Developers wanting to increase the number of homes on the Northwich Road site have faced demands from Tatton MP Esther McVey they re-draw plans to reduce numbers back to the original proposals.
At a meeting in Westminster with Crown Estate, Ms McVey said increasing the pre-proposed 175 homes to 260 was “totally unacceptable” and she and residents were “extremely disappointed” by the actions of Crown Estate.
She said: “The pre-planning consultations and conversations with local community groups were based on 175 homes and the Cheshire East local plan also lists that number. But now we have a situation where the submitted plan shows 260 homes. This is an unacceptable increase given that the infrastructure necessary to sustain the site, which is in the plan, is based on the lower number.
“This increase sets a totally unacceptable precedent in the first application to come forward following the adoption of the local plan.”
Ms McVey has submitted a formal objection to the Council arguing there was not sufficient infrastructure to support the increase in houses and also raising concerns about the suitability of the land for development given its serious risk of flooding.
She added: “There needs to be a visible plan for extra infrastructure to support this and other developments with an understanding of how developer contributions will be spent to provide that infrastructure locally before this application is passed.
“Despite the focus on the need for infrastructure provision within the Cheshire East local plan there are no concrete plans that suggest that infrastructure has been fully considered in relation to Knutsford.”
GPs in Knutsford have raised concerns their current surgeries are inadequate to cope with the needs of a growing population and Knutsford High School is oversubscribed and the only primary places are on the other side of the town to the proposed development.
Ms McVey added: “The Cheshire East local plan suggests that a development should provide easy access to education and health facilities, via foot, cycle or public transport. This development currently fails that test.”