RESIDENTS campaigning against plans to build up to 100 new homes in Cuddington have received an extra boost after Eddisbury MP Stephen O’Brien said he too objects to the plans.

Developers Ashall Property Ltd submitted their plans for land bounded by Kennel Lane, Chester Road and Dalefords Lane last month.

But the plans have led to great concern among Cuddington and Sandiway residents over whether the village’s infrastructure can support such a development.

At a public meeting held at Cuddington Primary School last week, residents expressed their fears over traffic, speed limits, school places and building on greenfield land.

Although unable to attend the meeting due to Parliamentary commitments, MP Stephen O’Brien has expressed his own concerns to the plans.

Mr O’Brien said: “As I have been all too ready to make absolutely clear to the applicants, the planning authority and the huge number of my constituents in Cuddington and Sandiway who are deeply concerned about this application, I too strongly object on the grounds of appropriateness for this particular area, the inability of the local infrastructure to support this scale of development, the continuing erosion of the community base of our local villages and the overall irresponsibility of developers and opportunists who are trying to take advantage of the Cheshire west’s areas particular exposure to the risk of the rash of un-strategic applications.”

Helen Smith, member of the Action Group formed to oppose the plans, addressed last week’s public meeting, explaining the group’s traffic concerns but Ashall Homes feel that with highway improvements, the surrounding area can accommodate their plans.

Scott Ashall, director of Ashall Homes, said: “In preparing the application we have undertaken detailed assessment of the transportation impacts of the development in consultation with the council.

“With the introduction of some highways improvements the residential development can be satisfactory accommodated.”

He added: “As the government’s Minister for Planning recently confirmed, there is a dire shortage of housing in the UK and hence an urgent need to build new homes on some open land.

“Nationally around three million new homes are required between now and 2025 and because of this shortage the average age of first time buyers now stands at 37 and is rising.

“Sandiway and Cuddington is an attractive area where people want to live and raise families, our proposed development has the potential to offer up to 100 sensitively-designed new homes, including much-needed affordable homes and bungalows, to help meet this chronic shortage and enable local people to stay in the area.”