Chelford auction site to make way for resi

The Cheshire village’s former cattle market is to provide a boost to the local authority’s housing supply, with plans by David Wilson Homes recommended for approval and an adjacent site to be sold for further housing.

Cheshire East’s northern planning committee will next week consider plans by David Wilson Homes North West for the demolition of all buildings at Chelford Agricultural Centre on Dixon Drive, to be replaced by 89 homes and 1.500 sq ft of office space.

The 6.7-acre site was home to a livestock, horticultural and machinery auction business, but has lain redundant since the departure of operator Wright Marshall in April 2017.

The site lies close to Chelford railway station, Knutsford Road and the former James Irlam/Stobart depot now being developed by Jones Homes. How Planning is working for David Wilson on the scheme, which has been designed in-house. Most of the houses in the project will be three- or four-bedroom, with four apartments included in the mix.

While the planning committee will consider the Wilson scheme, Cheshire East’s cabinet will be asked to delegate authority to the executive director of place Frank Jordan to take forward the disposal of an adjacent 1.3-acre surfaced yard site.

This site had been used for parking by the Agricultural Centre’s operator, with the lease coming to an end when market operations moved to Beeston last year.

Cheshire East’s cabinet will next week be asked to approve the sale, creating a capital receipt for a site that is regarded as a maintenance liability. Industrial development is now considered inappropriate for the site, given the housing being brought forward in the area.

In 2010, How Planning, representing the trustees of Chelford Agricultural Centre, submitted plans for a project covering both sites, which included 85 houses and 3,700 sq ft each of offices and light industrial space. The application was approved subject to Section 106 agreement, but was not taken forward.