A PLANNING inquiry into a proposed 227-home development in the Dane Valley is underway.

Plans were refused by Cheshire West and Chester Council committee members back in May, going against planning officer advice and turning down the proposals amid concern over design quality and flooding risk.

The appellant, Ainscough Strategic Land, has appealed against the council’s decision, with the government’s Planning Inspectorate picking up the case.

All initial comments will be collated by the end of January, ahead of a date for the planning inquiry itself being set. At this stage, the inquiry will be based on written representation and a site visit.

Cllr Helen Weltman, CWAC member for Leftwich, spoke against the application at the committee meeting in May.

She said: “We thought that there would be an appeal and so it’s not unexpected.

“There is a valid application there for reserved matters, which is quite a high spec application and unfortunately this one doesn’t come up to that standard.”

The site, between Langley Road and the River Dane, has a lengthy planning history.

Outline plans for up to 242 homes were approved in 2014, although the developer leading the scheme has since changed. In May, councillors felt that the latest application did not adhere to the design code approved four years ago.

A fresh reserved matters application by David Wilson Homes, for 188 homes, was then approved in 2016, before Bellway Homes took over the project and submitted the latest reserved matters application for up to 227 homes.

CWAC’s reason for refusal was that the development ‘by virtue of its design, appearance, scale and massing, fails to achieve consistency with the Northwich Meadows Design Code of Conduct’ associated with the July 2014 outline approval.

The appeal document by ASL said: “The reason for refusal does not allege any tangible harm generated by the scheme, nor does it identify any specific harmful components of the proposals.

“While the reason for refusal refers to generic allegations of inconsistency, it is not clear which elements of the scheme are considered to be unacceptable. It is the appellant’s case that the scheme is supported by the Design Code document.

“The proposal delivers much-needed market and affordable housing in a sustainable locations.”

The site is featured in the CWAC Local Plan and its projected five-year housing supply.