A STRETCH of Booth Lane, south of Middlewich, will see its speed limit reduced as developers push ahead with a 371-home development halfway to Sandbach.

To facilitate the development of the ‘Albion Lock’ site near Moston Green, a new access road will be constructed south of the Yew Tree Farm turn-off.

The existing 40mph limit around the junction with Dragon’s Lane is proposed to be extended to a point 300m north of Yew Tree Farm.

Taylor Wimpey will head up the build, which will include 12 one-bed apartments spread across two three-storey blocks, and 17 two-bed, 250 three-bed and 92 four-bed homes.

Bordered by the Trent and Mersey Canal and the railway tracks, the homes will be built on a section of the former Albion Chemical Works site in Booth Lane.

A right-turn lane will be introduced on the northbound carriageway approaching the site, while a ‘T’ junction has been preferred to a roundabout.

The proposal includes a 40mph speed limit roundel, dragon’s teeth and ‘SLOW’ road markings, and a vehicle-activated sign to remind speeding drivers of the limit.

The site entry lies just half a mile closer to Sandbach town centre than to Middlewich, a concern to Middlewich Town Council member David Williams who says its residents will have to drive causing congestion.

Cllr Williams, who has also welcomed the speed limit drop but says it must be enforced, said: “My concern was that they were going to fill the green gaps between Sandbach and Middlewich with houses, and this seems to be the start of that.

“We are in this weird state where they are building a waste site in the middle of town and a housing estate in the middle of nowhere.

“It’s a good thing to reduce the speed limit but they still need to enforce it. We have had the reductions in other places, and there are good drivers who observe it but plenty don’t.”