Holmes Chapel Parish Council would like to thank all those residents who came to one of our public meetings last Wednesday 4th September or who sent in comments to the Clerk about the proposed residential development for London Road. It was great to meet so many of our residents and listen to your thoughts.
Each meeting began with a short presentation led by our Chair and Vice-Chair which covered the history of the site and the proposed plans which had been shared by the Developer. Round the table discussions were then held, with a representative from the Parish Council present on each table. The meetings were positive, with all residents having the opportunity to share their thoughts. It was great to hear the different ideas and perspectives of our residents.
A report was then presented to the Parish Council at the meeting on 5th September which reflected all the comments from residents. This report can be read by clicking the following link: Item 7.4 London Road Proposed Development.pdf
At the meeting on 5th September, the Parish Council agreed to submit a response to the Developer's Consultation based on the comments received from residents as well as their own thoughts. This has been submitted to the Developer and reads as follows:
'Holmes Chapel Parish Council thanks Bridgemount Developments and Asteer Planning for allowing us time to hold public meetings with our residents prior to submitting this response to their consultation relating to a proposed housing development on London Road.
Two public meetings were held on 4th September and the thoughts and ideas from our residents feed into this response.
The views from our residents were mixed. Some were strongly opposed to any housing, others would prefer housing on the site, some would like it to remain for retail purposes, others thought a blend of housing/retail might be beneficial. On balance residents were keen to see the site developed and not left ‘fallow’. Holmes Chapel Parish Council makes no statement about this and will wait until formal planning applications are submitted before making a final decision on our position regarding any housing development.
There were however some strong common themes which repeatedly came from our residents which the Parish Council share. The Parish Council is happy to meet with you again to clarify these points. Should Bridgemount and Asteer decide to formally submit plans for housing, we urgently request that you take these points on board in terms of design.
1. The current plans for housing show an estate that has too high a density of housing. 100 houses on that site will result in an overcrowded, packed estate. We urgently request that this is reviewed and housing numbers reduced.
2. The majority would prefer affordable starter homes that young people can access and smaller homes to which older residents can downsize into. The majority do not wish for 4/5 bedroom homes. There was a call for more bungalows (min 2 bed) and housing for local people. Some residents thought 3 storey flats/apartments (min 2/3 bed) in the housing mix would be beneficial.
3. The aesthetics of the estate is important, with wide roads, pavements and lots of trees and green spaces. The housing should match the character of Holmes Chapel. A less dense housing plan would allow for this. Adequate off road parking must also be provided. Many quoted the Bluebell Green estate as an exemplar of good layout.
4. We have serious concerns about the safety onto and off the site especially as there is only one entry/exit point. London Road is very busy with a good proportion of HGV traffic. It can become extremely busy, especially when there are issues on the M6. There must be significant improvements to the highway including junction improvements, a pedestrian crossing and a reduction of the speed limit to 30mph from south of the Bloor (Bluebell Green) estate. The pedestrian links into the Bellway estate are welcomed and should be retained in any revised plans.
5. Concerns are expressed over drainage and the Parish Council needs reassurance that drainage issues will be addressed.
6. There are concerns that additional housing will put pressure on an already struggling village infrastructure, with residents very concerned about the impact on parking, highways, schools, the health centre and library. It is important that the impact of these is well-thought through and fully considered for any S106 agreements, preferably in conjunction with the Parish Council.'
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