THE third of three developments which will transform the north of Knutsford has been approved – paving the way for a speed reduction on Manchester Road.

At a meeting on Wednesday, Cheshire East Council’s strategic planning board unanimously approved plans from the Crown Estate to build a business park of up to 7.5 hectares to the west of the road, along with up to 60 homes.

It comes after the Crown Estate was given permission to build up to 190 homes off Northwich Road last year, while Tatton Estate received the green light for its Bluebell Village development of up to 275 homes on the other side of Manchester Road in February.

All three locations were earmarked for development in CEC’s local plan, and officers recommended the business park scheme for approval ahead of the meeting.

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Alastair Bird, representing the Crown Estate, told councillors: “The application was submitted following consultation with your officers, the local community and key stakeholders.

“The Crown Estate has continued to work positively with the local community and your officers throughout this process, responding to matters raised.

“The scheme represents a high-quality, sustainable development, which conforms with all relevant policies in the adopted local plan and neighbourhood plan.”

Cllr Stewart Gardiner, Conservative member for Knutsford, told the board that he had no concerns with the principle of the development – but he wanted CEC to nail down on the details of the scheme.

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That included measures to boost road safety, including a commitment for the proposed roundabout which forms part of the Crown Estate development to also connect to the Tatton Estate scheme on the other side of the road.

He said: “The purpose of having a planning system is to ensure that all the pieces of the jigsaw can fit together, whenever they are brought forward.”

Cllr Gardiner also wanted to see a detailed travel plan for the scheme including a bus service linking the development to the town centre to cut congestion and improve air quality.

And he called on CEC to ensure developers could fund new speed restrictions on the A50 – including a 30mph zone from the development towards town, and a 40mph limit between the proposed roundabout and the Cottons Hotel.

A petition to cut the speed limit along that stretch of Manchester Road has attracted more than 400 signatures following the death of motorcyclist Ian Glanister, 29, from St Helens, after a collision earlier this month.

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It followed the death of Miroslaw Chlap, a chef at Cottons, in 2016 after being hit by a car outside the hotel as he cycled home after work, while a motorcyclist died in 2015 after being involved in a collision with a car outside Fryer’s Garden Centre.

A condition attached to the planning permission includes a proposal to reduce the speed limit approaching the roundabout to 40mph, but officers said a 30mph limit had not yet been considered.

The committee added another condition to ensure the two Manchester Road developments are served by the same roundabout.

As part of the scheme, developers will be expected to build 30 per cent affordable housing, provide a £45,500 contribution towards education, a £60,480 contribution to GP provision and £10,400 for Knutsford Leisure Centre.

More detailed design plans will now come before CEC in the ‘reserved matters’ stage’ before the development gets the final seal of approval.

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