Plans to create three new holes at a golf course by raising land levels have met with a mixed reaction locally – with the parish council objecting and 129 people backing the scheme.

The proposal, for Marton Meadows Golf Club, would involve level changes of the existing field on Congleton Road by the importation of inert fill material.

Cheshire East planners have acknowledged this would result in changes to the appearance of the open countryside.

They also say there will be impacts on ecology, trees and hedgerows but these can be mitigated by the measures set out in the application.

A report from the council's planning officer to next week's meeting of the strategic planning board states: "The proposal is to create three new holes at the golf course, increasing the standard of the facilities for members and visitors. It would provide a facility with improved disabled access and would allow the course to meet the technical standards to pass the yardage threshold for registration on the World Handicap System and Golf England standards.

"This would enable players with an official world handicap the ability to play at the course and allow the club to enter and compete in national competitions. This weighs in favour of the proposal when balanced against the amount of inert waste to be imported."

Marton Parish Council has objected to the scheme because of the amount of material to be imported, vehicle movements, highway safety and the impact on the tranquillity of the church.

Eleven residents have also objected and among their concerns are fears about the nature of the imported waste, the impact on the structural stability of the church and the impact on users of the church.

The 129 people backing the scheme argue it would improve the standard of play and will benefit the local economy by increased tourism and create employment opportunities.

The council's planners say as well as benefiting the golf club, 'the proposal would provide a way of utilising 85,000 cubic metres of inert material as part of land improvement works, thereby providing it with a useful purpose as opposed to being deposited in landfill'.

The officer's report states: "It is understood that the field is currently not financially viable for agriculture due to its size, topography and poor drainage and the drainage issues would be resolved by the development."

With regard to the impact of the development during the 'construction' phase on local residents, the officer's report states: "It is accepted that there would be an increase in HGV movements through the village for the duration of the importation operation, however it is not considered that this would lead to a significant adverse impact on residential amenity to warrant refusal of the application."

The report also referred to concerns expressed about disturbance during funerals in the churchyard. It states: "However, as traffic, including HGVs, passes the churchyard in the current situation, it is not considered that this is a matter that would warrant the refusal of the application."

Planners estimate there would be between 40 and 56 HGV movements per day 'which is considered to be acceptable'. They say times that HGVs can arrive at and leave the site should be controlled by condition.

The application has been recommended for approval subject to conditions and is due to be considered by the strategic planning board which meets at 10am at Macclesfield Town Hall on Wednesday, July 26.