Campaigners celebrating Cheshire East's refusal for a large housing development at Sandbach Heath have said they are prepared for the fight if the developer goes to appeal.

More than 2,130 people signed a petition and about 1,100 objections were sent to the council opposing Bloor Homes' proposal for up to 325 homes and a community park, on 19.28 hectares of open countryside and agricultural land between Manor Road and the A533, The Hill.

And several packed into yesterday's (Wednesday) meeting of the strategic planning board to see councillors go against planning officers' recommendations and refuse the outline application, on the grounds of the harmful impact on heritage assets – including the Grade-II Listed Leonard Cheshire Home.

Speaking after the meeting, Dennis Smith, chair of Sandbach Vs Overdevelopment, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "I'm absolutely delighted, because we are now in a position, I hope, to ensure that the people of the Leonard Cheshire Home are protected.

"We're also in a position where the town of Sandbach is not going to be decimated.

"If this was to have been accepted today, it would have been one of the grimmest days for the town of Sandbach, and I'm glad that's been avoided.

"I'm really grateful to the strategic planning board members for their careful consideration, and I certainly hope that this application is withdrawn now by Bloor Homes."

Ward councillor Sam Corcoran (Lab), said: "I'm pleased that the Bloor Homes application has been refused today.

"It was refused on heritage grounds.

"I would have liked it also to have been refused on the grounds of the damage to the amenity that it will cause for the residents of the Leonard Cheshire Home and nearby residents.

"Sadly, the way the planning system works, the developers can now appeal and probably will, and we will have to go through the battle again to win the appeal.

"But, for today, we can celebrate the refusal of this application by Cheshire East Council's strategic planning board."

Campaigner Sarah Bradley said: "We are absolutely ecstatic to have overturned the officers' decision to approve this outline planning application.

"Thank you to everyone for their contribution today."

She added: "The application refusal may be appealed by Bloor within a six-month window, however we will be fully prepared and ready for that appeal with a seat at the table if it occurs. Today we celebrate!"