A LONG battle to build homes on former greenbelt land in Handforth and Styal has come to an end after developers were given the green light.

Cheshire East Council has given Anwyl Homes the go-ahead to build 224 homes on land between Clay Lane and Sagars Road after the strategic planning board unanimously approved the plans.

The scheme had been due to go before the committee last month with seven fewer homes, but CEC officers wanted to see the designs improved and the housing number increased.

Anna Relph, acting on behalf of the developer, said: “Anwyl Homes has worked collaboratively with officers throughout the determination of this current application.

“As a result the detailed design and layout of the proposals has continued to evolve since the application was submitted in May.”

The decision draws to a close a planning saga which began with campaigners challenging CEC’s intention to take the land out of the green belt in its local plan.

Residents in the Hands off Handforth group lost their first battle when CEC’s local plan was approved with the site earmarked for housing in July 2017.

Knutsford Guardian:

A Hands off Handforth protest in January 2017

Opponents to the scheme were dealt a further blow when CEC gave outline planning permission for up to 250 homes on the site in August 2018, which allowed Anwyl to work on the project.

A year later CEC agreed that 15 Hampson Crescent, in Handforth, could be demolished to make way for an access to the development – and the house was knocked down in September.

Cllr Ron Dixon, chairman of Styal Parish Council, told the committee: “We have expressed reservations before.

“However, we recognise that the land is no longer part of the green belt, and we should do what we can to mitigate this loss of green belt to make sure it is an acceptable and sustainable development.”

Cllr Dixon welcomed the financial contributions agreed between CEC and Anwyl, but suggested the parish council is ‘at a total loss’ to understand why £152,000 will go towards improving the Jim Evison playing fields as part of the package, with the park being a three-mile drive away.

His comments were echoed Cllr Susan Moore, from Handforth Parish Council, who suggested the money could go towards resolving ‘significant flooding’ issues around nearby Meriton Road Park.

She added: “The people of Handforth, like all residents of Cheshire East, pay their council tax.

“And I firmly believe that we as residents have been dealt a very poor hand by this authority over many, many years. This is a chance for our new CEC to redress the balance.”

Officers told the committee that the original agreement to fund improvements at Jim Evison could not be changed at Wednesday’s meeting.

But Ms Relph suggested her client would be open to amending the agreement, while planning officer David Malcolm said discussions could take place between local ward councillors and the developer.

Mr Malcolm added that the design of the development had improved since the application was due to be discussed at last month’s meeting.

“It has taken a while but we have now got there,” he added.

Recommending the scheme for approval, Cllr Stewart Gardiner, Conservative, said: “On the whole I think our officers have done well in bringing forward this proposal.

“If we ignore those matters that are not reserved – which we are not able to discuss today – I think this is a well-thought out scheme.”

READ > D&G to phase out Cheshire Travelcard discounts with New Year bus ticket overhaul

Anwyl Homes intends to start building on the site in early 2020, with the first homes completed next summer.

The board also agreed to encourage ward councillors, parish councillors and CEC officers to work with the developer on finding a new use for the financial contributions.