RESIDENTS are invited to have their say at The Welcome Café tomorrow on plans for up to 225 houses at Longridge.

The invitation comes from Emery Planning, which is preparing an outline planning application for land east of Longridge.

In advance of submitting the application the planning consultants are undertaking public consultation to seek the views of residents on the draft proposals.

Written responses are invited until May 24, and a public consultation event is being held at The Welcome Café tomorrow, May 15, between 3.30pm and 7pm, which residents are invited to attend.

Members of the application team will be in attendance to discuss the proposals, and there will be comment forms available.

For more details visit emeryplanning.com/public-consultation/longridge

In a letter to residents, Emery Planning associate director John Coxon said the Longridge site was allocated for a residential development of about 225 houses to meet Knutsford’s housing needs, and 30 per cent of the houses would be provided as affordable homes.

Access would be a detailed matter for the application, he said, and it was proposed to take access via the current open space to the south west of the site.

“In light of a covenant that affects the site’s frontage with Longridge, Cheshire East Council has resolved in principle to dispose of part of the open space to facilitate access to the site,” he said.

“The proposal seeks to minimise the loss of open space by locating the new access as far north east as possible.

“The applicant is also proposing a planning contribution towards enhancing the retained open space, which would enable the reinstatement of the land for use as a playing field.

“This could assist in addressing an identified shortfall in playing pitch provision in the town. In addition, the proposed development would feature significant amounts of formal and informal open space throughout.”

Mr Coxon said an illustrative plan showed ‘generous areas of public open space, attractive pedestrian/cycleway linkages, a green corridor along Birkin Brook, the retention of trees and hedgerows where appropriate and opportunities for new planting’.

“It shows that a high-quality design which emphasises a sense of local distinctiveness could be secured at the reserved matters stage,” said Mr Coxon.

Comments can be made at Emery Planning’s website, by emailing info@emeryplanning.com or writing to Emery Planning, 1-4 South Park Court, Hobson Street, Macclesfield.