RESIDENTS are up in arms over housing plans they fear would destroy one of the only remaining pieces of green belt land in Handforth.

Developers HIMOR (Land) Ltd are seeking outline planning permission for up to 250 houses on land between Clay Lane and Sagars Road, Handforth.

There could be 175 market homes, 37 social rented housing and 38 intermediate properties.

A new vehicle access would be created off the junction of Hampson Crescent and Meriton Road, and the development would include public open space.

The plans have sparked opposition from residents in Valley Drive, Grangeway, Windermere Road, Meriton Road, Campden Way and Clay Lane.

Kim Walker from Windermere Road objected to building on ‘one of the only bits of green belt land left in Handforth’.

She said: “I cannot see any positives to 250 more houses in the area, on top of the thousands to go up near Handforth Dean and on the land by Seashell Trust.

“The area between Clay Lane and Sagars Road is a small but lovely piece of land to look upon from our houses and during walks through to Styal.

“This area is used a lot by the locals to walk dogs and generally have a peaceful walk within an ever-growing town.

“There are hundreds of animals seen day and night who will have nowhere to go.”

Jacqueline Scobbie from Grangeway said Meriton Road was totally unsuitable as an access road for new residents or construction traffic.

She said: “It is already congested, and unsuitable to service vehicles for another 250 houses.”

David Langton from Meriton Road said: “Meriton Road is very old, not particularly well maintained, and a sudden increase in construction and then residential traffic will present a risk for the many elderly residents, children and pets who are used to quiet streets.”

Lee Salway from Clay Lane said local facilities were already stretched to capacity, and the proposed development was over-bearing, out of scale and out of character with existing development in the area.

A report from Turley Design with the planning application said the development area would take up 6.7 hectares of the 8.3-hectare site.

About 1.6 hectares of the site is proposed as green space, including public open space, landscape/ecological buffers, retention of selected trees and hedgerows and an equipped play area.

Vehicle access to the site is proposed via an extension of Meriton Road, achieved by demolishing 15 Hampson Crescent.

Subject to detailed design at reserved matters stage, separate access points would be provided for pedestrian and cycle use onto Sagars Road and Clay Lane, with Sagars Road also offering the potential for provision of emergency vehicle access.

“The layout concept shows how new homes could be designed to deliver a transition from the existing urban edge of Handforth to the more rural aspect to the west whilst also maximising the efficient use of this sustainable site,” said the report.

“The layout concept illustrates integration of strong pedestrian and cyclist friendly connections, and delivery of attractive green spaces and landscape.”

Planning approval is being sought from Cheshire East Council, and the deadline for comments is September 7, with November 8 the target date for a decision.