A social housing company has been given the go-ahead to bulldoze 44 bungalows and replace them with 77 affordable homes despite objections from Bollington Town Council and elderly residents facing 'eviction'.

Cheshire East's northern planning committee approved Peaks and Plains' application to demolish the social-rented bungalows on Crossfield Road and Kent Avenue and replace them with nine bungalows, 35 houses, and 33 apartments.

Caroline Payne, of Emery Planning, said a survey had identified a range of issues 'and some of the properties were found to have severe structural defects'.

"The application offers the opportunity to provide new affordable housing in the face of an acute need," she said.

Ward councillor John Place (Lab), speaking as a visiting member, urged the committee to approve the application saying: "The job of the committee today is to pronounce on the validity of the plan set before them, according to planning policy, and to set aside their emotional views, which are definitely deep-seated, whatever they may be in terms of the history of the site to date."

Bollington Town Council 'strongly objected' to the application.

Town councillor Brian Perkins said: "Some residents have already lost their homes, their friendships, and their community relationships.

"Remaining vulnerable people are still facing the loss of forever homes, huge disruption, the stress of the threat of being evicted from their properties, changes to the character of their estates, reduced open space, and increased parking pressures.

"Development should improve communities, not simply increase housing numbers."

READ MORE: Heartbroken residents speak out as housing trust pushes ahead with plans to bulldoze Bollington bungalows

Campaigner Heidi Reid said the planning officer's report had stated only one of the bungalows was occupied when 11 were and that the road name was wrong – corrections were made by planners at the meeting.

"If basic facts are wrong, shouldn't you question if the report has properly assessed the application and its impact?" she asked councillors.

She continued: "Members are being asked to accept that refurbishment is unrealistic and financially unviable.

"But for just one of the Peaks and Plains bungalows, the report identified around £90,000 worth of work, an independent survey of the same property identified less than £4,000 of work required."

Councillors sought assurance from Peaks and Plains over the numbers of social rented properties, pointing out social rent is 60 per cent of market value and affordable is 80 per cent.

Committee member Sarah Bennett-Wake (Macclesfield, Lab) said there are almost 8,000 families in Cheshire East that need a home and 'this is exactly the type of planning application that we've been asking for'.

"I've been reassured by local councillors and Peaks and Plains that those people, the existing tenants left, will be given a home that matches their needs," she said.

Cllr Fiona Wilson (Lab), who moved the application be approved, said she had had concerns about the reduction of the number of bungalows 'but I am partly assuaged by the replacement by apartments'.

Cllr Craig Browne (Alderley Edge, Ind) said he wouldn't be supporting the application.

"The reduction in the number of bungalows, by 35 no less, is just unacceptable to me," he said.

Cllr Hannah Moss (Mobberley, Con) said she couldn't support it.

"I think it's a shame that we can't invest in improving what's already there and maintaining the community and the freedom that gives to the elderly residents in those properties," she said.

The application was approved with six voting in favour, four against and one abstaining.

Extra conditions were imposed that 44 of the properties must be for social rent to replicate what is there already, and that former or existing residents get first priority.