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Residents fuming over ‘low-cost rabbit hutch’ homes being ‘crammed’ into Cheshire village
Angry residents fighting plans for ‘low-cost rabbit hutches’ in Wheelock claim the scheme is overdeveloped and there is no room for fire engines or bin lorries to reverse.
Cheshire East planners have recommended councillors approve an application from Jigsaw Homes North for 15 affordable homes on land off Meadowbank Avenue.
A decision will be made at Wednesday’s meeting of the southern planning committee. But residents living near the site are furious, saying their concerns have been ‘glossed over’.
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They say three of the 15 properties are so small they don’t even meet the nationally described space standards – a point acknowledged by the council’s planning officers.
They also question why highways officers have stated access for the proposed development and construction traffic should be through Meadowbank Avenue when, the residents argue, the road isn’t wide enough.
Resident David Chapman told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “They’re cramming too many houses on the space. There’s not going to be any new provision for any space for the children.
“Everything’s done on a minimum – the minimum standards. It’s just low-cost rabbit hutches, that’s what we object to. It’s about what they’re building and where they’re accessing it.”
He said the flats would also overlook some existing houses. Access to the site will be along Meadowbank Avenue and through a fence which currently stands at the end of the existing estate.
Mr Chapman said: “It will then go round the corner at 90 degrees but, right on the corner, there’s going to be a block of one-bedroom flats, that are only very, very small. The road then goes round and narrows very much because there’s a pinch-point where Zan Drive comes into the land.”
According to the council planning officer’s report, ‘Meadowbank Avenue is approximately 5m wide’. Mr Chapman, who has measured the road, says it is 4.78m at its widest point.
Another resident told the LDRS when cars park on Meadowbank the bin lorries sometimes can’t get down the road.
Mr Chapman said: “That unadopted road [where the new homes are proposed] is very, very narrow. It’s much narrower than this road, so when things like refuse vehicles, emergency vehicles, delivery vehicles get there they won’t have the space to turn round. There’s going to be 15 properties on an area there which is very, very tight indeed.”
Several residents told the LDRS none of them had objected when an eight house scheme had been approved for the same site in 2017 because there were fewer properties and access was through the Zan Industrial Estate.
“We object to the number of properties, how small they are going to be for future residents and the access coming off Meadowbank Avenue,” said another resident.
Sandbach Town Council has objected to the scheme on numerous grounds including the narrow and limited access on to Meadowbank Avenue and overlooking and the impact on amenity of neighbouring homes.
More than 40 letters of objection have been sent to Cheshire East planners.
In the report due to go to next week’s meeting, the council’s planning officer says the principle of residential development on the site is acceptable and the layout is acceptable and would not harm residential amenity.
He adds the development is considered to be acceptable in terms of its impact upon the highway network and an acceptable design solution has been provided.
The application has been recommended for approval subject to conditions and contributions, including £45,000 towards the Wheelock playing field and/or Lightley Close open space
The planning meeting takes place at Crewe Municipal Buildings at 10am on Wednesday, June 28.
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