RESIDENTS and pedestrians would benefit from reduced traffic if car sales and storage buildings were replaced by houses.

So say consultants representing Oaklea Motors, which is seeking approval to demolish buildings and remove hardstanding at Sunny Bank Drive and build three homes.

The site is at the southern end of Sunny Bank Drive, two kilometres from the centre of Wilmslow.

Planning consultants Emery Planning said the land was within the Green Belt until it was recently allocated as safeguarded land within the new Local Plan.

“The proposal would result in the complete redevelopment of a previously developed site in active use in the open countryside,” said a report by Emery accompanying the planning application.

“The electric gates that restrict access would be removed, and Sunny Bank Drive would be extended 25 metres to the south.

“A turning head would be formed to enable vehicles to enter and exit Sunny Bank Drive in a forward gear.

“The replacement of the existing businesses with three dwellings would reduce the number of vehicular movements along Sunny Bank Drive.

“This will benefit all residents and pedestrians using Sunny Bank Drive.”

A detached, part single and part two-storey house, is proposed on the site of one of the outbuildings which would be demolished.

A pair of semi-detached houses are earmarked for the site of the other outbuilding set to be pulled down.

An application for the demolition of outbuildings on the site and building of four semi-detached houses was refused in 2015.

An appeal against the refusal was dismissed by a planning inspector in 2016 because the scheme represented inappropriate development which would harm the Green Belt.

“At that time the commercial use of the land had not been established,” said the report, which added that in January this year it was established that the site had a lawful use for car sales and storage, and was therefore a previously developed site in the Green Belt.

As a result there had a material change in circumstances in the planning context for considering the proposal, said the report.

Planning approval is sought from Cheshire East Council.