Plans to increase the number of industrial units at an open countryside site close to the M6 at Sandbach have been recommended for refusal.

Bolshaw Industrial Powders, which has owned the Saxon Cross site off Holmes Chapel Road since 2010, says it wants to move its distribution from Rainow near Macclesfield to the Sandbach location for environmental reasons.

It has applied for permission to extend an existing industrial unit on the site and to add an extra building.

The application will be considered by Cheshire East's southern planning committee tomorrow (Wednesday) after being called in by ward councillor Mike Muldoon (Con) who said: "This is an industrial development and completely unsuited to this rural area."

He raised concerns about traffic and added: "This is the relocation of a business and does not represent new employment/income for Sandbach, the local area or the county."

Four residents have objected to the proposal.

Their reasons include inappropriate industrial use of the rural area and the 'significant impact of the hugely increased volume of HGV traffic immediately adjacent to a grade-two listed dwelling'.

A report from the council's planning officer to tomorrow's meeting states: "The economic benefits of the development can be given substantial weight."

Download our Nub News App!

- It’s FREE and available now
- Breaking news notifications
- Your Town in Your Pocket

But it adds: "The proposal would result in a substantial extension to the existing built form on this site which would have an urbanising and detrimental impact upon the character and appearance of the locality."

It recommends the application be refused because its siting, length and height would result in a prominent form of development which would have an urbanising and detrimental impact upon the character and appearance of the locality.

The southern planning committee meeting takes place at 10am at Delamere House in Crewe on Wednesday, October 21.

Would you like to know more about Sandbach?

Free from clickbait, pop-up ads and unwanted surveys, Sandbach Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.

Please consider following Sandbach Nub News on Facebook or X (Twitter)

We also have a weekly newsletter with the TOP FIVE stories of the week - sign up here