WITH reference to your report last week regarding the chaos at Middlewich Town Council meeting on November 20, I wish to expand on the planning aspects of the story.

Cllr Bernice Walmsley serves on Cheshire East’s southern planning committee and correctly informed the meeting that the aspect of the motion regarding the bypass that tried to insist that no new development be allowed along the bypass route before completion is not a workable idea.

While I can understand the sentiment behind it, it is unenforceable. It is not in the Local Plan and, of course, all applications have to be dealt with on their own merit.

Also, CEC did not impose such a planning condition on the Congleton, Poynton or Alderley Edge bypasses, so if they tried to impose such a condition on the planning application for the Middlewich Eastern Bypass it would undoubtedly be thrown out as ‘unreasonable’.

For these reasons, and the fact that Cllr Hunter refused to allow any amendments, it is obvious that anyone who understands planning rules would be unable to support the motion.

It is a shame that this opportunity to congratulate Cheshire East officers on their good work in putting the business case together to obtain the Government funding was delayed.

Perhaps I can put that right now?

My thanks certainly go to all the officers involved in the hard work to gain this funding for vital infrastructure in our town.

Finally, I would like to say that I was appalled at the behaviour of some councillors on Monday evening. No matter what the provocation, there is no excuse for it.

Cllr William Walmsley Middlewich