Cheshire: Controversial plans for 12-home estate are withdrawn

An application had been submitted in April last year to Cheshire West and Chester Council seeking outline permission to erect a dozen houses on land associated with Littler House in Littler Lane, Winsford.

The proposal would have seen the existing property bulldozed and a new access road created from Littler Lane. The planned estate included two pairs of semi-detached dwellings and eight detached dwellings. The four semi-detached homes would have been classed as 'affordable'.

Littler House is not a listed property or located in the protected conservation area or Green Belt.  And a planning document submitted by the applicant said it had fallen in to disrepair, having been vacant for 'a number of years'.

It said the surrounding land had previously been used as a private golf course.

But the plans prompted dozens of objections from some local residents who raised concerns over excess traffic on Littler Lane, the impact the development would have on wildlife and the impact on already stretched public services.

One Littler Lane resident submitted an objection on the council's online planning portal, which said: "We have endured six years of disruption with the Taylor Wimpey development and truly believe it is not in the interests of Littler Lane residents to endure yet more destruction of wildlife habitat and disruption to the local area with the development of Littler House."

A planning statement prepared by Fisher German on behalf of the applicant, said: "The location is sustainable for new residential development in line with planning policy. As far as the principle is considered, the development will create a development scheme which is very in-keeping with the area."

But the plans have now been withdrawn altogether. A document posted on the council’s planning portal said: "Thank you for your correspondence dated confirming your wish to withdraw the above application. This application has been withdrawn from the planning register."