Planners are recommending Cheshire East approves the design and layout of a 404-home scheme and convenience store near Sandbach.

Outline approval for the development at Glebe Farm, Booth Lane, Moston, was granted in February 2018.

Tomorrow (March 9) councillors at the strategic planning board meeting will be considering the reserved matters application from Taylor Wimpey, which deals with the appearance, landscaping, layout and scale of the scheme.

In a report due to go before the meeting, the council's planning officer states: "The design of the proposed development has been the subject of revised plans and is now of an acceptable design.

"The proposed landscaping scheme is acceptable and the development is acceptable in terms of its impact upon ecology, despite the potential impact upon two bird species."

The site is located to the south of Middlewich and the majority of it is currently in agricultural use.

A former sports ground is included within the site. To mitigate for its loss, the S106 agreement completed as part of the outline application, secures a contribution of £220,000 towards playing pitch improvements at Sutton Lane.

The developer is also making a contribution of £4,780,000 towards the Middlewich Bypass.

The proposed development is for 12 one-bedroom properties, 47 two-bedroom, 269 three-bedroom homes and 77 four-bedroom houses.

Forty-one of the properties will be rented affordable homes. The application includes a single-storey convenience store which would be located onto the Booth Lane frontage of the site. Middlewich Town Council has objected to the scheme due to concerns regarding traffic and councillors say there is a need for improvement to infrastructure, including a requirement for doctors and schools. Moston Parish Council has also objected. It also has concerns about a lack of infrastructure to support the development. Five local residents have objected on a number of grounds.

These include claims the site is prone to flooding; it includes streams and wetland areas; the proposed access joins two busy roads and will be used as a rat run; there is inadequate parking and an increased risk of speeding on Warmingham Lane, especially at the Sycamore Drive roundabout.

The Cheshire East planning officer states in the report: "A number of representations raise issues relating to the principle of development, however, the principle of development has been accepted following the approval of [the outline application] 13/3449C."