A planning application has been submitted to Cheshire East Council to demolish a former nightclub and replace it with ten detached dwellings on a site which has remained unused for over 10 years.
MCR Property Group has applied to build a residential development on the 1.67 Ha site of the former Yesterdays nightclub at Harden Park, which lies in the North Cheshire Green Belt.
The existing building is a Victorian villa which was most recently used as a nightclub, restaurant and bar known as Yesterdays, although the main building was originally used as a small hotel. The nightclub closed in 2004 and the property has remained vacant since. The building, which lies in spacious grounds with large garden areas, mature woodlands and a manmade pond, is currently in a poor state of repair.
The planning application proposes to demolish the nightclub building and the smaller outbuildings, which provided ancillary accommodation, so they can erect ten 4-bedroom bungalows with two car parking spaces each, gardens and landscaping.
The proposed scheme is for single storey properties with flat roofs to reduce the mass of the dwelling, whilst giving the development a contemporary feel. The scheme has been designed so it appears as woodland from the outside with just glimpses of the buildings visible.
The Design and Access Statement says "Although seemingly spread over more of the site than the traditional schemes, the single storey nature of the dwellings and the use of green roofs, living walls, a mix of natural stones and timber elements on the facades and an organic approach to the landscaping throughout the site will help blur the line between building and landscape and thus reduce the visual impact from all distant viewpoints and from within the development."
The site will retain its existing access off Harden Park, with a new gated entrance and an improved footpath on the southern side of Harden Park.
A planning application was submitted in 2011 for an extension, refurbishment and alteration of the former Yesterday's nightclub to create a 68 bedroom hotel with a ground floor bistro and spa. However, it was considered that the need for a luxury spa hotel did not constitute very special circumstances and the application was withdrawn.
This planning application can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council website by searching for planning reference 15/1955M. It is due to be considered by the Northern Planning Committee on 12th August and the deadline for submitting comments is 16th July.
Comments
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Plus it might encourage development of the other eyesore which once was the County Hotel?
I agree that it's high time that both sites were restored to usefulness.
But the "Yesterdays" building used to be a fine and imposing example of Edwardian archetecture set in it own extensive grounds. Why knock it down to build that glazed and angular shoe box?
It is a shame that the building cant be restored and converted into affordable, self contained apartments to help local youngsters get a foot on the property ladder without having to move miles away from home.
We keep hearing about the dire need for affordable housing which poses a huge threat to Greenbelt land.
Why not take land from the developers rather than the tax payers? Or why not make it worthwhile for developers to create affordable housing on existing sites such as these?