Jones Development In Crewe (Belinda Ryan, Ldrs) Watkin Jones Development In Crewe (Belinda Ryan, Ldrs)

Cllr Rod Fletcher (Alsager, Lib Dem) proposed the application be approved.

"Downsizing from four-bedroomed detached to smaller semis, to me, makes it more affordable for people trying to get on the housing ladder," he said.

"I would be prepared to support this proposal because, to me, it's what local people want."

The proposal was seconded by Dane Valley councillor Andrew Kolker (Con) and the decision to approve the application was unanimous.

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