Minutes of the Planning Committee Meeting 19th October 2026

PL26/052 PRESENT

Councillors McCulloch, Dalzell, Banks, Coan, Gardiner, Hartley and Lowe.

B Allen (Deputy Town Clerk).

 

PL26/053 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received from Cllr Gray (personal business)

 

PL26/054 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS

Cllr Gardiner declared during their career their path had crossed with the agent for several of the applications but clarified their position was unfettered, and declared they would not be putting themselves forward as a member of any potential working group recommended in item 8 on the grounds of being the Leader of the Opposition for Cheshire East Council.

 

PL26/055 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

A resident spoke in relation to the local plan, reiterating their comments from the last meeting endorsing the recommendation a working group be set up, suggesting that a representative of the Business Improvement District be invited along with resident members. The resident highlighted their comments from the previous meeting were recorded incorrectly and working group membership should be considered as ideally long-term but up until 2029 could be a significant request.

A representative of the Nether Ward Community Group spoke in relation to application 26/2817/RES stating the application relies on the Manchester Road roundabout being secured to settle the issue primary access which they stated should be approved prior to agreeing secondary access. The representative went on to highlight that data within the application contradicts itself.

The resident noted an application for development in the Green Belt had come forward and that they would reserve further comment until the application appears on the committee’s agenda.

 

PL26/056 CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 28^th September 2026, subject to amending the apologies for Cllr Banks.

 

PL26/057 PLANNING APPLICATIONS

It was RESOLVED submit the comments detailed below.

Cllr Hartley left the meeting during the discussion for item 26/3508/HOUS.

26/3389/HOUS	20 Stanley Road	Construction of a replacement detached garage.	The Town Council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments and the Highways Officer being satisfied with the accessibility of the proposed garage from the highway as no highway alterations included within the application.
26/3341/HOUS	Grainge, 4 Tabley Road	Alterations to rear ground floor extension	The Town Council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments and the Conservation Officer being satisfied with the proposal.
26/3339/HOUS	Craig House, 5 Tabley Road	Erection of replacement garage following demolition of existing garage and outbuilding	The Town Council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments and the Conservation Officer being satisfied with the proposal.
26/3340/HOUS	Craig House, 5 Tabley Road	Proposed ground floor extensions on side and rear elevations and associated works	The Town Council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments and the Conservation Officer being satisfied with the proposal.
26/3449/HOUS	43 Valley Way	Proposed two storey side extension, single storey front open porch extension, single storey rear extension and associated alterations	The Town Council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
26/3429/HOUS	Otterburn House, Manor Park South	Timber Frame Extension over Existing Garage	The Town Council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
26/2817/RES	Land Off Mereheath Lane	Reserved Matters planning application for details of points of access further to outline planning permission 18/3672M	The Town Council STRONGLY OBJECTS to the proposal on the grounds the application does not conform to Knutsford Neighbourhood Plan policies T1, T2, and T3, on the grounds the drawings are only illustrative, there are speed contradictions within the submitted documents, the provisions proposed for cycling are inadequate, the proposed crossing should be at Sugar Pit Lane to connect to existing active travel routes, the proposed phasing should secure the active travel arrangements prior to the first occupation, and the linked roundabout approach speeds need to be reconsidered.
26/1731/HOUS	19 St Johns Road	Replacement of existing (non-original) bay window, to a painted timber vertical sliding sash window of traditional design, to front elevation	The Town Council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments and the Conservation Officer being satisfied with the materials proposed and methodology of works.
26/3415/FUL	Land Adjacent To Unit 7 Wolfe Close, Parkgate Industrial Estate	Construction of a new detached storage unit (Use Class B8) on vacant land adjacent to Unit 7, measuring 21m by 9m, with two roller shutter  doors (each 3m wide and 5m high), personnel access doors and associated site works.	The Town Council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments and the views of Network Rail.
26/3535/HOUS	159 Ashworth Park	Two-storey side extension.	The Town Council raises no objections to the extension in principle, subject to neighbour comments, but raise concerns over the materials palette and request a materials palette which is more sympathetic to the existing property and street scene.
26/3508/HOUS	Legh View, Toft Road	Erection of oak framed carport	The Town Council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
26/3558/LBC	Lloyds Bank, Princess Street	Listed building consent for internal works to existing building including internally mounted signage.	The Town Council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments and the Conservation Officer being fully satisfied the proposal will not detrimentally affect the archaeology of the building. Should the council be minded to approve the application, the Town Council requests an informative regarding separately applying for advertising consent is included.
26/3583/HOUS	1 Springwood Avenue	Proposed first floor extension above existing ground floor extension to existing residential property	The Town Council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
26/3552/HOUS	27 St Johns Road	Proposed conversion of the existing attached outbuildings to habitable space including internal and external alterations to that space, internal layout alterations including alterations to the external door and window arrangement, addition of roof windows to the existing outrigger roof, new connection to the existing soil vent pipe, repair to the brickwork externally.	The Town Council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.

 

PL26/058 TREE APPLICATIONS

It was RESOLVED submit the comments detailed below.

26/3460/TCA	18 Stanley Road	Section 211 notice: T1 Hornbeam (located at front of 20 Stanley Road) – cut back overhanging branches back to fence-line by 2m. T2 Silver Birch (located at rear of 21A Gaskell Avenue) – remove lowest limb, overhanging fence. T3 Tulip Poplar (located at rear of 21A Gaskell Avenue) – cut back overhanging branches back to fence-line by 3m	The Town Council raises no objections.
26/3381/TPO	84 Bexton Road	Works to Protected Trees: T1 Horse Chestnut to be crown lifted to comply with highways standards, crown reduction of 30% approx 2.5 meters	The Town Council raises no objections.
26/3355/TPO	Hallside House, Chelford Road	Works to Protected Trees: Various works	The Town Council raises no objections subject to the Tree Officer being satisfied with the proposed works and conditions requiring the replanting of suitable deciduous replacement trees.
26/3582/TCA	8 Rutherford Drive	Section 211 notice: 1. Hornbeam – Fell to ground level. 2. Sycamore – Crown lift to 7 metres from ground level, with the removal of stubs and previously. Reduce limbs which overhang the garden of 8 Rutherford Drive by 2.5 metres. 3. Golden Leylandii – Reduce in height by 40%. 4. Weeping Birch – Fell to ground level. 5. Cotoneaster – Reduce in height by 2 metres and prune to shape. 6. Cherry – Fell to ground level.	The Town Council raises no objections.
26/3624/TCA	Tatton Court, King Street	Section 211 notice: T1 – Removal of suppressed silver birch leaning towards building T2 – 2M reduction of silver birch T3 – 2M full reduction of silver birch	The Town Council raises no objections.

 

PL26/059 LICENSING APPLICATIONS

The committee made no comments on any application.

 

PL26/060 CHESHIRE EAST LOCAL PLAN

The report was noted and it was RESOLVED to create a working group to engage with stakeholders regarding the new local plan. The committee suggested an initial engagement event for November.

 

PL26/061 PLANNING DECISIONS

The latest planning decisions were noted.

 

PL26/062 DATE OF NEXT MEETING

It was noted that the next meeting would be held on Monday 9^th November at 6pm.