CONFUSION at a Cheshire East Council planning meeting led to an application for a Chelford water sports centre being wrongfully rejected.

Members of the council’s strategic planning board moved to reject the application for a wakeboarding and water sports park in Mere Farm Quarry at the meeting on Wednesday, July 27.

But the applicant, Tim Woodhead, owner of Cheshire Lakes Community Interest Company, was unaware that the decision had been made until he saw it in the local media.

Tim said that due to a ‘delayed consultation’ by the council with Manchester Airport, the company’s planning consultants requested to be withdrawn from the agenda- to which the council agreed.

“We had actually not been withdrawn from the planning board and there was an administrative error on the council’s behalf,” said Tim. “Our case was actually heard without the applicant or applicant’s supports speaking.

“The decision was a split decision, with five for refusal, four for approval and one who didn’t vote. This decision was then reported in the local media, and this to our utter shock, was how we found out about our case actually being heard.

“Once we informed the council of their mistake, they then did not issue the decision notice and hence we have actually not been refused.”

According to Tim Cheshire East Council has since apologised for its administrative error. The planning application will be reviewed again at a meeting on Wednesday, August 24.

Tim added: “We now have the opportunity to discuss with Manchester Airport a way to mitigate their concerns and hopefully when we actually get a chance to speak at our application we will be in a much stronger position.”

During the meeting, councillors heard how maintenance of the land by the applicant could make the grassland more appealing to larger birds such as Canada Geese, which could increase the chance of ‘bird strikes’, causing concern for Manchester Airport.

Other concerns raised were that the former quarry is part of a long-term restoration plan which could be disturbed by the erection of a water park.

The Guardian was awaiting a response from Cheshire East Council at the time of going to press.