Key Points
- Cheshire East Council has approved outline planning permission for up to 120 homes on 5.5 hectares of agricultural land off Sandbach Road in Congleton.
- The developer, Richborough and Land First Investments, must include 30% affordable housing and commence work within three years.
- The University of Manchester, managing Jodrell Bank Observatory, objected due to potential impairment of the radio telescope’s efficiency.
- The site lies on the southeastern edge of the Jodrell Bank consultation zone, approximately 8.3km from the observatory.
- Planning officers acknowledged potential impacts but recommended approval, citing mitigation via specialised design, construction techniques, and conditions.
- Additional conditions remove permitted development rights from the properties to further protect the observatory.
- Highways improvements include a new toucan crossing, bus layby realignment, new bus shelter, and cycle/footway along Sandbach Road.
- Councillor Stewart Gardiner expressed concerns over the bus shelter installation removing the layby, prompting an extra £5,000 for a transport survey on speed limits.
- Developer contributions: £108,000 to health services, £705,000 to education, £540,000 to Congleton Link Road.
- Agent Jon Suckley described the site as a “very logical extension to Congleton”.
- Planning officers noted loss of open countryside and landscape impacts but deemed benefits outweigh harms, given the council’s housing land supply shortfall.
- Astbury Parish Council objected over strain on schools, GPs, and dentists, demanding contributions.
- Ten residents objected citing loss of green space, flood risk, agricultural land loss, and inappropriate scale.
- Prior application submitted in September 2025 by the same developers.
Congleton (Britain Today News) March 5, 2026. Cheshire East Council has granted outline planning permission to Richborough and Land First Investments for 120 homes on open countryside off Sandbach Road, despite objections from Jodrell Bank Observatory over potential interference with its radio telescope.
- Key Points
- Why Did Jodrell Bank Object to the Development?
- What Mitigation Measures Were Imposed?
- How Does the Developer Justify the Project?
- What Local Concerns Were Raised?
- What Contributions Will the Development Make?
- Where Exactly Is the Site Located?
- Is This Consistent with Local Planning Policy?
- What Happens Next for the Project?
The decision balances housing needs against scientific concerns, with strict conditions imposed to mitigate impacts on the UNESCO World Heritage site. Planning officers recommended approval, emphasising the council’s lack of a five-year housing land supply and the development’s contributions to local infrastructure.
Why Did Jodrell Bank Object to the Development?
The University of Manchester, which operates the Jodrell Bank radio telescope, formally objected to the application. As reported in planning documents cited by Congleton Nub News, the university raised fears that the development
“would impair the technology’s efficiency”.
Planning officers’ report to the strategic planning board acknowledged:
“It is acknowledged that the proposed development has the potential to impair the efficiency of the telescope, and that the cumulative impacts of this and other developments is more significant than each development taken individually.”
The site is on the outskirts of the Jodrell Bank consultation zone, about 8.3km from the observatory, where developments are restricted if they demonstrably harm operations under Cheshire East’s local plan.
This echoes past cases, such as in 2020 when then-Secretary of State Robert Javid blocked 119 homes near Jodrell Bank due to interference risks, stating the observatory
“should be afforded reasonable protection”.
What Mitigation Measures Were Imposed?
To address concerns, a condition mandates specialised design and construction techniques to minimise impacts on the observatory. Permitted development rights—allowing certain works without full applications—have been removed from the new properties.
Planning officers noted:
“Less than substantial harm would be caused to Jodrell Bank World Heritage Site… However, the development impacts could be appropriately mitigated and limited by way of conditions and controlling at the reserved matters stage.”
The developer must start work within three years.
How Does the Developer Justify the Project?
The applicant’s agent, Jon Suckley, described the scheme as “a very logical extension to Congleton”. He highlighted highways enhancements: a new toucan crossing on Sandbach Road, realignment of bus laybys, a new bus shelter, and a cycle and footway.
Richborough Estates’ website promotes the adjacent site as a sustainable extension near schools and services. The application, first submitted in September 2025 by Local Democracy Reporter Belinda Ryan of Congleton Nub News, includes public open space and new access.
What Local Concerns Were Raised?
Councillor Stewart Gardiner worried that the new bus shelter would remove the layby, forcing buses to stop on the road. It was agreed the applicant provide an extra £5,000 for a transport survey to assess speed limit reductions.
Astbury Parish Council stated:
“No new schools, GP surgeries, dentists etc. have been proposed and thus the development will place an unacceptable strain on these services.”
They called for contributions to offset impacts.
Ten nearby residents objected over loss of green space, flood risk, agricultural land loss, and the proposal’s scale and character.
What Contributions Will the Development Make?
The developer must pay £108,000 towards health services, £705,000 towards education provision, and £540,000 towards the Congleton Link Road via a Section 106 agreement.
Planning officers highlighted these as key benefits, alongside construction-phase jobs and addressing the housing shortfall. Affordable housing comprises 30% of the homes.
Where Exactly Is the Site Located?
The 5.5-hectare parcel is off Sandbach Road, northwest of Congleton, bounded by Loach Brook to the east. It sits immediately adjacent to the town edge, on agricultural land.
Richborough entered a promotion agreement in November 2023 for a similar 13.5-acre site. This follows patterns of countryside approvals in the area, like 900 homes greenlit in 2022 despite Jodrell Bank objections.
Is This Consistent with Local Planning Policy?
Cheshire East’s local plan prohibits developments in the consultation zone if they impair telescope efficiency. Officers weighed this against “significantly and demonstrably” outweighed benefits from housing.
The report noted landscape harm and countryside loss but prioritised supply needs. Similar tensions arose in a nearby 85-home proposal off Sandbach Road, with objections citing cumulative 200-home impacts on traffic and biodiversity.
What Happens Next for the Project?
Outline permission allows reserved matters like layout and appearance to be detailed later. Construction could take years, with full delivery aiding housing targets.
Facebook groups like Sandbach Nub News highlighted community debates, questioning Jodrell Bank’s two-mile zone consideration. Monitoring will ensure compliance with observatory protections.
This approval underscores ongoing tensions between housing pressures and protecting scientific assets in Cheshire East, where multiple schemes face similar scrutiny. Past rejections, like the 2020 appeal, show the stakes remain high. Local voices, from parish councils to residents, continue advocating for balanced growth.
