WINCHAM’S derelict pub is earmarked to be replaced by eight houses under the latest plans for the Black Greyhound site.

The scheme was unveiled at last night's meeting of Wincham Parish Council by Patrick Lomax, the agent for the redevelopment scheme for the site.

Countrywide Investments has been seeking to redevelop the site of the derelict Black Greyhound since putting forward plans in 2015.

An application for 17 houses was submitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council, but subsequently withdrawn.

A revised scheme was submitted last July, to demolish the pub and the other buildings and build eight houses and a doctor’s surgery with six first floor apartments, but it was also withdrawn.

The latest plans are for eight three to four-bedroom family houses in the centre of the site, which is at the junction of Hall Lane and Church Street, with access from Church Street.

Mr Lomax had asked to come to the meeting to speak about the latest plans for the boarded-up pub site.

“We have reduced the scheme dramatically down to eight houses in the middle of the site,” he said.

“We have to try and get some financial return out of it, and I hope that you [Wincham Parish Council] will think this is a reasonable solution from where were have come from originally.

“There are no affordable homes in the scheme, and we believe we are within the planning guidelines.

“I am trying to get a scheme that will be acceptable for the planning department within the rules.

“It has a huge amount of green, and we will plant it up with nice trees.”

Councillor Annie Makepeace told Mr Lomax: “We have had some very negative comments from people who are assuming that Wincham Parish Council are completely against anything there apart from flowers and trees, which is absolutely farcical.

“All we want to do is to make sure we don’t support any rule-breaking and that we help you in every way we can.”

The parish council will discuss the scheme once it has been submitted as an outline application to Cheshire West and Chester Council.

It can only make recommendations to Cheshire West on planning applications, and has no power to decide on applications.