Cheshire East has turned down plans for 22 affordable homes in Congleton with one councillor saying it would be negligent to ignore the recommendation of the highways officer to refuse the application.

Stonebond Properties, Great Places Housing Group and Castleton Property Company applied for full planning permission for the dwellings on land at Broadhurst Lane.

Cheshire East planners considered the site to be sustainably located.

But principal planning officer Daniel Evans told Wednesday's, April 1, meeting of the southern planning committee: "The main issue we've got with this application is the access provision.

"Broadhurst Lane is a single car width road… There'll be instances where vehicle movements from the proposed developments or the existing business centre [at Dane Mill] will conflict with each other.

"That will result in drivers having to reverse along Broadhurst Lane, potentially back onto the A34."

Jonathan Marshall, director of Roman Lodge Estate, which owns Dane Mill Business Centre, told councillors there were 150 employees working there.

"Total vehicle movements can exceed 300 on a daily basis," said Mr Marshall.

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"As such, vehicles regularly conflict on Broadhurst Lane, causing reversing manoeuvres and queues back onto the busy A34 Congleton bypass."

The application site (Credit: Google Maps)

Imogen Zulver, agent for the applicants, said updated drainage plans and an updated affordable housing statement to address two reasons for refusal had been submitted.

Mr Evans told councillors they were submitted the afternoon before the meeting.

Ms Zulver said significant improvements are proposed to the existing access as part of the scheme.

"Traffic movements associated with the scheme are very low, and the improved access can safely accommodate these new homes with no adverse effects on highway safety," she said.

But highways officer Andrew Goligher disagreed.

"Whilst there are improvements, I wouldn't call it significant, I'd call it minor improvements," he said.

"The access is clearly substandard… It's single car width.

"It will result in additional conflict and additional reversing movements along Broadhurst Lane, and the pedestrian access is not great either."

Cllr Andrew Kolker (Dane Valley, Con) said: "I'd like to see housing in towns, as opposed to in the middle of the open countryside, so this does seem like a good place for housing at first glance.

"I think the impact on the heritage site, with trees and planting, maybe that could be overcome.

"I think that the other reasons for refusal could possibly be overcome, but highways is a slam dunk, I'm afraid.

"For us to ignore the advice of the highway officer about road safety and pedestrian safety would be very amiss. It would be negligence on our part."

The application was unanimously refused (Credit: CEC)

Cllr Kolker proposed the application be refused and this was seconded by Macclesfield councillor David Edwardes (Ind).

The application was unanimously refused on highways grounds.

It was also refused because insufficient information had been provided in relation to drainage and flood risk; the affordable homes offered only intermediate shared ownership and not social or affordable rental properties and because the scale and siting of the development would cause demonstrable harm to the setting of Dane Mill.