Council rejects housing on Ilford Photo site

Cheshire East Council has rejected LPC Living's proposal for a £100m redevelopment of the Ilford Photo site in Mobberley on several grounds. LPC is considering its response to the decision.

The application was refused by a majority of four votes by Cheshire East's Strategic Planning Board on Wednesday. Officers recommended approval of the scheme.

The application envisaged new 160,000 sq ft premises for HARMAN technology, which owns the Ilford Photo brand. There would also have been 360 homes and 15,000 sq ft of office space for new businesses.

More than 20 acres of currently inaccessible land next to the development site would have been opened to the public to include a sports pitch, community growing space and children's play area.

The planning application was refused on the basis of the perceived impact of aircraft noise on new residents of the site, the scale of the development and the level of affordable housing provision.

LPC is owned by the Pervaiz Naviede Family Trust, which had set aside £735,000 to create new school places and up to £400,000 to for road improvements.

Peter Elton, managing director of HARMAN Technology, said: "The Ilford Way site has been our home for over a century but in recent years has become too large for us. This opportunity to reshape our facilities would have helped us to continue as Mobberley's largest employer as well as creating a contemporary headquarters more suited to our needs."

Simon Ashdown, director of LPC Living, said: "This scheme would have acted as a catalyst for Cheshire East to deliver a significant number of much-needed homes on a brownfield site and retain a prestigious manufacturing business within the borough.

"While we're disappointed by this decision we will take on board the planning committee's feedback and look at how the masterplan can be amended to better meet the needs of Mobberley whilst still addressing the requirement of our tenant to save on costs, modernise and become more sustainable for the future."

Savills acted as planning consultants to LPC Living with Manchester-based MPSL acting as architects on the scheme.

Your Comments

Read our comments policy

Yet another scheme in Cheshire East refused despite officer recommendation to approve. Considering CEC’s track record at appeal and the lack of a 5 year housing supply and local plan, Councillors clearly have money to burn.

By fed up council tax payer

Brownfield site, securing local jobs and boosting the local economy. A regional housing shortage. Should have been a no brainer. What a waste of tax payers money.

By Anon

Perceived impact on new residents? I assume the new residents will know that there is a flight path and if they choose to live there, have to accept that complaints regarding noise cannot be justified!

By MancLass

Related Articles

Sign up to receive the Place Daily Briefing

Join more than 13,000 property professionals and receive your free daily round-up of built environment news direct to your inbox

Subscribe

Join more than 13,000 property professionals and sign up to receive your free daily round-up of built environment news direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

"*" indicates required fields

Your Job Field*
Other regional Publications - select below