Land of the former Knowle House, Sagars Road, Handforth (care home)

cheshireeast-25-2053-FUL·Cheshire East·19 Aug 2026approved·25/2053/FUL

Tier label used

key services

The tier sentence (from the case file)

“The site is clearly within an area that has walkable access to key services”

The route sentence report ¶10.56

“Sagars Road from the west side of the site entrance has pavements and street lighting. The site is clearly within an area that has walkable access to key services”

Summary

A 68-bed care home on the enclosed, previously developed site of a burnt-out nursing home on the edge of Handforth, decided two days after the new Framework was published. Officers found the site grey belt, with unmet need met and a sustainable location. They also treated the care home as "major development involving the provision of housing", so it had to meet the Golden Rules. No affordable housing was offered, so it failed GB7(1)(g)(iv) and was inappropriate. Officers then found very special circumstances, and the committee approved. The update report added a Connectivity Tool score (59–62%) and said the 2026 NPPF made no material change.

The location finding

GB7(1)(g)(iii): pass. lit footway on Sagars Road; shops/bus 0.7 km, health centre 600 m, Handforth station 750 m; Connectivity Tool 59-62% (below national average, 'comparably well connected for a rural edge location')

Why this is cited

Route evidence (pavements, lighting, Connectivity Tool) not the tier; approved. In the register this counts as a case where the tier was cited in support of the scheme beside route or transport evidence.

Sources

Application on the council planning portal · full decision note · quoted from cases/cheshireeast-25-2053-FUL.md

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