PLANNING | Approval for Macclesfield homes, Congleton industrial

Jones Homes and Redrow can progress plans to build 216 homes on land south of Chelford Road. Similarly, Clowes Developments has the green light for 93,400 sq ft of warehouses on land west of Viking Way.

Cheshire East Council’s strategic planning council signed off both projects during a five-hour strategic planning board meeting on Wednesday.

Land south of Chelford Road

After nearly two hours of discussion, approval was granted for Jones Homes and Redrow’s application for homes in Macclesfield.

This was the second time the application had come to committee, having been deferred during October’s meeting in a bid to get more details on biodiversity net gain and drainage. The project had been recommended for approval by planning officers.

The application focuses on nearly 57 acres of fields south of Chelford Road and includes the installation of a new roundabout to enable vehicle access to the development.

Of the 216 approved homes, 65 are set to be designated affordable. Included in the designs are 10 one-bed homes, 50 two-bed ones, 73 three-bed houses, and 83 four-bed dwellings.

The housing plan had been controversial, securing numerous objections from the local parish and town council, as well as area MP David Rutley. In the end, six councillors voted in favour of the application and only one against it. Three abstained.

Plans for the project were submitted by Avison Young, with Asteer Planning tasked with defending the application at the planning committee.

The project team includes eScape Urbanists, The Environment Partnership, TBA, Ensafe, and TRT Lighting.

The application reference number for the scheme is 19/5582M.

The layout of the industrial development off Viking Way. Credit: via planning documents

Land west of Viking Way

Building on outline consent from March 2021, Clowes Developments has secured permission to construct seven light industrial units totalling 93,400 sq ft.

This is the second phase of Clowes’ wider Viking Way development, which includes plans for 175 homes, a 19,000 sq ft food store, and 37,000 sq ft of offices.

In addition to the seven warehouses, phase two includes 206 car parking spaces. Of these 206, 14 will be able to charge electric vehicles.

Set on nearly 17 acres between Viking Way and the River Dane, the project includes the creation of a cycle path between the road and the river.

Phase two is aided by a second related application, which was also approved by Cheshire East Council on Wednesday. This application was for enabling works on nearly 32 acres to the west and east of Viking Way, including the site for phase two.

Asteer Planning is the planning consultant for both of the applications.

Alice Routledge, partner at Asteer, said: “Following the approval of the first residential phase at last month’s strategic planning board, it was great to secure another positive result approving over 90,000 of employment floorspace and a package of site-enabling works at Viking Way for Clowes Developments. These approvals are an important step forward in establishing the site as a sustainable community where people can live and work.”

The project team for phase two of Viking Way includes Whittam Cox Architects, Hub Transport Planning, Tyler Grange, TPM, Lighting Project Solutions, and Energytest.

The application’s reference number is 22/2350C with Cheshire East Council. The reference number for the enabling works application is 22/2338C.