Plans to build 18 affordable homes in Macclesfield have been recommended for refusal.

Copperleaf and Jigsaw Homes wanted to build a block of 12 two-bedroom apartments and another block of six two-bedroom 'cottage' flats on land at Moss Lane.

But a report from Cheshire East's planning officer due to go to Wednesday's meeting of the northern planning committee states the site is allocated as a Greenway/protected open space as part of the South Macclesfield Development Area (SMDA).

The planning officer states: "The site is known to be within a surface water flood risk area with clay, sand and peat soils. The site also has tree preservation orders, including a major landscape tree, a sycamore, which is easily seen from Moss Lane. The site is positioned approximately 800m from Danes Moss LWS/SSSI (local wildlife site/site of special scientific interest) located to the south."

The land is located to the west of Moss Lane and comprises a triangular-shaped plot of around 0.4 hectares.

The two-bedroom apartments block is proposed as a gable and valley style design with communal hallways. The 'cottage' flats block would have a gable style design with each unit having its own entrance.

The scheme would be 100 per cent affordable rented.

Ansa has objected stating 'the proposal for the SMDA has included the site for many years as a number of greenways connecting SMDA to Moss Lane and surroundings, and has always been seen as a crucial element'.

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Cheshire Wildlife Trust has objected saying 'it is indisputable that the loss and/or modification of peat deposits in any capacity should be avoided'.

Macclesfield Town Council is opposed to the scheme and among its objections are claims the proposals represent over-development, with design out of keeping with the properties in the area.

Macclesfield South councillor Brian Puddicombe (Lab) has also objected.

He says, while welcoming affordable housing provision and acknowledging this amended scheme is an improvement on earlier designs, there are 'too many concerns' to support it.

More than 160 letters of objections were sent to the council when the scheme was first proposed in 2020.

Forty two have been sent following the consultation on this revised proposal.

The application has been recommended for refusal on four grounds including it would completely preclude the ability to provide protected open space; it represents the over-development of a confined and irregular shaped site; there is insufficient information regarding the impact on the protected tree and insufficient information regarding flood risk and water management for the site.

The northern planning meeting takes place on Wednesday, December 7, at 10am at Macclesfield Town Hall.

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Near Moss Lane, Cheshire East Council want to build 950 homes on the fringes of a nature reserve.

It is also in the midst of a debate over peat, which is a natural carbon sink.

Please click here to read that story.

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