NEW planning applications for Winsford seek to build 58 new homes across two sites in town.

Cheshire West and Chester Council has received planning applications for land opposite Greenfields Primary School in Whitbys Lane and West Winds, Chester Lane.

At Whitby’s Lane, United Utilities Property Services want to extend road access from Pinewood Road to create a development of 26 houses.

Of 200 nearby houses leafleted about the scheme, 83 per cent of the 38 respondents did not support the proposal.

Leaf Grove resident, David Etchells, said: “The volume of traffic the additional housing will create is likely to increase the traffic leaving Pinewood Road, which along with the zebra crossing, Saxon Crossway junction and the car park at the front of the Tesco Express will create difficulties leaving the estate.”

Leaf Grove resident, Neil Tidd, added: “This is already a busy road which has a bottle neck adjacent to a church, busy shops and more significantly two Primary Schools.”

At Chester Lane, the owners of West Winds have applied to demolish the existing property and create a development of 32 houses on land behind properties in Whitegate Road.

Whitegate Road resident, Julie Umpleby cites the proposal causing a loss of ‘open countryside’.

“The density of the proposed 32 house development is not in keeping with the surrounding seven properties,” she adds.

Whitegate Road resident, Sarah Hughes adds: “I have major concerns regarding preservation of the natural wildlife. There are bats housed along the proposed development as well as badgers and bird life, an owl and woodpecker are frequently seen.”

The planning applications can be viewed under the references 14/03354/OUT and 14/03548/OUT at pa.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk