Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee 8th June 2026

PL26/012 PRESENT

Councillors McCulloch, Coan, Dalzell, Gardiner, Gray, and Lowe.

B Allen (Deputy Town Clerk).

 

PL26/013 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received from Cllr Banks (personal business).

 

PL26/014 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS

Cllr Gardiner declared a personal interest in applications 26/1845/FUL on the grounds they met the applicant to discuss the planning process and technical matters of the application.

 

PL26/015 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

A representative of the Nether Ward Community Group spoke regarding application 26/1231/FUL stating that this is a full application with no reserved matters so urged the committee to consider the application as overdevelopment on the grounds; the housing number was evidenced as and previously agreed to be 60 dwellings but this has not been referenced appropriately within the application and the applicant claims the additional 15 dwellings are required to make the site viable; the parking provision is far below standard and not suitable for a small market town with no public transport; the landscape buffer is inappropriate at 9 feet tall with the design being left to a condition; and the associated roundabout appears to be smaller than the expected when considering the second land parcel of the allocated site which is earmarked for employment development has not come forward.

A resident of Freshfields spoke regarding application 26/1231/FUL stating that the Knutsford Neighbourhood Plan references development should be linked as per policy T1 and during consultation the residents raised that they did not want this, the applicant has afforded this within the application. The resident highlighted that Freshfields is narrow for cycles, has cars parked on both sides of the road, is currently a relatively safe space for children to play due to the low footfall, and suggested this as an opportunity to make Manchester Road safe for active travel.

A member of the public spoke regarding application 26/1509/LBC requesting the committee seek refusal as the heritage of Knutsford should be protected, as referred to in the council’s strategic plan, and application 26/1845/FUL stating the design and access statement records the gym times bit the road is not lit and that policy is set by Cheshire East Council to protect employment sites.

 

PL26/016 APPLICATION 26/1231/FUL – LAND OFF MANCHESTER ROAD

It was RESOLVED to STRONGLY OBJECT to the application on the grounds that the proposal fails to comply with Knutsford Neighbourhood Plan policy D1, D2, D3, H1 T1, and T4, through the following points:

• The proposal constitutes overdevelopment of the site as it exceeds the previously agreed 60 units and provides insufficient allocated space for required elements such as sustainable drainage (SUDS), parking, public open space, and formal play space.
• The layout does not link to or integrate with the existing settlement and fails to recognise the A50 as one of the primary gateways into Knutsford and does not reflect the existing pattern of development of larger properties along the A50 (Manchester Road) with feature properties at the entrance to the site.
• The proposed parking provisions are insufficient and without public transport residents are reliant on the use of private cars, and the proposed larger properties should include a garage in addition to the required two parking spaces.
• The proposed affordable housing fails to meet current policy.

 

If Cheshire East Council are minded to approve the application, the council raises the following requests be included within any contribution agreements:

• The delivery of a safe segregated active travel pathway along the A50 (Manchester Road) to the Town Centre, in consultation with the Town Council, through a s278 agreement or alternatively a contribution through a s106 agreement towards measures which support walking and cycling from the site to key infrastructure.
• A s106 agreement to provide and set out a new area for allotment gardens of c. 1,000 sqm of plots (providing 8 standard sized plots) including an area for parking and provision of water and fencing and that this site be transferred to the Town Council to manage alongside other sites within the town. This could be provided outside the red line boundary of the application site, i.e. elsewhere on Crown Estate land. Alternatively, a commuted sum calculated in line with that secured for the Manchester Road West site of £38,000 – towards the improvement of existing allotment sites or provision of additional allotment sites within Knutsford

 

PL26/017 CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 18^th May 2026.

 

PL26/018 PLANNING APPLICATIONS

It was RESOLVED submit the comments detailed below.

