Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee 25th November 2024

a)       The site has an existing safe access point from the highway at Oakleigh.  The proposal would create an access of a busy 50mph A-road which would be unsafe.

b)      The application does not provide any hardstanding/car parking within the site, therefore vehicle movements are likely to deposit mud onto the A-road, creating further risk to highway users. The addition of hardstanding would detract from the openness of the green belt.

c)       The site is within the green belt and the proposal does not enhance the openness of the green belt nor the setting of the town within the green belt.

a)       Whilst the proposed building aligns with the front building line of the existing hut, by virtue the significant increase in height the built form would be appear incongruous due to its significant projection in front of the building line established by the cottages and 13 Branden Drive.

b)      The proposals allocate an insufficient amount of parking, contrary to the parking standards of the Cheshire East Local Plan and Policy T4 of the Knutsford Neighbourhood Plan. Only 10 spaces are provided, and the standard requires 12. The Town Council does not believe the site can sustain reduced parking as there is extremely limited on street parking in the vicinity due to the narrow width of Branden Drive and existing levels of on street parking. The proposals allocate no visitor parking which will further exacerbate the issue. The Town Council is concerned that the lack of parking will lead to additional on street parking to the detriment of highway safety and the safety of pedestrians in a busy pedestrian route to the Town Centre. On street parking which spills towards Mobberley Road will create a hazard on this busy B road. Additionally, the proposals only provide two EV charging spaces which would be insufficient for six dwellings.

c)       Due to the gradient of the land which slopes down to the houses on Branden Drive, the proposed buildings will be significantly higher than the existing houses. Whilst the proposals do not include windows on the west elevation to prevent overlooking, the result is a dominant brick façade which will be overbearing to the neighbouring properties and detrimental to their residential amenity.

d)      The proposed rooflights on the east elevation would create unacceptable levels of overlooking and a loss of privacy due to the height of the windows with respect to the height of bedroom windows of 15-19 Branden Drive and direct overlooking of their gardens.

e)      The bin storage for unit one places the bins at the front of the property which is detrimental to the Streetscene and detracts from views from the adjacent conservation area and public open space

T1 – Horse Chestnut – Fell – The tree is not completely dead but is leaning with 75% plus of the crown dead, very little would be left if the dead wood was removed.

Multiple proposed works to TPO trees (see Annex A – Table of recommendations).

Removal of T2 indicated on attached site plan.

T1 Coppiced Cherry close to the border with the recreation ground (ownership unclear) – Remove one large stem leaning towards the Vicarage