Cheshire East has refused permission for two stable buildings on fields saying it is inappropriate development in the green belt but admitted a housing application on a similar site might be approved.

Ellis Mitchel also applied for change of the use of the site for equestrian purposes and permission for vehicular access track as well as an area of hardstanding and fencing on the land to the north of Chelford Road at Macclesfield.

This week the application was refused for the second time.

Ward councillor Judy Snowball (Lab), speaking as a visiting member, told the strategic planning board: "The report opens with comments on the potential effect of these equestrian buildings on the openness of the site, and it is clear from the scale and nature of them that it could only have a detrimental effect on this."

She said road safety and speed limits were also a concern.

Mobberley councillor Hannah Moss (Con) said she could not support the planning officer's recommendation to refuse the scheme.

"So we have some fields here that a person wants to put some horses on to preserve the green field for horses… and as a council, we're refusing," she said.

"Now, I beg the question, if this was for housing you'd be recommending approval and openness of this green belt would be disregarded. Am I right or wrong?"

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Senior planning officer Tom Higton said: "If this was a proposal for housing, which it isn't, it's a completely different policy context.

"When it comes to housing, there is a really strong justification for new housing to be built.

"So those applications [housing], they will conclude that it's inappropriate in the green belt to begin with, and it's the weighted balance there.

"And with this one, we've not got the weight in favour.

"There's no public benefits here. It's not addressing a housing need.

"The applicant hasn't presented very special circumstance for us so, for that reason, the identified green belt harm remains."

Haslington councillor Steve Edgar (Con) moved the application be refused and this was seconded by Crewe councillor Martin Edwards (Lab ).

It was refused on the grounds it would not preserve openness and so would be an inappropriate form of development in the green belt and because it would have an adverse effect on the character of the site within its countryside setting.

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It was also refused because insufficient information was submitted relating to great crested newts and to the development impact on existing high value mature trees.

Seven councillors voted to refuse the application and three voted against refusal.