M&S reveal plans for new food hall in Alderley Edge

I think this is a wonderful idea. Have been hoping for this for years. Parking could be an issue for some. Personally, it's not a problem.

Great news. Traffic volumes may be a problem at the site, but otherwise good to have M&S as a major store here at last. Extra parking a big bonus too. Hope it get's passed planning .

The plan appears to use the overgrown waste ground immediately between the station's southbound platform and the footpath connecting Davy Lane with Heyes Lane.

I have suggested in the past that this land, right in the heart of the village, would make a decent sized car park.

Given the impact of CE Councils plans for additional housing, the resulting traffic and the impact on local infrastructure (parking in particular) why is this land not being considered for car parking?

What a great addition to Alderley village, shame they can't replace the dirty Tesco store, but perhaps the new M & S will see them off, as M & S are so much more Alderley.

A great boast to the town, small car park, but then many resident could walk to the store.

Get it built!

Must be 1st April.

M&S must be crazy! Waitrose have got the locale sewn up, together with the Tesco supplement.

Have been waiting for this. What an excellent addition for Alderley Edge village. They opened in Hale village and is very successful.

Yes, it look o.k. it will get rid of that rough piece of land to the rear of the new build and stop parking on the cobbles that are not the station car park, it should do o.k.

If this is done well and sensitive to the parking needs of the village, it could be a great addition and one that I believe will certainly get used. It would be better if the M&S offering could be more comprehensive than just food. Potentially it will also provide a welcome opportunity to enhance the station area and first impression to Alderley Edge. I look forward to attending the consultation event next weekend.

Fabulous news for the village !!

I cannot think of a more dangerous junction to place extra vehicle movements onto Heyes lane /London road ,with extra pedestrian traffic across a busy blind access from Heyes Lane , and service vehicles turning across both .this surely is madness ? Does the parking provided take into account the loss of the Station parking ? Is this scheme flying a kite by M&S or is it British Rail trying to cash in ? Crazy!

What fantastic news lets hope it gets approved makes a refreshing change rather than charity shops, restaurants and beauty clinics,

The first thing I picked up on was the spokesperson calling our village a town! And that is where M&S stores belongs! In a town!

If M&S are willing to spend money to redevelop the eyesore that is the station ( Christine and team of course I'm not including the planters !! ) and the piece of derelict land adjacent to the ginnel then this planning permission may well be a good idea . If additional parking is to be created even better . I think it will be well utilised by early morning and evening commuters alike . Rightly so people have expressed concerns about extra traffic at an already extremely dangerous junction , I'm guessing that the planning people are aware of this . Pro or Anti the development we are being given the opportunity to see the plans and speak to M&S bods next Friday . An aside .... On a different thread someone mentioned what was happening with Cedric's ?? ( which is next door to my shop !!

It is interesting to read the wide variety of comments. I am just a little sad that someone should describe our small Tesco as 'the dirty Tesco store' and hope they are 'seen off' by a new arrival.

My experience is of a hard working cheerful team who work the longest hours and provide us with a service from very early to very late each and every day. 'Seen off' means excellent people deprived of their livelihood and that would be sad and undeserved.

May I please attempt to redress the balance by saying to the Manager and his Alderley Edge Tesco team - thank you for looking after us when we visit and thank you for being there when we need you especially when you are open and nobody else is!

An excellent retail team.

74 parking spaces is a gain.

I hope someone answers Simon's questions (see above).

The ginnel refered to by Helen (is that the pedestrian way between Heyes Lane and the station car park?) is I believe privately owned; will that affect M&S plans? Or have M&S plans to buy it?

Since many peple use the Lane/ginnel as a way of getting into the village without criss-crossing London Rd., I hope it will remain 'open'.

I would be surprised if this goes ahead, firstly any retailer spending money on judging reaction with the locals means they expect resistance, as for the comments praising the "extra" car parking?? There is actually going to be less parking, currently the station has 30 spaces and the plan is for 23, the 50 store spaces will be taken by store staff and customer, M and S control customer parking very tightly, most of their Food Halls with parking allow it for 30 - 60 mins depending on store size. The catchment area for a stand alone Food Hall is quite large and it will cause more traffic to the village but wont result in any of the independent retailers gaining from the increase, in fact probably the opposite. As for asking if the village can take a 3rd multiple food brand, course it can, no retailer will spend on a new build without having a 5 year plan, they will have planned for current customers to Handforth to move over for "top up" shopping and taking some of Waitrose trade, and a growth in branded convenience shopping, the days of the monthly "big" shop are all but gone. Equally it will be used for the rise in "Click and Collect" from the website. The comment about "Dirty Tesco" is clearly made by someone who optimises what the world thinks about "Cheshire" residents, In fact our Tesco is one of the best merchandised and cleanest in the country and has won a few internal awards for such, when M and S is closed at 8pm and you need a pint of milk, you will be off to Tesco for their 4 pints for a quid I am sure.

The main concern I have about this is that it will take away even more trade from the independent shops. Also Alan's comment about using this space for the car park everyone wants in the village is a great suggestion (I had not realised the size and potential of this plot for a car park)- has this been considered by the new Parish Council?

