Northwich crematorium plans approved

Planning permission has been granted for a new crematorium to serve Northwich and the surrounding area.

Last month, Cheshire West & Chester Council resolved to grant planning permission to Westerleigh Group but the application was called-in for consideration by the Government Office.

However, the Government Office determined that the decision to approve was sound and CWAC have released the decision notice.

A rival site in Lostock Green featured on The Planners television programme. That application was refused by the council and a planning appeal was held in March 2013 with the decision still pending. The proposers for the competing site sought to convince the council to refuse the Northwich site on traffic grounds but SCP Transport Consultants prepared a scheme of highway works that satisfied the council and allowed planning permission to be granted.

Westerleigh Group is looking to make an early start on the development, designed by Stride Treglown Tektus, in Shurlach Lane near Whatcroft to overcome the lengthy journeys that are currently needed to access crematoria in Crewe, Altrincham and Warrington.

David Roberts, director of SCP, said: "We worked hard on this site to satisfy the council that they could grant planning permission from a highway and traffic point of view, in the face of the heavy lobbying against the proposals from the competition, and it is a very pleasing result. Our infrastructure design team are now busy detailing the highway scheme on the A556 to take this forward to the construction stage."