Landowners reveal revised drawings for Knutsford's future (From Knutsford Guardian)

Crown Estates and Tatton Estate Management team up to produce plan for north west Knutsford

8:45am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News By James Wilson

TWO major landowners have unveiled their revised master plans for Knutsford’s future.

Tatton Estate Management and Crown Estates have jointly produced a 54-page brochure showing its latest ‘conceptual master plan’ for the north west of Knutsford.

The plans include the creation of 600 homes – 400 off Mereheath Lane and 200 off Tabley Road – the potential relocating of Egerton Primary, retaining the location of Knutsford Sports Club, creating extra sports pitches and land for a new medical centre.

A plan has also been produced for the north east section of the town (Parkgate area) which includes land set aside for employment plus 200 homes as well as the safeguarding of two sites.

Henry Brooks, from Tatton Estate Management, told the Guardian he had listened to the community and had made ‘significant changes’ to its original submission that was unveiled in late 2012.

But he added while most of the changes to the plan took place in the north west of the town, he was still putting forward plans for the north east.

“We have jointly commissioned work to look at housing need, which is undeniably very high in Knutsford, and have proposed fewer houses than in our town strategy submissions, but importantly still enough to be robust in social and planning terms,” he said.

“To help see the bigger picture we have made our submission jointly with the Crown Estate – effectively the taxpayer.

“Sixty five per cent of people supported the land east of Parkgate as the best site for new homes.

“Major proposed improvements to Parkgate Lane should dramatically improve traffic flow, so this is still put forward therefore and the remainder of the site is proposed for safeguarding for future growth.

“A new site to potentially allow Egerton School to expand next to the sports clubs in the north west ensures efficient use of land and facilities, while a new car park is suggested to reduce congestion and get cars off residential streets.

“We continue to highlight the opportunity to reduce reliance on the car by having a railway station for Longridge/Shaw Heath/Parkgate and the potential to bring Metrolink trams into Cheshire.

“But we plan to do more public engagement work in the spring, and we’d like comments and suggestions on how together we can ensure growth that enhances Knutsford sensitively and appropriately.”

A spokesperson for the Crown Estate added: “As the largest landowner in the Knutsford area, “The Crown Estate is well placed to be able to accommodate new growth in part of its Tabley estate.

“Through the local planning making process we have submitted representations, in collaboration with Tatton Estate, to the council for the allocation of some our estate to provide housing and other community facilities for the future growth and prosperity of Knutsford.

“We will, in due course, be consulting with the local community on the options we have proposed.”

The brochure can be read at tattonestate.com/knutsford-town-strategy and at knutsford guardian.co.uk.