26/1764/PRIOR-3R	Moseley Hall Farm, Chelford Road	Prior Approval for proposed change of use of an agricultural building to a flexible commercial use (Notification under Schedule 2, Part 3, Class R of the GPDO). The building will be used for 1 no. indoor padel court (Class E(d)).	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
26/1774/FUL	Moseley Hall Farm Chelford Road	The installation of 1 no. outdoor padel court at Moseley Hall Farm, Chelford Road	The council raises concerns over the hours of operation and no light pollution assessment for the operating hours on the grounds that the application could be detrimental to fauna within the area and neighbouring amenity through excessive light pollution.
26/1509/LBC	Brae Cottage, Legh Road	Listed Building Consent for removal of blue plaque	The council STRONGLY OBJECTS to the removal of the Blue Plaque on the grounds that whilst the listed building is a dwelling, it also a heritage asset that forms part of the history of Knutsford, highlighting a person of national significance and therefore should be protected as a landmark of Knutsford Heritage.
26/0824/HOUS	Morningside, 37 Goughs Lane	Demolition of existing orangery and erection of replacement orangery; external alterations including rendering of elevations, introduction of stone window surrounds, replacement windows and doors, replacement entrance gates, and alterations to boundary treatments including new hedge planting and landscaping works.	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments and that the Conservation Officer is satisfied.   Additionally, the council request the applicant reconsider the proposed hedge species and plant a native hedge such as Yew.
26/1675/HOUS	Haysville, 18 Chelford Road	Part two storey, part single storey rear/side extensions to dwelling with associated alterations including replacement bay window to north elevation. Detached garage block and replacement boundary wall/entrance gate fronting Chelford Road.	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
26/1849/NMA	Land At Booths Park	Non-Material Amendment to approval 25/1240/FUL	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
26/1620/LBC	10 – 12 King Street	Listed building consent for correction of a wrongly installed wood burning stove flue and alterations to landscaping to the rear garden.	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments and the Conservation Officer being satisfied.
26/1619/HOUS	10 – 12 King Street	Correction of a wrongly installed wood burning stove flue and alterations to landscaping to the rear garden.	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments and the Conservation Officer being satisfied.
26/1392/ADV	Booths supermarket, Stanley Road	Advertisement Consent for one custom sign attached to wooden fence enclosure	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
26/2003/NMA	Longview Hotel, 51 – 55 Manchester Road	Non-material amendment to application 23/3954M.	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
26/1845/FUL	Unit C3, Stanley Estate, Stanley Road	Change of use from industrial / warehouse use, to Use Class E(d).	The council supports the proposal to put the unit back into use.
26/1846/LBC	13 Gaskell Avenue	Listed building consent for proposed like-for-like conservation repair and maintenance works to sections of the existing masonry at the Grade II listed property.	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments and the Conservation Officer being satisfied.
26/1765/HOUS	21 Old Market Place	Demolition of existing conservatory and erection of two storey rear extension.	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
26/1705/LBC	Heath House, 19 Gaskell Avenue	Listed building consent for single storey rear extensions following removal of existing single storey extension. Single storey side extension, along with general internal alterations to improve layout.	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments and the Conservation Officer being satisfied with the materials employed and the internal alterations.
26/1704/HOUS	Heath House, 19 Gaskell Avenue	Single storey rear extensions following removal of existing single storey extension. Single storey side extension, along with general internal alterations to improve layout.	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments and the Conservation Officer being satisfied with the materials employed and the internal alterations.

 

PL26/019 TREE APPLICATIONS

It was RESOLVED submit the comments detailed below.

26/1762/TCA	37 St Johns Road	Section 211 notice: Removal of two Holly trees.	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
26/1895/TCA	Unitarian Chapel, Knutsford, Cheshire East, WA16 8DY	Section 211 notice: T1 is a mature Yew. It is located adjacent to a footpath which runs from the adjacent hall to the chapel. There are approximately 6 low minor branches which overhang the footpath requiring removal to provide better clearance above head height for people using the path.	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
26/1855/TPO	Ten Trees, Spinney Lane, Knutsford, Cheshire East, WA16 0NQ	Works to Protected Trees: Work on all the 8 lime trees designated within the G1 area designated under APAS Code 18-023. The proposed work would involve carrying out a 1.5m canopy reduction on each tree, plus a canopy tinning of 15%. I am also proposing to remove the epicormic growth at the base of each tree, remove deadwood and also crown lift to 5m. There are a number of sycamore trees growing within this area that are not listed under the designation. I am proposing to also carry out the same work on these specimens as well	The council raises concerns over the over the history of the proposed tree works on the grounds a previous application proposed excessive works, and request the applicant submits a method statement and that the Tree Officer is completely satisfied with the methodology and proposed works.

 

PL26/020 PLANNING DECISIONS

The latest planning decisions were noted and a request to have details of the reasons for refusal included to the log was raised.

 

PL26/021 DATE OF NEXT MEETING

It was noted that the next meeting would be held on Monday 29^th June at 6pm.