An Alderley Edge property firm, which is hoping to purchase half the land at Horseshoe Farm, has applied for planning permission to demolish the existing farm shop and shed and erect a new building.
Huntsmere plan to build a new office with storage at Horseshoe Farm and reclad the existing warehouse and office to enable them to relocate their business to the site from Armstrong Farm on Macclesfield Road.
The existing farm and shop have been offered for sale for about 18 months and in November owner Andy Morrison, trading as Horseshoe Farm Produce, went bankrupt. In December 2011 a new company, operating as Horseshoe Farm (Alderley Edge) Ltd was registered with his son Robert Morrison as the director.
If planning permission is granted the idea is to split the site in half, with the farm shop moving into the cafe and using all of the land that fronts onto London Road for its poultry and livestock. Huntsmere would then use the office and storage buildings at the rear.
The proposed development includes the refurbishment and conversion of the existing two storey brick and metal clad building at the north of the site in to storage and an ancillary office. The existing single storey farm shop and adjacent timber shed would be demolished and replaced with a new single building for office and storage use with a display area.
Chris Oakes said "In recent years, we have consolidated our position as one of the leading developers of luxury property in South Manchester and are currently supporting the equivalent of around 100 full time people in various forms of employment. The motivation behind the prospective purchase of Horseshoe Farm is to create a long term local base for the business, from which all its activities will operate. The increase to office space will allow us to engage in further local recruitment to assist in the expansion into several new strategic areas.
"We are naturally hopeful that the proposals are seen as being uncontentious and in addition to allowing the business to grow, it will ultimately safeguard the ongoing trading of both the Farm Shop and the Cafe, which we see as providing a valuable local service to the local community."
Andy Morrison added "What we intend to do is partly in the hands of the trustees of the bankruptcy estate. Whilst the farm shop will change to a showroom the intention is for the house to accommodate the Horseshoe Farm shop.
"I would have liked to have sold Horseshoe Farm as a going concern but hopefully this planning application will be passed and we will still see the farm continue."
Updated at 8pm 18th April: Stewart and Jean Pickering have been operating the shop at Horseshoe Farm since 19th November 2011. Stewart informed me today that they are hoping to continue to do so and are working with the planning application to continue to run the business somewhere on the site.
The planning application for the development at Horseshoe Farm, reference 12/0972M, can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council website.
