CAMPAIGNERS have been boosted after planning chiefs voted for the council to continue to defend the case against the development of 1,200 homes on Peel Hall.

In 2018, developer Satnam Millennium Ltd appealed against the decision of the council’s development management committee to refuse the masterplan for the Houghton Green site.

Satnam’s appeal was dismissed by the secretary of state, however, the High Court overturned the decision in October last year.

This means that a new public inquiry into Peel Hall will be held, with discussions taking place to finalise a suitable date.

The land is situated south of the M62 and is bounded by a number of streets including Elm Road, Birch Avenue, Poplars Avenue, Newhaven Road, Windermere Avenue and Grasmere Avenue.

Satnam’s masterplan for the land proposes a new mixed-use neighbourhood comprising up to 1,200 homes, as well as a care home, food store, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, takeaways and a primary school.

It was discussed by the development management committee during its virtual meeting on Wednesday.

Members unanimously voted for the council to continue to defend the appeal at the new inquiry on highway grounds.

The council’s concerns focus on a number of roads including Poplars Avenue, Capesthorne Road, Sandy Lane, the A49 Winwick Road and the A574 Cromwell Avenue.

Committee member Cllr Bob Barr (LD – Lymm North and Thelwall) said: “It seems amazing that in 2020 we are still in front of the High Court with a proposal to develop the whole of this site with an inadequate highway scheme.

“It is not as though that should have come as news to the landowners or the developers because they have been told that for the last 15 or 20 years.”

Fellow committee member Cllr Peter Carey (LAB – Fairfield and Howley) said the A49 is already ‘heavily congested’ especially at peak times.

He said that it as ‘saturation point’ partly because of the Junction Nine and Gemini retail developments.

“This site really is a key part of what is the largest residential development in the north west of the borough,” he added.

“It’s hard to imagine how access to this plot at the northern end can be accommodated without some major changes to the present highway strategy.”