The site is well located in terms of strategic transport links lying immediately to the west of the M6 (J17). The site adjoins the southern edge of Sandbach, located to the south of Old Mill Road and adjacent to the A534, and is around 350m from the town’s market square.

The development will provide for 30% affordable housing as well as public open space. Muller will also provide an education financial contribution as part of the S106 Agreement.

Having gone through a substantial exercise of public consultation Muller submitted a Hybrid Planning Application to reduce the residential element (to 92 homes) and to include a discount foodstore, petrol filling station, drive-through restaurant, drive-through coffee shop, farm shop and two retail ‘pod’ units, together with an outline application for a care home and conversion and refurbishment of existing farm building and dwellings. The application went to committee in February 2019 and was refused.

The reasons for refusal were reviewed and a new masterplan produced for the development, replacing the farm shop with office accommodation, and reducing the density of the residential dwellings to 85. Key revisions also included improved landscaping throughout featuring green corridors and a tree-lined avenue which runs through the development. A new public realm feature has also been included. The resubmission application, which was validated in May 2019, was refused in August 2019.

A further full planning application was submitted in August 2019 for a care home and 85 residential properties to the rear of the site. This application was refused at Committee in December 2019.

A new full application for the land at the front of the site, which comprises 57 residential dwellings, petrol filling station, drive through restaurant, drive through café and offices was submitted in December 2019. This application went to Committee in February 2020 and was refused.

Appeals were submitted for the hybrid resubmission and rear parcel residential/care home scheme. A virtual Inquiry was held in August 2020 with the Inspector dismissing the hybrid application but allowing the residential/care home scheme. 

A reserved matters application for 170 dwellings, based on the outline approval 14/1193C, was submitted to Cheshire East Council in April 2021, and was validated. The application was refused at Planning Committee and we are appealing the decision.

The aforementioned reserved matters application excluded a parcel of land which we have allocated for a care home site. We are currently in discussions with end users to agree a scheme and to submit a planning application.

In April 2024 Secretary of State Micheal Gove granted reserved matters approval for the site comprising of 160 properties with car parking and public space. Local government minister Simon Hoare, on behalf of levelling up, housing and communities secretary Micheal Gove, said he agreed with the planning inspector’s view that many aspects of the layout of the scheme were “entirely satisfactory and will create an attractive environment”. Read the full article here.