An application to build 52 homes close to a former landfill site in Middlewich should be deferred again or withdrawn until concerns about methane levels have been addressed, a councillor has said.

The southern planning committee last month deferred the application for the homes on land to the east and west of Croxton Lane for further information on a methane trench and methane readings.

It is now due to be considered again by the committee on Wednesday and has been recommended for approval by the council's planning officers, who say: "The EHO (environmental health officer) is satisfied that no significant risks are posed to the proposed development by landfill gas from the former Croxton Lane landfill site adjacent."

But Middlewich councillor Jonathan Parry (Lab) says the report does not address the concerns raised.

Cllr Jonathan Parry (Photo: Cheshire East Council)

And, he says, in light of the controversy surrounding a 263-home Crewe site, where people are living in homes without planning permission because a different developer, Countryside Partnerships, failed to deal with a condition relating to contaminated land, the Middlewich application should not be approved until the council is certain.

Cllr Parry told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "The committee have a chance to learn from these (Crewe) mistakes.

"At the last meeting, this Middlewich application was deferred asking for further information on the methane from the landfill, including the reading from the methane monitors and whether the methane trench should be extended to protect the properties and the people who will live in those properties.

"Yet this application has come back to this committee and no methane readings have been taken, not just from the last meeting but no readings have been taken this year.

"The report before the committee is just a re-hash of the last meeting.

"I would ask the council to defer or even withdraw this application until this issue is sorted. Let's learn the lessons and let's not stumble from one disaster to another."

Cheshire East's planning officers have recommended the application from Brenig Construction Ltd, Anwyl Land Ltd & Mrs D M Frances-Hayhurst Foundation be approved, subject to conditions.

The planning officer's report says: "EHO states that: It is noted that this report represents a preliminary investigation and that a more detailed investigation will follow in due course."

The planning officer continues: "Further ground investigation is proposed by the consultant, and the EHO is in agreement with this proposal."

The application was also deferred to look into the possibility of a crossing on Croxton Lane and for the biodiversity contribution to be spent at Croxton Park or on another site in Middlewich.

The applicant has stated a formal crossing would be deliverable.

With regard to the biodiversity money, the planning officer states: "The ecologist has confirmed that Croxton Park is not suitable for restoration of this kind."

The application is for 52 homes which would be made up of four one-bedroom properties, 21 two-bed, 19 three-bed and eight four-bed houses, including 30 per cent affordable.

The planning officer says the principle of development is considered to be acceptable and the site is allocated for development.

Hs says it will not have a detrimental impact upon residential amenity the design is acceptable.

He adds: "The concerns regarding brine subsidence are noted, but this issue will be resolved at the building regulations stage."

The application has been recommended for approval, subject to conditions, and the meeting takes place at Crewe Municipal Buildings at 10am on Wednesday, April 5.