Developers have lodged outline plans for a sprawling 2,100-home estate on open farmland at the edge of Crewe, promising a mix of housing, employment space, and community facilities. The proposal, submitted by Cheshire Fresh Ltd for land at Red Hall Farm off Middlewich Road, near Leighton Hospital, includes 30 per cent affordable homes and aims to plug a shortfall in the borough's housing supply.
What the scheme includes
The outline application covers a 113-hectare site, predominantly arable farmland. Plans involve demolishing existing buildings and creating up to 2,100 homes, alongside employment land, retail and health services, a local centre, a primary school site, and public open space. The applicant argues the location, despite being unallocated countryside, is the most logical and sustainable expansion point for Crewe.
According to a planning statement prepared by Spawforths on behalf of Cheshire Fresh Ltd, the site avoids key constraints: it is not in a designated green gap, not in the green belt, and free from significant landscape, ecological, or heritage restrictions. It also lies outside flood-risk zones.
Addressing housing need
The submission comes as Cheshire East Council grapples with a shortfall in its five-year housing land supply, a situation triggered by the government's revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in late 2024. The planning statement asserts: "This sustainable urban extension on the urban edge of the town presents an opportunity to contribute towards the council's housing need."
The site's connectivity is highlighted as a major selling point. It sits north-east of Crewe, close to the town centre's amenities, and links directly to the A530, with nearby access to the Shavington Bypass, A534, A500, and M6 motorway. The surrounding road network has already benefited from upgrades under the North West Crewe package scheme, the statement notes.
Economic and community benefits
The developer also stresses the employment potential, pointing to the site's proximity to Leighton Hospital and Bentley Motors, both described as "vital to the economic prospects of the region." The scheme proposes employment land adjacent to these key employers, aiming to boost local job opportunities.
Residents and stakeholders can view the full application, reference 26/2711/OUT, on Cheshire East Council's planning portal. The deadline for public comments is September 9. The council will weigh the proposal against its local plan policies and the current housing supply position, with a decision expected in the coming months.
