Crewe: Outline plan for new 650-home village unanimously approved

Today’s (Wednesday) meeting of the strategic planning board dealt with the outline application, mainly looking at the four specified accesses serving the housing parcels on the site.

These are one on to Main Road, one on to the B5472 and two on to Old Park Road.

But councillors were given more detailed information than is usual for an outline application.

Cllr Stewart Gardiner (Image: Cheshire East Council)

Cllr Stewart Gardiner (Knutsford, Con) indicated this helped, adding: “This scheme clearly shows the implications of the application are understood, that a plan has been put down which is workable to address those issues.”

The greenfield site, which is close to the south-eastern edge of Crewe and adjacent to Crewe Hall, is allocated for development in Cheshire East’s local plan.

The main proposals include:

• Up to 650 new homes including 30 per cent affordable housing within an ‘estate’ village;
• Restoration of the historic parkland landscape and heritage mitigation planting;
• Mixed-use village centre providing a market square, community facilities and local retail;
• Walking and cycling routes, including connection to a new footway and cycle link serving the Basford East Strategic site;
• Open amenity green space, children’s play, allotments, community orchards and wildlife areas;
• New habitat creation to deliver biodiversity net gain.

Weston and Crewe Green parish councillor John Cornell said many of the parish council’s initial concerns had been taken on board by the applicant.

Cllr John Cornell (Image: Cheshire East Council)

But he told this morning’s meeting: “Our principal area of concern at this stage relates to highway issues and the protection of Weston village.

“We need to be reassured that there are sufficient safeguards to prevent rat-running and major congestion at peak times along Main Road, and that such safeguards will work in practice.

“There must be minimal impact on amenities and quality of life enjoyed by our local residents.”

Neil Hall, representing applicant Bloor Homes, said about half the site will be a connected network of attractive woodland, open space and play areas.

“At the heart of the village is the new market square and the public realm and this is being supported by a package of local road improvements to prioritise active travel, slow vehicle speeds and help push traffic back on to the main roads and away from local villages,” said Mr Hall.

“This is all being supported by new crossings over the railway line, new pedestrian cycle links at Basford East…

“Combined with this is nearly 200 affordable homes, opportunities for local retail, and the community uses in the market square and a £14m package supporting infrastructure such as bus services, speed limits, A500 and University Way [road improvements] and help construction of a new primary school on Basford East…”

Cllr Steve Edgar (Image: Cheshire East Council)

Ward councillor Steve Edgar (Con) said it was imperative the parish council was consulted about all issues prior to the submission of the later detailed reserved matters application.

Both he and Cllr Janet Clowes (Wybunbury, Con) expressed concerns that Jack Lane would be used as a rat-run during construction.

They also called for a crossing to be provided to establish a safe walking route from Wychwood Village into Weston.

Head of planning David Malcolm said it could be conditioned that Jack Lane should be stopped-up so only pedestrians and cyclists could use it.

But he said the developer couldn’t be expected to contribute to the Wychwood walking route.

The application was moved for approval by Cllr Clowes and seconded by Cllr Gardiner.

It was unanimously approved, subject to numerous conditions as well as S106 agreements.