Proposals for 1,700 homes near new hospital

About 1,700 new homes could be built close to the site of a new hospital in Cheshire.

A public consultation has been launched on the proposals for Leighton on the outskirts of Crewe, ahead of the submission of a planning application for the scheme.

The developer, Hallam Land, has not shared details of the types of housing proposed, but said around 30% of the properties would be classed as affordable housing.

A £1.4bn new hospital is to be built to replace the ageing Leighton Hospital, which is set to open in 2032-33. Cheshire East Council is planning a masterplan for the area - described as Greater Crewe - and recently said a new railway station for Leighton could be "viable".

The proposed area covers around 95 hectares of land on two sites either side of Moss Lane.

It is close to the current site of Leighton Hospital and the land where the new hospital is to be built. Construction work on the hospital is due to begin in 2028.

The developer said the plans could include a new primary school if required, along with accommodation for over-55s and space for retail units.

It added the scheme would be "well-placed" to provide homes for people who work at the hospital and nearby Bentley Motors.

Cheshire East Council recently agreed to "endorse Greater Crewe as Cheshire East's principal strategic growth and investment opportunity".

The council currently does not have a five-year housing land supply, and under government targets published in late 2024, the authority's annual housing target increased from 977 new homes a year to 2,461.

A new local plan is being prepared by Cheshire East Council and it is expected to be submitted to the government for approval in 2028 ahead of adoption a year later.

There have been concerns in some areas around the scale of development being proposed.

Leighton, Minshull Vernon and Woolstanwood Parish Council recently held a meeting to discuss development in the area, including this proposal.

The minutes shared by the council said it would launch a campaign to raise awareness of the scale and "potential implications" of these developments.

It said it would also organise online petitions to provide residents "with a clear and accessible means of registering their objections and expressing their concerns".

The public consultation on the scheme is to run until 30 October, ahead of an outline planning application being submitted by the end of 2026.

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