MIDDLEWICH is set for an extra 350 homes on top of the planned 1,600 after a revision of Cheshire East Council’s local plan. 


Cheshire East Council held a cabinet meeting in Sandbach yesterday to vote on a revised local plan and voted in favour of the new plans to increase the number of homes being built across the borough. 


The revised plans see an increase of 350 homes in Middlewich from the original 1,600 to 1,950.

Middlewich and Crewe were the only two towns in east Cheshire not to be given an increase of employment land but Middlewich still has the largest area planned for employment at 75 hectares. 


Jonathan Williams, Middlewich Town Council clerk, said: “It’s a significant increase and it’s not entirely surprising. We need to make sure that the siting of them is the important thing and that they link in with our aspirations with the neighbourhood plan to link to all of the services such as dental, medical and bus services. 


“We’d like the local plan to meet our aspirations for Middlewich. We know we need investment for the town and it’s about attracting that investment.”


As well as Middlewich’s 350-home increase, the new local plan sees every east Cheshire town given an increase of housing, with the overall number of planned new housing in the borough growing by 6,850.


Cllr Bernice Walmsley, Middlewich ward member on Cheshire East Council and member of Middlewich Town Council, described the revision as a ‘hefty increase’ and said it had ‘obviously come from central government’. 


Cllr Walmsley said: “The addition of 350 homes to the already advised allocation of 1600 homes in Middlewich is a hefty increase but is obviously driven by central government demands. 


“We are currently preparing a Neighbourhood Plan for Middlewich and this must comply with the Local Plan, but we will need to take particular care about where these extra homes are to be situated. The challenge will be to ensure that the appropriate infrastructure is in place. 


“We are all very conscious of the need for investment in Middlewich and all involved with the Neighbourhood Plan and Cheshire East Ward Members will be doing their very best to ensure that the facilities such as schools, doctors, transport and so on are suited to our needs for the next 10, 20 or even 30 years. 


“I would urge people who care about Middlewich to get involved with preparing the Neighbourhood Plan – we can’t avoid change but we can have our say on how we deal with it.”