CDP swaps commercial plans for housing in Cheshire
HOW Planning has submitted outline plans for a 9.88-acre residential scheme within Cheshire Business Park in Lostock Gralam near Northwich on behalf of Commercial Development Projects.
CDP owns Cheshire Business Park and wants to change part of the site for residential use following a significant slow down in the take-up of commercial property.
Carol Clarke, associate at HOW Planning, said: "Following 2½ years of marketing the uptake of the built units at Cheshire Business Park has been very disappointing with only 3,080 sq ft of floorspace occupied. With the economic downturn and competing sites it has been extremely difficult for the owners and operators of the Business Park to generate interest in the site for the commercial units. A residential scheme on an element of the site would work very well in the area providing new homes rather than office buildings."
Initial plans for 160 family homes met with uncertain feedback from the community due to concerns over access but following an alteration to the plans which provides a new point of access through the existing business park and a re-consultation exercise with the community the response has been extremely positive.
Clarke added: "Residents have seen the revised plans and the comments we have had back following the second consultation programme have been extremely supportive. A residential scheme fits in much better with surrounding area and will boost all aspects of the local community."
The application has been submitted to Cheshire West & Chester Council.
This development is just a few hundred yards away from where Brunner Mond wish to build one of the largest waste incinerators in Europe. The plant will be about the size of Wembley Stadium with two chimneys nearly 300 ft high. The whole thing will be visible for miles. Worse still, juggernaut heavy lorries loaded with garbage or incinerator ash will pass by on the nearby roadway hundreds of times a day. Is it any wonder that the units have not been taken up? Will residential property do any better given the impact proximity to a waste incinerator would inevitably have on values? This is early evidence of the impact an incinerator would have on employment and the property market in parts of Cheshire. It is not too late to try to prevent it.
By Know all
Just reading KNOW ALLS comment….lots of innacuracies, almost the size of Wembley? you mean half the size of Wembley? Hundreds of HGV’s a day…wrong again. Read the full report from Brunner Monds EA Report before you post such drivel!
By RealFacts