DEVELOPERS will argue there is ‘no justifiable basis’ to stop them building 258 more houses on a Hartford estate at a public inquiry next month.

Cheshire West and Chester Council rejected plans to add more homes to the Weaver Park development, off School Lane, last November – but the decision has since been taken to appeal.

The development – previously known as The Hollies – already has 279 houses, but developers Bridgemere Land and Redrow Homes are determined to take that number to 537.

CWAC’s planning committee insisted the proposal would ramp up congestion in Hartford, but that will be contested by Bridgemere and Redrow at an inquiry on Tuesday, July 23.

In a statement issued ahead of the inquiry, the developers said: “There is no justifiable basis for withholding planning permission in this case for a development that – far from resulting in harm – would bring with it significant benefits.”

It adds that the scheme would provide ‘sustainably-located additional housing’ and that without the extra homes, the development ‘remains unfinished’.

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The developers also emphasise that the scheme would provide affordable housing and ‘a large area of high quality, multi-functional parkland’ for Hartford residents to enjoy.

Weaver Park was originally intended to have 350 homes, after the developers secured outline planning permission for the principle of the development at appeal in 2013.

Detailed planning permission was later granted for 279 homes before the original outline consent lapsed.

Bridgemere and Redrow then applied for permission to complete the development, plus an additional 187 homes over the original target, but on a larger piece of land.

CWAC received 139 objections to the expansion before its planning committee rejected the scheme last November.

At that meeting, Cllr Patricia Parkes, Conservative CWAC member for Hartford and Greenbank, said: “This development does not meet the needs of the community, it will only exacerbate the traffic problems and we are in dire need of amenities such as a library, a dentist and a medical centre.

Northwich Guardian:

“The general Hartford area suffers from existing congestion issues in the peak traffic periods, and the addition of the likely traffic from this development will exert further pressure on this situation.”

Hartford Parish Council also raised fears about the loss of open space and an increase in traffic congestion as a result of the larger development.

The inquiry will take place at the council chamber in Wyvern House, Winsford, from 10am on July 23.

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Members of the public can attend and will be able to comment on the planning application, at the discretion of the planning inspector.

For more information call the Planning Inspectorate on 0303 444 5471, quoting reference APP/A0665/W/19/3220360.