PLANS to build 99 homes in Newton-le-Willows have been recommended for refusal.

The application for the land west of Mill Lane will come before the planning committee at its meeting next Tuesday.

The applicant is Wainhomes (North West) Ltd.

Report to the planning committee

A report to the committee says the application site comprises a broadly triangular shaped piece of grassland, measuring approximately five hectares in area, and is located on the south east edge of Newton-le-Willows.

It was formerly green belt but was removed "as part of the adoption" of the local plan earlier this year and the site is now "undesignated".

Opposition to the plans

The scheme proposes full planning permission for the construction of 99 dwellings including access, associated works and landscaping.

Access to the site would be from the A49 Mill Lane, through the "safeguarded land" to the north of the site, and this would be a single access road with an additional emergency access point.

Meanwhile, the proposal includes landscaping throughout the development, including tree planting along the main street frontages.

The application was publicised with individual neighbour letters, site notices and a press notice.

Representations were received from 41 separate addresses – 39 objecting and two in support of the application.

Grounds for the objections included flood risk, and the site not being allocated for housing in the recent local plan and the proposal undermining the local plan, while the reasons for support included the proposed dwellings being close to transport links and local amenities, and development being needed on this side of Newton-le-Willows.

Recommendation for refusal

Planning officers have recommended that the application is refused.

A report to the committee says the proposed development seeks to form an access through a "safeguarded housing site", with the access not considered to be an "acceptable" form of development within the "safeguarded land" as it is "not necessary for an existing use nor is it a temporary use that is considered to retain the open nature of the site".

Furthermore, the grounds for the application being recommended for refusal include the proposed development by "virtue of its design and layout" resulting in a "visually isolated" form of development that would be "harmful to the general character and appearance of the area".