Council considers Macclesfield brownfield housing orders

Two new residential neighbourhoods could be created in Macclesfield town centre under plans by Cheshire East Council to use pilot planning powers to grant permission within defined brownfield areas.

Using the Local Development Orders would “reduce the need for development on greenfield land and support the regeneration of our towns”, the council said in a report due to go to committee next week.

The council secured £100,000 from the Department for Communities & Local Government to develop LDOs in Macclesfield.

The sites are Northside and Whalley Hayes, either side of the A537 Hibel Road. The council said: “These neighbourhoods were chosen as they contain a cluster of brownfield sites within a specified geographical area and are seen to have the potential to be brought forward for residential use.”

Aecom is retained as project manager and talks are ongoing with landowners and interested parties. The council officer’s report explained that a number of changes have been made to the boundaries of the sites as some landowners are not interested in their property forming part of one of the LDO areas whilst others have sought to ensure theirs is included. “It is the overriding intention of the council that these LDOs are successful in bringing forward brownfield land for residential development and so this buy-in from landowners is of the upmost importance.”

The number of units that could be built on the sites has not been revealed. Further areas have been earmarked for future improvement work and further rounds of residential development.

The Government announced the creation of a £5m pot for developing LDOs in 2014 as “a flexible way to grant planning permission, as they can be used to set out the amount and type of housing that can be built on the sites…making it easier and quicker for developers to get work started.”

Members will vote next week on whether to start formal consultations on the creation of the LDOs.