Ellesmere Port football club regeneration approved
The redevelopment of Vauxhall Motors FC in Ellesmere Port has been given the go-ahead, allowing for a new clubhouse, pavilion, and sports pitches, alongside 50 affordable homes.
Planning consultancy Barton Willmore advised Vauxhall Motors Sports & Social Club, the company behind the football club, and provided evidence to Cheshire West & Chester Council that the loss-making VMSCC would close if the proposed development did not happen.
Located 3km to the south of Ellesmere Port on unused brownfield land within the green belt, the plans for the recreational facilities include a replacement clubhouse with a multifunctional sports pavilion providing a café, event and flexible training spaces, a new external 3G sports pitch, and the refurbishment and relocation of existing artificial grass.
The facility aims to support 40,000 visits per year by children.
Next to the sports club, 20 flats and 36 houses, all affordable, will provide homes for local residents.
Dan Mitchell, managing partner at Barton Willmore, said: “The redevelopment of the club is a huge benefit to the local community. Not only will the new and improved facilities provide a unique safe, sporting and educational venue for the entire community to reap the benefits of, both through use and also employment, the high quality affordable homes will contribute to local housing need.”
John McCall Architects designed the scheme.
Yer, we always grant planning permission for 56 properties, including 3 storey flats, in the Green Belt, on unsustainable sites – a mile to the nearest settlement, with no footpaths of street lights, with awful vehicle access, so that the owners of a Sports Club can make a £1 million to bale out their sports club. Perhaps we should say any development of all affordable housing should be treated as exceptional circumstances for building in the Green Belt – like Cheshire West planners did. Never would have got past a Planning Inspector but rejigging the planning committee members seemed to cause them to change their mind.
By Ray McHale