A MAJOR employer has been given a boost after councillors overturned a call from planning officers to prevent it from expanding.

Cheshire East Council has given Select Property Group permission to extend its offices and build a permanent car park at its headquarters on a former farm in Alderley Edge.

The firm currently employs 130 staff at the site, in Horseshoe Lane, and is looking to increase its workforce in the village to 150.

Officers had called for the scheme to be thrown out as it involves building a car park in greenbelt land – but at a planning committee meeting last Wednesday members disagreed.

Cllr Craig Browne, CEC member for Alderley Edge, said: "I do have some sympathy with the officer’s position whose job is to apply policy, but the purpose of policy is to protect and defend.

"In this case, who does it protect, and who does it defend? Does it protect people’s jobs? Does it defend the amenity of the local residents? I’m not sure.

“Select has thrived on this site and become an important local employer. The business makes an important contribution to the local economy.

“The parking infrastructure in Alderley Edge is already at breaking point. Our enforcement officers regularly tell me that it’s the worst place in the whole borough."

Parish councillor Mike Dudley-Jones told the committee that Select is 'committed to Alderley Edge in every sense', while neighbouring resident Martin Hallam insisted the extra car parking provision was needed.

Donna Barber, acting on behalf of Select, added that parking issues would 'remain or indeed worsen' if another employer replaced her client at the site – and said the firm would be happy for the car park to be used by the community at weekends.

Select grew by 78 per cent in 2016-17, and Cllr Tony Dean, Conservative, warned that the company might outgrow 'this little old chicken farm'.

But Cllr Alift Harewood, Labour, insisted the immediate needs of the business were more pressing than Cllr Dean's concerns.

She said: "What’s happening now is that you have a better building that needs better parking, with care towards the greenbelt. In my mind that has been established.”

However, Cllr Steven Edgar, Conservative, said CEC should do all it can to protect the greenbelt.

He added: “I have seen the damage that can be done by going against officer recommendations without very strong reasons, and I think that is the position we find ourselves in.“I really sympathise with the company, and I sympathise with the residents, but I do feel that granting permission for this will come to bite us in the future.”

Members voted to approve the scheme by six to three.