The developer of a housing estate that was built 'too high' has been told to find a better solution to the problem.

Residents living next to the Pottery Gardens development in Cheadle have had to put up with the new properties overlooking their homes after they were built 2.4 metres higher than expected.

The levels of the houses has since been set through an agreed drainage scheme, and developer Persimmon Homes is now asking for permission to install retaining walls along the boundary with neighbouring properties. But Persimmon has been unable to reach an agreement to install the walls with all the affected residents in Ness Grove and Ayr Road.

Persimmon applied to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council for a variation to the estate's planning permission – originally approved in 2020 – to include the retaining walls and other 'minor amendments', such as an acoustic fence. But members of the planning committee were unhappy at the prospect of the retaining wall being built in a 'piecemeal' manner due to Persimmon's inability to get all the residents on board.

Persmimmon Homes said there has been 'extensive' consultation with residents (Google).

And they suggested that the ongoing issues with the estate were the result of Persimmon failing to properly discharge planning conditions before starting the development. The committee voted to defer the application to allow Persimmon to continue talks with the residents and come up with a better solution.

Chris Kershaw, development director at Persimmon Homes North West, told the committee that there had been 'extensive' consultation with residents since the application was previously deferred in March 2023.

He said: "The proposal does not propose to alter the approved location or finished floor levels of the majority of the dwellings. Where plots are proposed to be relocated, these are minor changes that do not adversely affect the amenity of neighbouring properties. The proposed retaining wall solution has been carefully designed to limit the adverse impact on neighbouring properties."

Mr Kershaw said that if granted permission, Persimmon would look to install the walls as soon as possible, and would again try to reach an agreement with the other residents.

Planning officer Ben Haywood told the committee that the issue of floor levels had now been set, and could not be revisited at this stage. But Adrian Milward, one of the affected residents in Froghall Road, said this issue was at the heart of the matter.

Speaking against the application, he said he was now in the fourth year of his complaint against Persimmon, having previously secured an ombudsman's ruling in his favour. Mr Milward said: "We want this deferring really, and an independent planning authority to come in and look at this application.

Because there are so many frailties here. The levels aren't being looked at today, but that's the crux of it. How can you build a storey higher on someone's level boundary, and that be acceptable? It's got to be reviewed.

"We're running a two-tier system here at the moment. Large developers are getting carte blanche and building what they want, local residents are working within the planning constraints."

Committee chairperson Peter Wilkinson proposed for the application to be deferred. He said: "As it stands we're not happy with the proposals. I think it needs to be deferred, and all the demands of the residents who have been affected – we need one solution. We've had no end of promises from Persimmon, and they've never happened. They've not discharged conditions in the right manner. This is one thing they're going to have to get right."

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