Handforth has been awarded £150,000 of Government cash to help develop plans for the new garden village.
Cheshire East Council is one of 21 areas announced today by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to secure funding to “drive design and delivery” as part of a £9 million injection.
Tatton MP Esther McVey welcomed the funding.
She said: “This is testament to the work of Cynthia Sampson and Handforth Parish Council and Roger Small and the Neighbourhood Plan Group have done to try and ensure that the impact on the Garden Village on Handforth as a whole is considered at the planning stage. There are concerns as to how the village garden will integrate into the area and they are working hard to make sure that this development works for Handforth.
“I have always said with any increase in housing, which this village will bring over the next decade, there needs to be infrastructure in place before the houses go up. We need schools, adequate roads and public services such as doctors and I hope this money can go towards planning that infrastructure.”
In a letter to Ms McVey Housing Minister Kit Malthouse said: “As you know, delivering a Garden Village carries significant costs which go beyond the typical remit of local authorities. Providing this capacity funding ensures that the places we are supporting have the resources to fulfil their place-making ambitions. It could be used, for example, to fund dedicated staff teams, holistic master planning work, and key studies and assessments needed to underpin delivery. Other aspects of our support offer include expert delivery advice from Homes England and cross-government brokerage to resolve barriers to delivery.
“Locally-led garden communities are vital to delivering the transformational housing growth that this country so badly needs, whilst ensuring surrounding existing communities can also benefit from growth through well planned infrastructure and community amenities.
“I therefore welcome the ambition shown by Cheshire East Council in their plans for Handforth Garden Village and in their work to date.”
The funding will be administered by Homes England.
