Plans for an affordable housing scheme in Church Lawton have been reduced and resubmitted.

Applicant Mr I Simkin has resubmitted plans to Cheshire East Council for the proposed redevelopment of Greenacres Garden Centre and Nursery, on Liverpool Road West, Church Lawton.

An application from Mr Simkin for 17 affordable houses at the same location was refused by Cheshire East in October 2020.

However, the latest proposed development is for 10 affordable dwellings of which six units would be for affordable/social rent and the other four properties would be intermediate affordable.

The lawful use of the site is a horticultural business which according to the applicant "is no longer viable".

A design and access statement submitted to support the application stated: "The declining sales has resulted in the business only partly functioning as a commercial nursery.

"The structures on the site include glass houses, some are in very poor condition, the proposal is to demolish them in order to redevelop the site."

The scheme would be supported by Jigsaw Homes Group which specialises in procuring and promoting shared equity housing schemes.

The application was submitted in outline with all matters reserved except access. The application site is designated as green belt land.

The development would be served by a new vehicular access located on Liverpool Road West.

The existing vehicular access, which "conflicts" with the junction of Liverpool Road West and Crewe Road, would be closed.

The proposed access would also serve the existing detached dwelling at 79 Liverpool Road West.

The site layout plan shows six units in two terraces of three dwellings and four units in two pairs of semi-detached dwellings.

Each house proposed would have a fore and rear garden and two car parking spaces.

The application states: "There is an unmet and identifiable need for affordable housing in this location, which has been verified by a Rural Housing Need Survey for Church Lawton conducted in 2016 and repeated in 2019.

"No affordable housing has been delivered within Church Lawton during the intervening period, hence the need remains unmet and as time passes must be regarded as gaining in urgency."

The plans have been met with several objections from local residents, who have submitted their concerns to Cheshire East.

A resident who lives on Crewe Road said: "I object to this planning proposal on several points. Firstly, this land is classified as green belt land, and therefore not available to build on.

"We must strongly protect our pockets of rural land for both our community and natural wildlife. Secondly, Church Lawton already has an extremely large new residential housing development under construction, at the Lawton Green site.

"This is only a very short distance from this proposal of a second housing development. Phase one is completed and phase two is underway, with many new homes planned for the future here.

"Lastly, the road earmarked for the entrance to this proposed plan is already an overloaded one-way street that suffers with speeding issues and motorists purposely driving down the street the wrong way to save time.

"As it is also used as temporary daily parking by parents for collection / drop off use - in connection with the children's nursery, I feel the additional weight of a housing estate entrance would cause chaos and potential danger to this stretch of road and its current residents."

A resident who lives at South View Cottages said: " I have commented on this application several times and my objections remain the same. This road is already very busy and dangerous due to traffic from the M6, the Lawton House and a day nursery.

"It appears the entrance is planned to be adjacent to the opening across from the entrance to South View Cottages.

"This is a one-way road and does not have the capacity for even more traffic. This road is also used by heavy containers in large numbers and would be impossible to move when there is a filter from the M6 due to accidents.

"Thought for neighbours should be considered."

A Brattswood Drive resident said: "This is green belt land and planning has been refused several times, nothing really has changed, when does no mean no.

"Applicant states the business is no longer viable, in my view it has never since being opened reached the full potential as the thriving business it could have attained.

"The road earmarked for the entrance to the site is totally unsuitable for this purpose."

The last date for submitting comments on the application which can be viewed here is 1st April.

A decision on the application is expected to be made by 10th May.