TOWN councillors believe planning officers were ‘totally out of touch’ in recommending a scheme to replace derelict council offices in Watling Street with retirement apartments.

Galliford Try Partnerships wanted to knock down the offices and build 70 flats in their place, but members of Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning committee went against the advice of officers by rejecting the unpopular scheme at a meeting last month.

Residents and councillors who opposed the plans raised concerns about both the design and purpose of the development.

Speaking at a meeting on Monday, Cllr Andy Stott, Northwich Town Council member for Bridge, said: “What is worrying is that the developers kept saying time and time again that they were steered in their presentation and their design of the building by CWAC planning officers.

“That’s at least a little bit worrying that these planning officers are totally out of touch with what we as a town want and expect them to do for us.

“There was a great danger that if that building would have been allowed to go ahead as it was, that it could have set a precedent for the Weaver Square development, and we could have had the same mess all the way along both sides of the road.

“I know there is a chance they could appeal, but I hope they would come back with more designs.”

Cllr Paul Dolan, town councillor for Bridge and CWAC member for Winnington and Castle, added that there ‘seemed to be a peculiar mismatch’ between the view of planning officers and elected members of the committee.

Cllr Brian Jamieson, town councillor for Leftwich, added: “The big fear of the way the system works, is that the pre-application discussions take place over months and months, and the developer has a set plan and it’s all decided before any consultation takes place.

“It looked awful. When I first saw it I thought it was an office block, not a residential building. They improved it slightly, but only a little bit.”