Albion Works swaps offices for housing in revised planning application

Developer Bluefield has submitted a fresh planning application for the former Albion Chemical Works site in Sandbach, with previously planned offices and commercial space switching to 122 houses, retail, and a care home.

An outline planning application has been submitted to Cheshire East Council for the site to include the houses and a care home alongside 28,000 sq ft of retail space.

The new plans replace the original planning application for the site, which was given the green light in 2014 and included 130,000 sq ft of office space, and 28,000 sq ft of commercial space.

Part of the site was also sold to Taylor Wimpey in 2014, with the housebuilder now underway with 373 houses at a portion of the site, now called Albion Lock.

Alongside the application for houses, a care home and retail, two further concurrent planning applications have been submitted – one by a care home developer for a 66-bed care home near Taylor Wimpey’s development, and another by Bluefield for a 10,000 sq ft office building.

The office building will accommodate Brenntag, which operates a chemical blending plant elsewhere on the site.

Subject to planning approval, the care home and the office will be complete and operational by Autumn next year.

Walsingham Planning has advised Bluefield on the application, alongside Ellis Williams Architects, Enzygo, Preston O’Herlihy, RPS, SK Transport, and WSP.

Mark Krassowski, director of Walsingham Planning said: “The proposals will create in the region of 200 quality jobs, which we hope to fill from the local area as well as deliver housing on a brownfield site that is within the Sandbach settlement boundary.

“Following discussions with local agents and potential operators, the proposed retail and commercial elements of the scheme have been revised to ensure that the site is attractive to the market.

“In addition, the construction of the purpose-built office accommodation will enable the retention of a valuable local employer on the site.”