MIDDLEWICH councillors have cautiously welcomed the news that a huge housing development could be built off Lewin Street.

PB Developments Ltd, a Knutsford-based firm, plans to build a residential area with 200 homes on a site off Lewin Street and Brooks Lane.

This would be accompanied by a newly refurbished canal boat marina capable of housing up to 150 moorings.

But the proposed site had been earmarked in the local plan as an area of possible commercial or industrial development and councillors were surprised by the move towards housing.

Middlewich's deputy mayor Clr Simon McGrory said: "In the Local Plan the land isn't marked down for housing because we want to have as much housing and as much industry as one another.

"It certainly looks good on paper, but so many schemes do.

"The danger is that if this goes ahead there could be a precedent which results in far less industry, which could continue to shrink so that we end up with too many houses and not enough jobs.

Commuter

"In essence Middlewich could become a commuter town."

He added: "You have got to look at the benefits the scheme could have for business, commerce and housing and a balance between all of these has to be struck."

The development would also see new areas of car parking and landscaping as well as associated facilities and highway improvements including a new canal bridge.

A spokesman for Congleton Borough Council confirmed that it has received the application from the developers but that before any decision can be taken it must first go out for consultation and then to Cheshire County Council.