Proposal to Demolish Cheshire Farm Structure for Housing Denied
Cheshire East Council has refused plans to demolish a warehouse at Heesom Green Stock Farm in Toft and replace it with up to three homes.
By Cheshire Live
Plans to demolish a farm building near Knutsford and replace it with up to three homes have been refused.
The application related to a warehouse at Heesom Green Stock Farm on Middlewich Road in Toft, close to Knutsford.
Styal Construction and Trevor Smith applied for permission in principle to clear the building and develop the site for residential use.
Permission in principle considers whether land is suitable for housing based on its location, proposed use and the amount of development. Detailed matters such as the appearance of the homes, their layout, landscaping and access would normally be considered later.
Cheshire East Council has now rejected the proposal.
Seven residents objected to the plans, raising concerns about the suitability of housing in the rural location.
Earlier objections connected with development at the farm included the site’s position in the Green Belt, highway safety on Middlewich Road and the impact on the character of the surrounding countryside.
Residents also raised concerns about access close to a bend in the road, the effect on neighbouring properties and potential harm to wildlife.
Lower Peover Parish Council had previously objected to a larger proposal at the same site for four detached homes.
Although the land lies outside the parish boundary, councillors submitted comments after concerns were raised by residents living nearby.
The parish council argued that housing at the site would amount to overdevelopment and would be out of keeping with the rural surroundings.
It also questioned whether replacing an agricultural or storage building with homes was appropriate in that location.
The latest proposal reduced the number of homes being sought to up to three, but Cheshire East planners concluded the development should still not be permitted.
Heesom Green Stock Farm is located on Middlewich Road at Toft, within the countryside south-west of Knutsford.
The refusal means the proposed homes cannot proceed in their current form.
The applicants could submit revised plans or appeal against the council’s decision, although no next step has yet been announced.