Lib Dem Group Leader and Cheadle Hulme South Councillor Mark Hunter has slammed the decision of a planning inspector to give the go ahead to controversial plans for large-scale development at Handforth Dean.
The decision just announced will allow Conservative controlled Cheshire East council to build more than 2000 new homes at Handforth, the vast majority of which will be opposite the Marks and Spencer Store at Handforth Dean.
The development planned has already been vociferously opposed by local residents, who will be desperately disappointed that the inspector has allowed the plans to go ahead.
Speaking on behalf of the Lib Dem Group at Stockport Town Hall, Cllr Hunter said: “This is an appalling decision and I know many local residents will share my anger at the green light for this scheme given the traffic chaos that will ensue as a result.
“This whole project has been mired in controversy from the start and represents a nice little earner for Tory-run Cheshire East Council, who own the site. They are apparently unconcerned about the impact it will have on traffic flows, I suspect because most of the traffic will be flowing through Stockport rather than the other way in to Cheshire.
“The A34 is jammed at peak times already and these plans will only make matters much worse. We agree that new homes are needed but they must be in the right place and the need for new homes is not the same thing as a licence to concrete over the countryside.
“I shall seek an assurance from Stockport Council that they will be pressing Cheshire East to meet the cost of any and all mitigation measures necessary to ensure the A34 can flow freely.”
