Cheshire East Council has refused permission for up to six houses on green belt land on the outskirts of Handforth with one councillor saying it was the start of urban spread from Stockport.

Aiman Salama had applied for 'permission in principle' to build the properties on land off Bolshaw Farm Lane at Heald Green.

Planning officers had recommended the proposal for the site, which sits just within the border of Handforth, be approved saying they considered it constitutes grey belt land.

Most members of the northern planning committee disagreed yesterday (Wednesday) arguing the land was green belt.

The application was refused with seven voting to turn it down and four against.

Knutsford councillor Tony Dean (Con) said: "I think this is the start of urban spread from Stockport."

The Application Site Off Bolshaw Farm Lane, Heald Green (Image via planning document)

But ward councillor Julie Smith (non-grouped) spoke in favour of the proposal.

Referring to two previous applications the committee had just refused because they were in the green belt, Cllr Smith said: "The planning officers have come forward and stated that they're all grey belt, and we seem to be making our own interpretation of what's grey belt and what's green belt, and I think we can't refuse everything.

"I'm in support of this development, because I don't think it has any impact on the border between Handforth and Heald Green or Stockport any more than the other houses on Bolshaw Farm Lane do."

She added: "We do need houses and we can't keep objecting to everything."

Macclesfield councillor Fiona Wilson (Lab) disagreed.

"I don't think personally that this is about refusing everything that comes before us," she said.

"There is a principle of what is green belt, there is a principle of what is grey belt.

"And I don't think we, as a committee in discussing these issues, have been satisfied the argument about grey belt has been made.

"You have to have arguments to meet the national planning policy framework."

Cheshire East Council borders the Stockport borough area, and covers a large area of countryside along with towns like Poynton, Crewe and Macclesfield (Image - Nub News)

Cllr Wilson moved the application be refused on the basis the site is green belt land.

"There's two tests we've talked about today," she said.

"Test number one is what is green belt and what purpose it serves.

"Under paragraph 143a (of NPFF) to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas.

"Paragraph 143c, to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment.

"It's my view, and I've moved, that that applies to this site because it meets those two criteria."

She said it did not meet the criteria to be classed as a grey belt site, which required the development to be in a sustainable location.

"You will see that significant items such as bus stops and supermarkets, a pharmacy, secondary school, medical centre, leisure facilities and the local community centre, to name a few, do not meet those criteria," she said.

The move to refuse was seconded by Cllr Judy Snowball (Macclesfield, Lab) who said: "I know we need housing in our borough, but we need the right housing in the right place, the right needs being met."

She added: "I'm not prepared to vote for applications on clear green belt land."

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