CHESHIRE East has given the go-ahead for holiday lodges in the open countryside near Nantwich despite one resident arguing if this site is appropriate then any rural location will be acceptable.
The five lodges will be sited on land at Fletchers Pool off Bridgemere Lane at Hunsterson.
The application had been recommended for approval by the council’s planners, and planning officer Daniel Evans repeatedly reminded councillors at Wednesday’s (November 29) meeting of southern planning committee that the council had refused a similar application for land at Faddiley and had recently lost the appeal.
But ward councillor Janet Clowes (Con), speaking as a visiting member, said there are significant differences between the appeal site at Faddiley and this one.
Local resident Bob Frodsham told the committee: “This is open countryside, the character and appearance should be preserved. If this site is considered appropriate then any open countryside location will be acceptable.”
He too argued the appeal decision at Faddiley was being relied upon by officers but the differences between the two sites are significant.
He said at Faddiley there are existing buildings, infrastructure and services including lighting and drainage and there was already commercial activity on the site – but none of that at this site.
He added another appeal for a site at Little Budworth was dismissed by the inspector ‘because it was new development in open countryside, no buildings, it was car dependent, it harmed the character and appearance and it conflicted with the development plan as a whole as a whole’.
Doddington parish councillor Paul Moore said the proposal would have an adverse impact on the countryside.
“We will have an increase in noise, light and traffic movement. There isn't any public transport, there aren't any services within walking distance,” he said.
The applicant’s agent, Richard Lee, told the committee: “The aim is to provide a small scale facility to enable visitors to enjoy the countryside and associated activities of walking and cycling in their own right.”
He referred to Dagfields and Bridgmere Garden Centre, highlighted in the report as places to visit from the application site, and said these were approximately the same distance from Wybunbury ‘so I don’t see why we should develop open countryside when you can provide the same tourist amenity through existing structures'.
The approval was seconded by Cllr Anna Burton (Nantwich, Lab) and the application was narrowly approved with four councillors voting in favour, three against and one abstaining.
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