A TEENAGER from Holmes Chapel has handed over a petition to the council leader in a bid to put pressure on developers wanting to build 100 homes in the village.

Bill Armstrong-Mortlock, a 16-year-old sixth form student at Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School, started a campaign in January against the proposed development for 100 new houses on Saltersford Corner in the village.

Bill, along with his mum Katherine, headed to Cheshire East Council’s headquarters in Sandbach on Thursday, February 20 to hand the 472-strong petition over to Clr Michael Jones, leader, and Dane Valley ward Clr Andrew Kolker.

The youngster told the Guardian earlier this month that the proposal for the homes was ‘unsustainable development for the village on a bit of dangerous road’.

Clr Jones told the Guardian Bill had done a ‘great job’ in organising the petition.

“It was a great pleasure to meet someone who has been engaging with the local community,” he added.

“Bill was a nice kid and what was really interesting is that he’s got it right. I think Saltersford Corner is the last place we should look at building housing. I don’t sit on the planning boards but it is a really important road and it has a lot of traffic on it.

“Until the Congleton relief road is sorted we don’t want to see extra traffic going along it.

“Bill is doing a great job and he was very engaging and his mother was rightly proud of him.”

Bill’s mum, Katherine, added: “Thursday was the deadline for objections to the proposal, but Bill is keeping the petition open as he can add to the timeline, and perhaps quote additional numbers if he is allowed to speak at the committee – the councillors seemed keen that he should.”

The application, submitted by Walsingham Planning on behalf of the land owner, is due to go before the council’s Strategic Planning Board on March 5.

What do you think about the plans for Holmes Chapel? Email yourviews@guardiangrp.co.uk.