PLANNING | Wins for Winsford regen, YHG’s 380 Cheshire homes

Proposals for a gas power plant in Ellesmere Port and the redevelopment of the old University of Law’s Chester campus were also approved at Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning meeting yesterday.

Winsford town centre

The first phase of the council’s plans to revamp Winsford town centre was unanimously approved at the planning committee meeting. These proposals are set to create 26,000 sq ft of additional retail space in the form of two new units. There will also be a drive-thru coffee shop and an 8,000 sq ft garden centre. The plans include the relocation of the war memorials.

CWAC has also granted outline approval for creating an 8,200 sq ft community centre.

Money for the project comes, in part, from the Levelling Up Fund, which awarded CWAC £10m for the scheme.

Avison Young is the planning consultant for the development, which was designed by AHR Architects.

Looking to learn more about the regeneration effort? The application’s reference number with CWAC is 21/05058/FUL.

The hall dates back to the 1750s. Credit: planning documents

Christleton Hall

Third time is the charm, after plans to redevelop the former University of Law – Chester campus site into 42 homes and a 7,800 sq ft office building were approved.

Two previous attempts to build 42 homes on the site were rejected in 2018 and 2019 over Green Belt concerns. Those proposals were from Duchy Homes.

The successful third try came from developers Bridgemere Land, who have partnered with housebuilders Castle Green Homes and Blueoak Estates on the project.

Bridgemere Land will now set about demolishing the 20th-century buildings on the nearly seven-acre site and constructing 24 two-storey, detached, new-build homes. The developer will also transform the historic Christleton Hall into 18 apartments, including four that will be designated affordable.

Of the new-build houses, two will have three bedrooms, 20 will have four bedrooms and another two will have five bedrooms. The apartments break down into five one-bedroom units and 13 two-bedroom flats.

The office building would act as a headquarters for the Steve Morgan Foundation. Morgan is the chairman of Bridgemere. Bridgemere itself will also take space in the building.

The project team for the development includes Randall Thorp, HB Architects, E3P, Trevor Bridge Associates, PAD, Hepworth Acoustics, TEP, Betts Associates, Met Geo Environmental, and Stephen Levrant Architecture. Avison Young is the planning consultant.

Looking to learn more about the project? The application’s reference number with CWAC is 21/03468/FUL.

Part of the Northwich site was formerly occupied by ICI. Credit: planning documents

Land off Hargreaves Road

Your Housing Group subsidiary Nuvu Developments has been granted the all-clear for its plans to build 380 homes on 33 acres of land off Hargreaves Road in Northwich.

The brownfield site was formerly the home of ICI Wade chemical works and a brickworks. Remediation work on the land is underway.

Of the 380 homes, 42 would have just one bedroom, while 107 would have two bedrooms. There would be 195 three-bedroom homes and 36 four-bedroom ones. Plans call for 114 of the homes to be available for open market sale, while 266 would be designated affordable.

WSP is the planning consultant for the project, whose team includes APD, Wardell Armstrong, and Vectos.

Looking to learn more about the project? The application’s reference number with CWAC is 21/00055/FUL.

Land off North Road in Ellesmere Port

Two applications were linked to this land, which was previously the site of a Conoco oil depot. Both were approved.

The first of the applications came from Dunton Environmental which sought to build a soil processing plant to help remediate the land. The proposal also included plans for car parking and a site office.

The second application was from Peel NRE for a gas engine electricity-generating plant. Peel also secured outline approval for building a 65,000 sq ft warehouse on the site.

Looking to learn more about the project? The applications reference numbers with CWAC are 20/04645/FUL and 20/04850/OUT respectively.