HOUSING plans for land off Gaskell Avenue in Knutsford met unanimous opposition from councillors.

Alternative proposals for a four-bedroom house and a pair of four-bedroom semi-detached houses sparked concern because of their impact on the Conservation Area and a property alongside the access road to the application site.

The applications by Mr A Vale from Cranford Estates earmarked land south of 18 Gaskell Avenue for the houses, with access to the site passing in front of The Coach House.

Members of the Northern Planning Committee said they were minded to refuse the plans for the semi-detached houses.

Mr Vale has appealed against the non-determination by Cheshire East of the plans, and the authority has to inform the appeal inspector what its intended recommendation would have been.

The committee refused permission for the alternative scheme for a single house.

Councillors expressed concern about the width of the access road to the application site and its ability to cater for construction and emergency vehicles.

A representative of planning consultants for Mrs Steele, who lives in The Coach House, told the committee: “Pedestrians will be able to see directly into the windows of all the ground floor rooms in The Coach House.

“The private drive is extremely tight, it is difficult to manoeuvre even in a private car, and we doubt whether service vehicles or emergency vehicles will be able to access the property.

“The development will have a significant impact on the quality of life of neighbouring residents along a very tight private drive.

“When Mrs Steele moved in they could not fit in a small lorry down the access track and had to carry their furniture into the house.

“When I visited the site my car could hardly fit down the driveway.”

Cllr Nick Mannion said: “The track was obviously intended for occasional access to what once might have been an orchard, but obviously a garden area. It is trying to get a quart into a pint pot – the access is very restricted.”

The agent for the developer said it was estimated the access road was between four and five metres wide, although Mrs Steele’s representative believed it was three to four metres.

The agent said the alternative design for a single contemporary house evolved following feedback from Cheshire East’s conservation officer on the semi-detached scheme.

He said: “We were unable to progress the original application – it was at this point the decision was taken to submit the alternative design as a separate application and submit a non-determination appeal to the original proposal.”