‘UNNEIGHBOURLY’ plans to knock down a Knutsford bungalow and replace it with four terraced homes have been turned down by council officers.

Developer Mike Le-Gallez wanted to demolish 17 Northwich Road – close to the Heathfield Square conservation area – and build four two-storey, three-bedroom homes in its place.

But Cheshire East Council has rejected the scheme – with officers suggesting it would be ‘cramped’ and would offer ‘no public benefits’ to outweigh harm to the conservation area.

Officers also criticised a lack of rear garden space for the four new properties and the proposed car parking area, which would run against a neighbouring property in Sandileigh Avenue.

In a report, CEC said: “The parking area, serving the four dwellings, would represent a significant intensification of the use, likely to result in harmful levels of activity and noise, which would compromise this neighbour’s ability to enjoy their garden area.

“The proposal would be an unneighbourly form of development, which would fail to secure a good standard of amenity for existing occupiers.”

It is the second time that plans to replace the bungalow with new homes have been knocked back by CEC.

Knutsford Guardian:

The local authority rejected a proposal for three, three-storey homes on the site last September, and an appeal lodged against the decision was dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate in March.

In the latest planning application, which was lodged with CEC on October 10, White Box Architecture said the new designs ‘reflect the comments issued on the appeal decision’.

The firm, representing Mr Le-Gallez, added: “We understand the potential hindrances that the previous proposal may have caused within the Heathfield Square conservation area – especially in terms of scale and appearance.

“This redesign therefore answers the concerns from CEC and the appeals inspector to provide a scheme that enhances the conservation area, while contributing to the supply of additional housing.”

While it did not object to the idea of the development, Knutsford Town Council called on CEC to reject the scheme at its November planning committee meeting.

It said that the plans went against Knutsford’s neighbourhood plan due to a lack of sufficient rear gardens for the four properties.

CEC received three letters of support for the proposal, suggesting the new homes would fit in better with their surroundings than the existing bungalow.

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But the council received nine objections to the scheme – which was described as an ‘overdevelopment’ – with concerns over parking at the site.

Mr Le-Gallez could appeal against the latest decision within the next six months.