ALMOST £1 million is expected to be paid towards enhancing Winnington’s school provision, GP facilities, roads, open spaces and sports pitches, if an application to build 164 more homes in the area is granted.

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning committee is set to discuss the application next week, which asks for permission to build the residential development on 3.7 hectares of land next to the Moss Farm Recreational Centre.

Despite the land in question being identified in the Local Plan for employment development, the committee has been advised to approve the application.

A report compiled by the council’s case officer Steven Holmes, which will be presented to the committee members at the meeting on Tuesday, recommends approval of the 164-home project.

But the approval, Mr Holmes states, should be subject to the applicant paying £948,000 towards the improvement of local infrastructure.

The report states: “The development would place demands on school places at the catchment schools. Both the catchment secondary school, Hartford CofE High school, and the catchment primary school, Winnington Park Primary School, would have insufficient capacity to accommodate the likely demand from the development when the demand arising from committed developments in the catchments are taken into account.

“A financial contribution to address the demand at both schools is therefore required. The applicant has agreed to make the requested contribution of £415,813.24 in order to address the shortfall.

“The development would also place demands on local healthcare infrastructure. The NHS South Cheshire CCG have identified shortages of provisions at GP surgeries local to the site again having regard to the demands of the proposed development and the impact of committed development in the area.

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“Again, a financial contribution, amounting to £140,940 in this instance, has been requested to address the projected demand. The applicant has agreed to make the requested contribution.”

As well as the funds towards the GP surgeries and school provision, a financial contribution of £243,671 towards the enhancement of public open space provision in the local area will be requested, along with £112, 265 towards the enhancement of playing pitches in the local area, and £30,335.83 towards highway infrastructure improvements.

As part of the application improvements are also proposed to the junction of Winnington Avenue, Wallerscote Road and Burrows Hill to accommodate the development, and the work to the junction would be required to be carried out before building work starts on the development.

A decision by the planning committee will be made on Tuesday next week.