Plans to demolish an Indian restaurant close to Astbury Mere to make way for new homes have been refused by Cheshire East.

An outline application submitted by Walton House Trading would have seen the Nobanno restaurant demolished and replaced by seven detached properties.

The application relates to an area of land to the south of Astbury Mere which includes Nobanno, which is a single-storey, timber building and an area of hardstanding.

The sloping, grassed ground of the site's northern half rises-up from the mere's side circular recreational path.

To the west lies Mere View comprising nine recently constructed dwellings.

The application site is located within the Congleton settlement zone line and forms part of a protected area of open space recreational facility as designated by the adopted local plan.

Congleton Town Council objected to the proposed development on the grounds of nature conservation, impact on landscape, loss of trees and highway safety.

Fourteen letters of representation which were all objections were submitted on Cheshire East's planning portal, the reasons for objection included:

· Impact on highway safety and access issues

· Impact on amenity

· Visual intrusion and impact on Astbury Mere Country Park

· Dwellings would be dominant

· Impact on the character of the area

· Intrusion onto green space

· Impact on wildlife and biodiversity

· Impact on utilities and drainage

· Impact and removal of trees

· Impact on area of protected open space and footpaths

Cheshire East considered that the proposed development did not conserve the landscape character of the area or that the scheme would preserve and promote local distinctiveness and diversity.

A Cheshire East planning officer felt the development would not positively contribute to the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity, by virtue of the loss of part of the Astbury Mere Local Wildlife Site and the loss of the sloped grass bank at the front of the application site.

The application was refused.