JUST three months after getting the green light to knock down Hartford’s college and build 108 homes, the developers now want to build 20 more.

Lane End Group, which is working with Your Housing Group on the project, has lodged a fresh planning application with Cheshire West and Chester Council for 128 properties at the site of the former Warrington and Vale Royal College campus.

The original plans were fiercely opposed by Mike Amesbury MP and Hartford councillors, who insisted the village’s infrastructure would struggle to cope with the new homes and hit out at the loss of the campus as a community asset.

Cllr Patricia Parkes, Conservative CWAC member for Hartford and Greenbank, is ‘disappointed’ about the latest proposal and intends to call the planning application in for a committee decision.

Northwich Guardian:

"In the developers' eyes they might not think an extra 20 houses would make any difference," she told the Guardian.

"But that is an extra 20 to 40 school places, doctors' places and cars on the road.

"That is what we are fighting against because the infrastructure in Hartford just is not being improved."

Hartford has been hit with a string of major planning applications in recent years, with developer Redrow having built 279 homes at Weaver Park before winning permission to build another 258 at the site, plus up to 300 at Hartford Grange.

But planning committee members gave the original plans for 108 homes at the college site their overwhelming backing at March's meeting, with just Hartford and Greenbank's Cllr Phil Herbert voting against.

Officers at the time felt the impact of the new homes on village infrastructure would be acceptable, and members suggested the homes could be the 'only viable option' for the old college site.

Lane End says the numbers have been revised from 108 to 128 to meet demand and the affordable housing needs for people in the area.

The latest plans would see 31 two-bedroom homes, 84 three-bedroom homes and 13 houses of four or more bedrooms built on the site, with a total of 269 car parking spaces.

Northwich Guardian:

An artist's impression of the original development

On the demolition of the college, a Lane End spokesman said: "We are in the process of finalising a date on the programme but we anticipate that demolition may commence in early-mid July 2020. Further details will be revealed in due course.”

The original scheme would see the developer pay £984,000 towards the Moss Farm sports complex, £204,812.76 to Hartford C of E High School and £109.260 towards GP provision.

New financial contributions would have to be agreed with CWAC if the latest plans are approved.