8:30am Friday 5th April 2013
By Emma Rigby
CAMPAIGNERS say there is ‘no need’ for developers to build 14 homes on green belt land in their village.
More than 100 Norley residents attended a village meeting last week to find out more about the plans for land bounded by Maddocks Hill and School Bank.
The plans, which have been submitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) by Partner Construction, would see the 1.47 acre site turned into nine affordable homes and five for sale on the open market.
Norley Parish Council and members of Save Our Green Belt (SOGB) – a group of residents opposing the plans – asked residents to attend last Tuesday’s meeting at Norley CE Primary School to ask their views of the plans.
Resident and campaigner John Lewis said: “We had more than 100 people at the meeting, with 99.9 per cent of them being against the plans.
“The village doesn’t want this development to go ahead – there is no need for it.”
Graham Johnston, spokesman for SOGB, told the Guardian: “The plans are to build 14 homes on green belt land, which is totally unacceptable.
“This housing proposal for this site is totally inappropriate for a village like Norley.
“There is absolutely no case for housing in Norley – it is not supported by any of the affordability statements put forward by the developers.”
A spokesman for Mosaic Town Planning, on behalf of Partner Construction, told the Guardian: “The proposed development would offer six homes for rent including two bungalows, three for shared ownership and five for open market sale.
“The inclusion of open market sale properties would allow the nine affordable homes to be built without the need for public subsidy in the form of grant from the Homes and Communities Agency and would be priced to allow local first time buyers to be able to afford a home and be able to remain in the village.
“The bungalows would offer the opportunity for older people living in Norley to downsize to a smaller home thereby releasing larger family homes.
“Partner Construction has carefully considered the design and layout of the scheme with officers at CWAC and has arrived at a scheme that respects the existing street-scene and accords with local and national planning policies.”
Anyone wanting to comment on the application can do so by visiting Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning website.
For more information about SOGB, email norleyresident-planningobjection@yahoo.co.uk
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