HOUSING developers have been given the green light to build more than 500 new homes in Winsford, including a 401-house development on the site of the Woodford Lodge High School.

Full planning permission has been given to the plans to build 401 homes, with 696 parking spaces, in Woodford Lane West, as well as full permission for a controversial 119-homes development at Winsford Flashes on land off Ways Green.

The two developments will bring 520 new homes to the town.

One Winsford town councillor, Cllr Charlie Parkinson, is concerned that the ‘more than half’ of the 3,500 housing provision target of the Neighbourhood Plan, are being built less than two years into a 15-year plan.

Cllr Charlie Parkinson said: “The Woodford Lodge site has been talked about for many months. It’s a brownfield site so nobody has ever objected to that. We have no problems with the Woodford Lodge site, apart from maybe residents of Radcliffe Road, but I think in the whole nobody will be too bothered about it.

“How the Ways Green site ever got into the Neighbourhood Plan is beyond me. We objected to that two or three years ago. The road in and out is constantly blocked solid, no matter what time of day.

“The Neighbourhood Plan was supposed to be over 15 to 20 years, but more than half of the target number of houses are already being built or have planning permission.”

The 401-home Keepmoat Homes site will cover 32 acres and will comprise 22 one-bed apartments, 109 two-bed houses, 210 three-bed houses and 60 four-bed houses.

A central village garden with natural play will be situated at the centre of the development, with the aim of creating a central hub.

Cllr Stephen Burns, Winsford Town Council member, said: “The site falls within the Winsford Neighborhood Plan and will contain much needed social housing as well as private residence. Road links are good and this is suitable development toward the 3,500 new build target imposed on Winsford by the former coalition government.

“The only negative comment I would make is that with more housing, Winsford desperately needs improvements to our retail sector, especially on Winsford Cross Shopping Centre and we also desperately need improvements to our public transport infrastructure.”

The Ways Green Bellway Homes development was originally submitted as 240 homes and changed to 142 when rejected, before a final further amendment to 119.

The council received 99 objection letters from residents regarding the plans for the Ways Green site.

Veronica McCormack Brayton said: “I strongly object to this development. This is an area of great beauty and therefore should not be built on, we have problems already with flooding and this will make it worse.”