Packwood tipped for Crewe success, but Holmes Chapel plan hangs in balance

Cheshire East Council’s southern area committee is recommended to approve a 108-flat office block conversion and expansion, but Jodrell Bank’s proximity could stymie a 101-home project.

Breeden House & Regency Court, Crewe

The redevelopment of Breedon House and Regency Court in the town centre would bring 108 flats as Cheshire East looks to make a dint in its much-reported supply shortage.

Birmingham-registered Packwood Ventures wants full consent to rework and extend the existing three storey building fronting Edleston Road and High Street, into a building thatat its tallest would be seven storeys, using a ‘TopHuis’ MMC method.

The site sits within the southern gateway development area of Crewe town centre, across from the grade two-listed Christadelphian Church.

The reworked building would offer nine ground floor retail units fronting Edleston Road. The flats above would all be one- or two-bedroomed.

Both buildings are flat-roofed, with sections of two or three storeys, and are mostly made up of sub-divided office space, almost all of it vacant. The retail units within Regency Court are also empty.

Crewe Town Council has raised several issues, among them the view that 24 car parking spaces is not sufficient for 108 flats, especially given existing parking issues around High Street.

Cheshire East Council is short of its five-year housing land supply, leading officers to warn that the addition of 108 homes to the housing stock should be given “significant weight”.

No affordable housing is proposed, on viability grounds, a position the council’s independent assessor agrees with. The applicant’s belief is that the total development cost will be around £13.6m, with an 18-month build programme expected.

The professional team includes planner Mialex, Urban View, Urba, Astute, e3p, AB Heritage and Beamsley Ecology.

The application on Cheshire East’s planning portal is 24/4968/FUL

Bridgemount Developments, Holmes Chapel

Working with Asteer Planning and eScape Urbanists, the applicant is seeking outline permission for a site located within the settlement boundary for Holmes Chapel, which is acceptable in principle to officers.

Also weighing in favour of the plans off London Road is that work would result in the redevelopment of a brownfield plot, and that the five-year supply could do with a helping hand, especially given a 30% tranche of affordable homes.

The site is sustainably located, with access to the services and facilities available in Holmes Chapel, with all outstanding issues resolvable at reserved matters stage.

However, the Jodrell Bank issue weighs heavily. Bridgemount’s site falls within the consultation zone for the Unesco-listed World Heritage Site, and the University of Manchester has confirmed its opposition to development, on the grounds that it would impair the efficiency of the radio telescope, a factor that also puts the project in contravention of a policy within the local plan.

Officers concluded that “the public benefits of the development (additional housing, the redevelopment of a previously developed site and economic benefits during the construction phase) would not outweigh the harm caused by this development”.

The CEC application reference number is 25/1859/OUT. CEC’s southern area committee meets on 29 July.