A MIDDLEWICH business based in Brooks Lane is hoping to hold up a decision on plans for a large development including a marina, homes, shops and cafes in the town.

Plans to build a mixed-use development including a 12-berth marina, 137 homes, shops and cafes in Brooks Lane were first submitted in July 2016, but the plans were thrown out by the Cheshire East Council planning board a year later.

The main reason given for refusal was that the development standing in isolation would ‘result in a piecemeal form of development which could result in a poorly planned development in advance of a masterplan led approach’.

The plans were then resubmitted in December 2017 and are again due to appear before the council’s strategic planning board in the coming weeks.

Bosses at Brooks Lane business Centec, however, think a decision on the development is still premature, and say the Brooks Lane Masterplan should take priority.

Writing to the council, a consultant acting on behalf of Centec states: “The company is a neighbour to the proposal site and has objected to the application on a number of occasions.

“My client has received notification that the applicant has submitted amended plans along with an accompanying letter. The letter states the Brooks lane masterplan is ‘now sufficiently advanced to allow for the determination of this application’.

“We would like to make it clear that the masterplan is not sufficiently advanced to make a decision as it has not yet been finalised. This application should not be determined until the Brooks Lane Masterplan is finalised and fully adopted. This is in line with all our previous correspondence on the matter.

“The Masterplan is in its draft form and, as we understand through closely liaising with the Cheshire East Council Planning Policy team, it is proposed that it will be formally adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document.”

“The next stage of this process will be for the draft SPD to be presented to the Strategic Planning Board on Wednesday, December 19, 2018. If approved by the Board formal consultation will take place early in the new year with the intention that the document will be formally adopted in Spring 2019.

“Until this document is finalised any planning permission granted within Strategic Location 43 will be premature and in direct conflict with the policy, which states that ‘the development at Brooks Lane over the Local Plan Strategy period will be achieved through a masterplan led approach that will determine the precise nature and quantum of development that is appropriate for the strategic location. In this regard no decisions should be taken in advance of the adoption of the masterplan.

“We intend to fully scrutinise the Brooks Lane Masterplan SPD and look forward to reviewing the draft before it is debated at Strategic Planning Board, we will then engage in the formal consultation, currently schedule for January 2019.”