Next phase of 1,100 home housing scheme set for go ahead

Halton Council’s development management committee is recommended to rubber-stamp plans by Redrow Homes for the latest phase of its Daresbury Garden Village scheme on former farmland off Delph Lane.

The full planning application includes 151, three, four and five bedroom houses on 28 acres of greenfield land that form part of the southern phase of the Garden Village Project, which could see up to 1,100 properties built over the next 10 years.

The Garden Village is split into northern, central and southern sections.  An outline application for the northern section off Keckwick Lane was originally approved by the committee back in 2018. Earlier this month officers approved specific details for the area -  which include 335 new three and four bedroom properties along with more than 700 trees, shrubs, hedges and plants.

Other applications are currently progressing through planning, including a reserved matters application for 187 properties in the central section and a local centre with potential for shops, a pub and food takeaway businesses.

The site of the proposed development in Daresbury. Image from planning documents by Redrow.

The southern phase consists of part A and Part B. Part A includes 108 homes, with this application - Part B - having 151.

Five objections have been received to the latest plans, raising issues such as insufficient local infrastructure and impact on the countryside.

Although planning policy requires all residential schemes of 10 dwellings or more to provide 20 per cent affordable housing provision, no affordable homes have been earmarked as part of the new scheme. A report to the committee said the developer claims affordable housing provision would make its scheme unviable due to the investment it would have to make the site accessible to the local highway network.

The site has been outlined for development in the council’s delivery and allocations local plan (DALP) which was voted through by Full Council in March.

A report to the committee, said: “The application site is allocated for residential development in the newly adopted DALP.

“Development of the site will contribute toward the council’s housing targets. "No detrimental impacts have been identified by the council’s retained advisors.

"No objection has been received by a statutory consultee. As noted above, the application site has been approved for planning permission. This application for planning permission is consistent with that planning approval.”