Story hopes for Wilmslow win
Plans by the Cumbrian housebuilder for 54 homes close to Fulshaw Park are lined up for approval next week.
Outline consent for up to 60 homes was established in October 2018 for the development on land west of Alderley Road. close to the former Royal London complex.
Story Homes is working with APD and planner Asteer.
The reserved matters application was due to be heard in August but was pulled from the agenda. Wilmslow Town Council was among the objectors, while council body ANSA Greenspace, responsible for parks, said it was unable to support the plans over various concerns over the proposed play area.
Regardless, approval was recommended – a situation that is unaltered.
Story’s plans include 38 homes for market sale and 16 affordable homes. This breaks down as four five-bedroom homes, 13 four-bedroom homes, 22 three-bedroom homes, nine two-bedroom homes and six one-bedroom homes.
The application reference number for Story’s proposals on the Cheshire East Council planning portal is 21/4669M.
Another scheme returning to the CEC docket is the part-demolition of buildings at the Swan Hotel, Bucklow Hill, put forward by PH Property Holdings and Premier Inn Hotels.
The applicants wish to replace the Swan with 17 homes in a proposal that returns to committee after deferral in March, the committee requesting further information on the potential impact on Rostherne Mere.
Although the pub has been closed since August 2000, and is not listed as an asset of community value, there has been objection locally to its potential loss, an assertion combatted by the applicant’s advisor Gerald Eve.
According to the officer’s report, Gerald Eve marketed the site’s freehold from January 2019 to September 2021 and received 15 firm offers, most of which were with residential redevelopment in mind, and none of which came from pub or hotel operators. PH Property was chosen as the preferred purchaser in March 2020.
The officer’s report said: “It is clear from the objections received that the public house on this site did have some value as a community facility.
“However, it is deemed that the reason for the closure of the business has been substantiated. In addition, the business has been marketed for a significant period of time and there is no evidence that an offer has been made by an individual or group looking to continue the existing use.
“For these reasons combined, is it not deemed that the loss of this facility for an alternative use, whilst regrettable, is ‘unnecessary’.”
Subject to Section 106 agreements, approval is recommended. No affordable housing is proposed, with the applicant arguing that the site qualifies for exemption as vacant. Asteer is also the planning consultant for this project.
The application reference number for the Swan Hotel redevelopment is 21/2975M.
