From Green Belt row to new homes: Miller unveils Lymm development

A major new housing development in Lymm which sparked green belt controversy, is moving closer to construction, with Miller Homes preparing to unveil its plans for 167 properties at Cobblestone Wood.

The housebuilder will showcase the scheme at Lymm Lawn Tennis Club on Thursday, October 1, between 4pm and 7.30pm, giving people the opportunity to see the plans and find out more about the new homes.

Cobblestone Wood, off Warrington Road, will comprise 167 one-to-five-bedroom properties, including affordable housing, following planning approval for the development earlier this year.
Miller Homes says around £3 million will be invested in local infrastructure, including education, healthcare and sports facilities, together with improvements to the Trans Pennine Trail along the southern boundary of the site.
The development will also include a range of open space and landscaping.
But the launch comes after a lengthy and sometimes contentious planning process.
The site was formerly Green Belt land, and proposals for up to 170 homes were originally submitted by Gladman Developments in 2023.
At the time, Lymm Parish Council, 28 local residents and borough councillor Ian Marks lodged objections.
Concerns centred on the loss of Green Belt and open countryside, increased traffic on Warrington Road and road safety around Statham Primary School. Residents also raised concerns about congestion, the availability of local shops and facilities, and the impact on a public footpath crossing the site.
There were particularly strong concerns about the ability of Warrington Road to cope with additional traffic.
During consideration of the original application, councillors themselves raised concerns about increased traffic, access and the site’s proximity to the primary school, prompting a site visit before the planning committee meeting.
Warrington Council ultimately approved the outline scheme, with the site having been allocated for housing through the borough’s Local Plan after being removed from the Green Belt.
Representations made during the Local Plan process also highlighted concerns about flooding, with one submission arguing that parts of the Pool Lane site were within Flood Zones 2 and 3.
Other representations raised concerns about air quality, wildlife, protected species, the impact on local infrastructure and the effect of additional traffic on a road described as narrow in places.
One representation specifically warned that the additional homes could generate hundreds of extra car journeys and highlighted existing congestion associated with school drop-offs and pick-ups at Statham Primary.
Those concerns were made during the planning and Local Plan process and **do not prevent the development from proceeding now that planning consent has been granted**.
Miller Homes acquired the 18-acre site from Gladman earlier this year after the original developer secured outline permission for 170 homes.
The subsequent reserved matters approval reduced the scheme to 167 properties, with 30 per cent designated as affordable housing and one self-build plot included.
Miller says the development is intended to provide homes for a wide range of buyers, including first-time buyers, professionals and families.
Clare Horbury, Sales Director at Miller Homes North West, said the event would provide an opportunity for people to examine the plans, meet the sales team and ask questions about the development.
“Cobblestone Wood will bring a wide choice of new homes to one of Cheshire’s most sought-after villages,” she said.
She added that the company was pleased to be working with Lymm businesses and organisations as it establishes itself in the community.
The development is being promoted as being within walking distance of Lymm village centre, with access to shops, restaurants, schools and countryside, as well as road links towards Warrington and Manchester.
Miller says its £3 million contribution towards education, healthcare and sports facilities, together with improvements to the Trans Pennine Trail, forms part of the planning obligations attached to the scheme.
The company has also previously highlighted that more than half of the wider site is being retained for open space and landscaping.
The first homes are now moving towards the sales stage, with Miller planning to initially operate from Ridgeway Residential in Lymm before establishing a dedicated sales centre and show home at the development.
The October 1 event is open to everyone and no advance booking is required, although appointments with the Miller Homes sales team can be arranged.

The bigger question for Lymm
While the development will provide **167 new homes, including affordable housing, the launch is likely to renew debate in Lymm over the scale of housing growth and whether local roads, schools, healthcare and other services can keep pace.
The scheme has now passed the planning process, but the concerns raised by residents and councillors during that process remain an important part of the story as construction moves forward.