PLANS to build what has been described as a ‘purpose-built ghetto’ in Middlewich have been put on hold.

Cheshire East Council’s strategic planning board voted on Wednesday, July 1, to defer any decision on an application to yet again increase the number of houses being built off the Green in Middlewich.

Persimmon Homes was granted permission in 2012 to build 64 houses after an initial application to build 76 was refused due to an open countryside issue.

Persimmon Homes completed half of the site and sold them to residents now living on the unfinished estate.

The developers then received planning permission to increase the number of houses being built in the other half by 13 and have now applied to increase the number even further by five, meaning a 28 per cent increase on the initial number and more than was originally refused.

The application was recommended for approval by Cheshire East Council planning officers.

Cllr Mike Parsons, ward member for Middlewich on Cheshire East Council, spoke at the meeting and convinced the board to put off an approval.

Cllr Parsons said: “You are about to approve an application without a site visit and I suspect that most of this committee doesn’t even know where the site is. What you now have is a purpose built ghetto.

“The application you are being advised to approve is a greater number than was refused originally point blank. The reality is that the number of people on this site already makes it impossible to fit the number of cars. Many park their cars half on the road, half on the pavement, which makes it impossible to get large vehicles through and makes it dangerous for the number of children who are living there as they will have to play on the road.

“There is a patch of grass around the corner but residents were told to keep their children off as it’s not there for leisure. It’s just there to look nice apparently. How would you feel if it was your house, if they were your children living there? We are far exceeding what was originally planned.”

One resident who lives in the completed half of the site also spoke at the meeting about her regret of moving there with her family.

Kat Robinson said: “I’m here to represent the residents of Jubilee Pastures. Our main objection is that there is a lack of parking already. This means cars have to park on pavement and means our children have to walk in the road.

“The children old enough to play outside find themselves playing on the road. Out of 14 houses surveyed with garages, none of them can park their cars in them. Persimmon Homes needs to sort this parking issue. There is no green around at all. I was expecting to live in a really nice area and what I have got is concrete.”

Councillors on the Strategic Planning Board agreed that they could not approve the plans without seeing the current situation themselves and voted unanimously to defer the decision until a site visit has been carried out.