More than 1,000 people have signed an online petition opposing plans for 325 homes on land in the open countryside at Sandbach Heath.

Bloor Homes wants to build the dwellings, together with a community park, on 19.28 hectares of open countryside/agricultural land between Manor Road and the A533, The Hill.

Objectors are calling on Cheshire East Council to 'reject this application outright'.

The petition, organised by Sandbach Vs Overdevelopment, states: "This development will have a huge impact on our town and the surrounding areas.

"It will be a detrimental change to all residents of Sandbach and the surrounding towns and villages.

"It would irreversibly alter the landscape of Sandbach and harm its infrastructure significantly."

The petition says the development will result in significant losses to the local community including irreversible loss of productive farmland for milk and crop production, irreplaceable biodiversity and the loss of landscape and visual effect as well as green open spaces.

And it argues it will have numerous harmful effects.

These include highways issues as well as a detrimental impact on already strained services such as doctors, dentists, schools, social care and special educational needs and disabilities) services.

Objectors are also concerned the development would result in the loss of a natural green barrier between the Wheelock bypass and existing homes.

The Bloor application, which will be determined by Cheshire East's strategic planning board at a date yet to be decided, is in outline with all matters reserved, except for access.

A planning statement submitted by Pegasus, on behalf of the applicant, states: "The proposals will comprise both market and affordable dwellings, providing a range of homes of size and tenure to address the varied needs of Cheshire East."

The developer acknowledges the site is located within the designated open countryside and outside the defined settlement boundaries and is therefore contrary to local plan strategy policies but states, in the submission: "The Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy was adopted in 2017 and this plan is now more than five years old.

"The adopted strategic policies within this plan… are out of date."

At the time of writing 1,065 people had signed the petition, which can be found here https://www.change.org/p/save-our-sandbach-reject-325-new-houses-being-built-on-the-green-fields-of-sandbach

Hundreds have also left official comments on the council's website.

The planning application, number 25/0211/OUT, can be viewed on the planning portal on Cheshire East Council's website.