A CONTROVERSIAL Alderley Edge planning application has been rejected by Cheshire East councillors by a casting vote.

A Moss Road couple had hoped to demolish their existing property and replace it with two detached houses.

However, the proposal has been rejected at CEC’s northern planning committee on Wednesday (December 2), after a 6-6 tie in voting was broken by the casting vote of chair Cllr Craig Browne — who also is the ward representative for the village.

The reason for refusal was a belief by members that the plan compromises the openness of the green belt, as well as being out of character with the surrounding area.

Representing Alderley Edge Parish Council, Cllr Mike Dudley-Jones spoke against the application: “Already, the property next door has submitted a planning document… if both are approved, four new houses will have been built in the green belt — it will make a mockery of green belt policy.”

In response, planning agent Donna Barber said: “We really want to emphasise that [the proposal] is in keeping, in character, and respects its surroundings.

“We feel it improves the street scene.”

Much of the committee’s debate was surrounding the interpretation of where the site sits within the green belt, and the neighbouring application.

Although 52 metres past the Alderley Edge village boundary, a previous example had been set whereby planning inspectors had ruled the homes could be interpreted as ‘visually connected’ with the main village hub.

As the neighbouring site is closer to the boundary line, but still past it, it was felt that giving approval would signal a precedent being set in Alderley Edge on development outside the village centre.

Ultimately, it felt that the formal border line should be respected, and as such, the new homes would contravene a number of green belt protections.