A BATTLE over historic Wilmslow woodland is hotting up.

Plans have twice been submitted to Cheshire East Council for a wider access to be opened up for a 3.4-acre field in Browns Lane owned by Jones Homes – which neighbouring residents and campaigners fear will cause destruction to a thriving wildlife habitat.

CEC rejected the first application due to road safety concerns and the resultant loss of a protected tree, and an appeal against that decision has now been turned down.

But applicant Gemma Pownall has updated her second proposal to CEC in the hope of finally getting planning permission – cutting the width of the access from 5.5m to 4.8m.

In a letter sent to CEC on her behalf, planning consultant Andrew Barton insists that the woodland will not be harmed by the proposal.

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He said: “The extent of hedge needed to be removed will now be less as the access is narrower.

“As can be seen on the submitted plan the proposal will not require the removal of the [protected] tree to provide the access or the visibility splay. There will also be a net gain in hedge as the replacement hedge length will be greater than that being removed.”

Mr Barton also suggests that fears the access would be used for construction traffic to build homes on the site are ‘unfounded’, as the land is safeguarded from development until 2030.

Cllr Toni Fox, Residents of Wilmslow CEC member for Dean Row, last month called on Jones Homes to ‘just come out and say it’ if it wanted to build homes on the land, but Mr Barton insists the firm has ‘no intention to develop the land for housing until and if required’ in 2030.

Knutsford Guardian:

CEC rejected the first application last August over road safety concerns and the resulting loss of a protected tree – a view supported by planning inspector Andrew Rankin, who rejected the appeal.

He said: “There is no substantive evidence before me that the existing vehicular access from Browns Lane is unsafe and that there is therefore a clear overriding reason for a new vehicular access.

“From the evidence before me, it is not clear that the required visibility splay can be provided without the removal of [the protected] tree.

“The removal of this tree would be harmful to the semi-rural character and appearance of this part of Browns Lane and would conflict with [CEC’s local plan].”

Neighbour Jane Carroll says she is unsure how the plans could be approved this time around with the protected tree still in the same place as it was – 1.5m away from the kerb.

She added: “I know that Alderley Edge and the surrounding area is the land of enchantment and wizardry, but the tree has not moved.”

The hedgerow is recorded in the Tithe Map of the area dating back to 1841, and an online petition to protect it has been signed by more than 860 people.

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Wilmslow Town Council has raised concerns about road safety, suggesting the access could lead to agricultural traffic turning left and travelling through a residential area.

Residents can comment on the application until Wednesday, July 3.

To view the plans and submit comments, search for ’18/5180M’ on CEC’s planning website.

The Guardian approached Jones Homes for comment.