GOOSTREY's MP has been successful in making sure a Government minister looks into 'calling in' a controversial housing scheme for the village.

Gladman Developments want to build 119 homes off Main Road in the village and submitted its plans to Cheshire East Council in December 2014.

However, Fiona Bruce has raised concerns on behalf of villagers and today, Tuesday, convinced a Government minister to look into 'calling in' the decision meaning it would take it out of the hands of Cheshire East Council's strategic planning board after it has made a decision.

Government Housing Minister, Brandon Lewis MP, agreed in the House of Commons, to give full considerations to the request by Mrs Bruce for the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to 'Call In' the planning application, which is close to Jodrell Bank.

Asking the Minister in the chamber of the House of Commons today, Tuesday, March 17, Mrs Bruce said: "Will Ministers give very serious consideration to a call-in request I have made relating to a planning application for 119 properties in Goostrey?

"It would generate detrimental interference to the radio telescopes and world-leading scientific work at Jodrell Bank, and is therefore a concern of national significance."

Responding, Brandon Lewis MP said: "My hon. Friend will appreciate that I cannot comment on a particular planning application, but any such request will be given full consideration.

"I know that she has campaigned very hard with local residents to protect what they perceive as an important piece of local infrastructure.

"I will obviously look at all the details that come in."

It was the third time Mrs Bruce has raised, with Ministers in the House of Commons, concerns about the potentially damaging effect such a large housing development near to Jodrell Bank could have on the sensitive radio telescopes there.

Speaking after the Minister’s response, Mrs Bruce said: "Government Ministers have got the message loud and clear that this development should not go ahead.

"The work at Jodrell Bank is world leading and Government had committed to investing over £100million in the Square Kilometre Array Project of which Jodrell Bank is a key part.

"It is of strategic importance to the future of radio astronomy and I am very pleased that Ministers have today confirmed that they will carefully consider the detailed submissions which I have made on behalf of residents and Jodrell Bank itself."

"The 'Call In' of an application refers to the power of the Secretary of State to take the decision on a particular planning application out of the hands of the local planning authority for his own determination and one of the key grounds is because there are matters of national significance involved.

"Surely there can be fewer better arguments for a 'Call In' of a planning proposal than detrimental impact on Jodrell Bank.”