A parish council has said it is “extremely disappointed” not to have been consulted on a plan on its patch.
A Plant Homes has applied for planning permission for prior approval for the demolition of a polytunnel at Jubilee Cottage Nurseries, Englesea Brook, and prior approval for the change of use from agricultural building to two dwellings.
Commenting on the second plan, Weston and Crewe Green Parish Council expressed its “extreme disappointment” about not being consulted on the homes application.
In its response to Cheshire East Council, the council said: “The parish council, being local, understands the site and its history. This surely must constitute a meaningful contribution to the Cheshire East decision-making process.”
The parish council the application covered only one building on the site.
“The planning statement states that the horticultural use at the site will cease following conversion of the application building. What happens to the other structures as well as the treatment of the remainder of the site? We must understand the full picture,” the council said.
“Having viewed the structure of the building, the parish council is of the opinion that this is not a conversion as most of the building will need to be demolished or supported by new internal structures along with a new roof.
“Our local knowledge indicates that the two new dwellings will generate more frequent traffic movements (from) the site from Snape Lane than the existing use.
“The access on to Snape Lane is totally blind in terms of visibility and extremely hazardous at this point. Snape Lane is used as a rat run to circumnavigate the primary road network to try to reach junction 16 on the M6.”
The parish council asked that a full planning application should be submitted and the prior approval application refused, so that the proposal could be fully assessed.
The planning application was to determine whether prior approval was required for the change of use of an agricultural building to two dwelling houses “and associated operational development”.
The application site comprises an established agricultural unit, used for the purposes of horticulture, by a business operating under the name of Plantagogo. The website associated with the nursery states that the business was established in 1990.
The site contains a barn and polytunnels associated with the business.
The owners of the business live in Jubilee Cottage to the front of the site.
It is proposed to convert a barn into two single storey dwellings. The application said the work would involve external alterations to the building include the part in-filling and cladding of walls and the addition of windows and doors.
“The structural appraisal advises that some work is required to the foundations to support some additional loading. However, the report concludes that the existing structure can be adapted to incorporate the changes, and the building is suitable for conversion to residential use.”
The planning reference is 25/3779/PRIOR-3Q.
The consultation end date is 22nd October.
