Peter Street plans refused

Proposals for 16 houses, two bungalows and a block of 21 apartments were refused by Cheshire West and Chester Council's (CWAC) planning committee, despite being recommended for approval by planning officers.

Access to the proposed development, which would be made up of 100 per cent affordable homes, would be along Peter Street, which had been flagged up as a concern by CWAC's highways department.

Speaking at the meeting Paul Parry, highways officer for CWAC, said: "It has been a long and arduous process considering it.

"We think it's likely to cause us some problems if it was permitted.

"This is only in terms of the immediate area – once it gets out into the wider network issues dissipate quite quickly.

"It's about the parked up nature of Peter Street and what that means to the new development and the people that already live in Peter Street and are parking there now."

The committee heard objections from Simon Granville, who spoke on behalf of residents of Peter Street and Elm Street, Cllr Andrew Cooper, who represented Northwich Town Council, and Northwich CWAC councillor Paul Dolan.

They emphasised traffic and parking problems and raised alternative uses for the land, including as allotments or a cycleway from the railway station to the town centre.

They also argued that there were too many dwellings planned and that the site, with brine pipelines running across it, was not appropriate.

Cllr Margaret Parker, from the planning committee, said: "We do need affordable housing however I have grave concerns about the parking and highways issue."

Cllr Tom Blackmore said: "The highways problem is severe – getting cars in and out of there, there's no parking facilities or garages for these houses, they're parked in the road and you couldn't get a paperclip between them."

Cllr Diane Roberts said: "I feel if we let this go through there would be a danger for children in Peter Street and I wouldn't want that on my conscience."