Plans for 660 houses and 60-bed care home in Cheshire countryside look set for go-ahead
The development is recommended for approval
By Cheshire Live
Plans for up to 660 homes and a 60-bed later-living facility on fields in Wistaston have been recommended for approval, despite concerns over traffic, infrastructure and the loss of countryside.
Plans for a major new housing development in Wistaston, including up to 660 homes and a 60-bed later-living facility, are set to move a step closer after being recommended for approval by Cheshire East planning officers.
The proposal, brought forward by Harworth Group, would see a large residential development built on fields within the strategic green gap at Wistaston. The site is part of the open land separating nearby communities, which has made the application one of the more closely watched local planning decisions in the Crewe and Nantwich area.
The outline plans include up to 660 homes, a local neighbourhood centre, a 60-bed later-living facility, public open space, children’s play space, ecological corridors and improvements to walking and cycling routes. Access works are also proposed, including a new roundabout and highway changes linked to the development.
The scale of the scheme means it is likely to intensify debate over housing growth, local infrastructure and the future shape of Cheshire’s rural edges.
Planning officers have recommended approval, with reports stating that Cheshire East’s lack of a five-year housing land supply is a significant factor weighing in favour of the development. Officers also point to the delivery of new homes, including affordable housing, as well as economic benefits during construction and future spending by new residents.
The plans are expected to include 30% affordable housing, which would provide a mix of homes for people who may otherwise struggle to access the local housing market. Supporters of large schemes argue that developments of this kind are necessary if councils are to meet housing need and provide more options for families, first-time buyers and older residents.
The proposed later-living facility also reflects a wider pressure facing Cheshire East. The council’s own planning policy supports specialist housing where it meets identified need and gives residents access to services, community facilities, health provision and public transport. Cheshire East policy documents also highlight rising demand for older people’s accommodation across the borough.
However, the Wistaston plans have attracted strong local concern. Around 120 residents have objected, while Wistaston Parish Council has also opposed the application. Concerns include the loss of open countryside and agricultural land, the impact on the strategic green gap, traffic pressure on narrow local roads, flooding risk, wildlife loss and whether local services such as schools, doctors and dentists can cope with the extra population.
The parish council has argued that the proposal encroaches on the green gap and conflicts with the neighbourhood plan. Residents have also questioned whether brownfield sites should be prioritised before large-scale development is allowed on open land.
Planning officers acknowledge that the scheme would lead to the loss of open countryside and reduce the Willaston, Wistaston, Nantwich and Crewe green gap. They also accept there would be some adverse landscape impact and loss of agricultural land. However, their report concludes that these impacts could be mitigated through detailed design, landscaping, open space and highway measures at later planning stages.
That does not mean the development is guaranteed to go ahead exactly as currently shown. Because the application is in outline form, key design details would still need to be considered later if councillors give approval. Matters such as layout, appearance, landscaping and the finer points of access would be dealt with through future reserved matters applications.
For residents, the central issue is whether the promised benefits of new homes, affordable housing, care provision and local facilities outweigh the impact of building on open land.
For Cheshire East, the decision sits within a wider planning challenge. The borough remains under pressure to deliver more homes, but many of the largest proposals are in areas where local people already feel roads, schools, GP services and drainage systems are stretched.
Large housing developments can bring new investment, construction jobs and more spending for local shops and businesses. But they can also reshape communities quickly, particularly when hundreds of homes are added near villages or semi-rural settlements.
The Wistaston proposal is therefore more than just another housing application. It has become a test of how Cheshire East balances housing need with countryside protection, infrastructure pressure and the identity of existing communities.
Councillors are due to consider the application at a strategic planning board meeting at Crewe Municipal Buildings on Wednesday, May 27.
If approved, the scheme would become one of the most significant residential developments in the local area and could shape the edge of Wistaston for years to come.