Health centre plans are thrown out

12:17pm Wednesday 16th January 2008

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HEALTH centre campaigners have issued a rallying call to residents and doctors after receiving a massive boost to their healthcare plans.

Borough councillors last night threw out health centre plans for land off Portland Drive in Scholar Green by 12 votes to three.

The plans included 56 houses, and had been opposed by Scholar Green Greenfields Association.

The association wants to see the centre and an independent pharmacy created on the disused Scholar Green garage site.

Plans submitted to the borough council by site owner Colin Ashley are due to come before the borough council's planning committee in the next two months.

Association founder Les Woollam was at last night's meeting, where the refusal of the Portland Drive scheme was greeted with loud applause from the packed audience.

"We don't see this as any kind of victory, but rather a common sense decision," he said.

"The vote shows the proposed housing is totally unnecessary and unwanted.

"We recognise the village needs improved medical facilities for residents and GPs, but not at the expense of more housing.

"We feel the decision taken last night is in the best interests of the village and Congleton Borough as a whole.

"Following the decision the association urgently wishes to work with residents, GPs, the PCT and the borough and parish councils towards the common goal of delivering a true state of the art health care facility to Scholar Green and the surrounding area."

The refusal of the plans by Oakapple Primary Care and housebuilders Gladedale North West was greeted by a shout of "hooray for people power."

However one member of the audience raised the issue of what happens now by asking "what about our surgery?"

Cllr Andrew Thwaite called for the Portland Drive plans to be refused because the proposed houses were not contained in the local development proposals.

"We do not want 56 houses on a greenfield site when they are not included in any of our plans," he said.

Cllr John Cliff said the Portland Drive scheme had split the village.

"There has been a lot of argy-bargy and threats, and everyone should be ashamed about what's gone on in the village over this plan," he said.

There was no justification for the houses, he said, and the garage site should be carefully considered.

Mr Woollam is hoping the garage site scheme can be considered by councillors next month.