Dear all,

There have, understandably, been several questions asked on this forum regarding precisely what is proposed in terms of retail space, parking, highways and impact on existing retailers.

The proposals have not, as yet, been formalised into a planning application and therefore nothing has been determined. M&S have arranged the consultation events on Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd July, to enable members of the public to ask questions, comment on the initial proposals and perhaps suggest improvements or amendments.

I would encourage everyone that is able, to attend one or other of these events. As your Ward Councillor, I will be present at both of them and so if there are any issues anyone wishes to raise with me, they will be able to do so. I have asked to be involved in any pre-application meetings that take place between representatives of M&S and CE Planners.

Kind regards,
Craig

Craig- has there been an consideration as to whether the site could be used for the needed car park in the village, or is this not an option? Many thanks in advance for your response.

Interesting comments about independent shops, sadly we have very few, only Weinholts, Murrays, the chemist, cheese wedge which I wouldn't see as being effected and to over priced florist and potting shed, as usual the greedy landlords and there over priced rent on properties, marks and spencers is a welcomed addition to the supermarkets and good bit of health competition , about time it is balanced out with all the coffee shops restaurants and charity shops

I forgot the other independent shops, clothes shops, shoe shops, sunglasses shop which we can all really afford as we are are from alderley edge right

Victoria,
why would you denigrate the Potting Shed and other smaller shops, such as Granthams?
Some of them have been here for years and that means they are popular and thus serving a demand.
They also employ local people.
Do you expect M.& S. to be inexpensive?

Can this site be considered as a possible parking solution for the village? It's nearer to London Rd than suggested sites so more likely to be used.

I dought it Fiona, it is a very expensive piece of prime land and only a major company like M & S could afford it.

Putting parking on that land will never happen, firstly CEC or AEPC would never have the money to buy or lease it, just to be considered for purchase or lease of Network Rail land requires a consultation with them which costs around 7k, and that's before anything is even agreed. Then to redevelop it into a proper parking area with a large number of spaces would run into hundreds of thousands, on top of any purchase or lease costs, there would never be any return for the council.

Hi Elly,

The land adjacent to the platform has been discussed. The M&S proposal would use this land to provide 23 long-stay parking spaces for the station.

Kind regards,
Craig

I disagree with what Victoria says that a further supermarket wouldn't affect the shops she has mentioned. M&S (and especially their smaller food hall only stores) tend to offer speciality foods which is exactly what Granthams, Weinholts and the Cheese Wedge (and the butchers which you forgot to include) do. These independant shops will get used less and will suffer for it. Have people forgotten how many independent shops have closed down in the village this year already?

Thanks Vince for your comments on the costings. Perhaps Craig could still comment on whether or not there is any chance at all that the site might prove useful for parking?

Two chaps measuring up yesterday, so I suspect it's a bit further on than consultation. Knowing CEC it's already probably been rubber stamped.

Don't know how large this "food hall" is to be, but there is currently one in Wilmslow at the petrol station. It's business seems to be entirely those stopping for petrol or requiring a quick take-away to put in the microwave. It has made no dent in the sales of Sainsburys or Waitrose. As for me I shall still visit the village on a weekly basis. Why would I buy cakes and pies from M@S or Waitrose when there is Weinholts?

Speaking with one of my volunteers today , apparently many years ago there used to be a kiosk of some description on the approach to the south bound platform .... I had a peek over the railings this morning at the bottom of the ginnel . Just to be nosey .... It's quite a sizeable site including what maybe electrical-sub stations ?? As Richard said if bods have been seen measuring up , does that mean the deal has already been sewn up ?? I will of course attend the consultation on Friday and will be very interested to hear what the M&S reps have to tell us . My main concern are deliveries at an already dangerous junction and what will happen to the ginnel..... Grantham's , Wienholts and AVB needn't worry , as they have their established loyal trade. For now I'm keeping a very open mind until I'm able to see the plans next weekend .

Great debate shame no one fights for the independant businesses in the vilage to many restaurants and charity shops two of them have been here for over thirty years give or take . Granthams the cheese wedge our great little butchers all great little gems of the vilage . We seem to change like the wind the great parking debate what about the great walking debate what do I know

WE do not need M&S in the village or want it. We have two supermarkets already. We have a fantastic independent butchers, cake shop, cheese shop, paper shop and chemist. it will be situated near a very busy and, at times, congested road and no doubt more litter will appear round the area.

Alderley does not need another supermarket. We need to use the local independent facilities, which is an attraction of the village. The station and it's car park gives the village it's character. The waste land should be used as an extra car park to avoid the use of the playing field. This is a busy enough junction at the best of times especially at rush hour. The additional parking required for M&S staff has been underestimated. A three storey building here can only be an eyesore.

We attended the consultation exercise & what an interesting event it proved.

Firstly this is not a M&S simply food , it's a full scale Food Hall which is the same size as Waitrose but on a much smaller site with serious access issues. First deliveries will be notified to nearby residents by the sound of the first of 4 daily delivery HGV reversing klaxons at 6.30 AM .

Secondly from the High St it will look as if a full size Ocean liner has run aground, the front elevation is enormous & heavily logoed with absolutely no attempt to blend into a village streetscape or pay heed to neighbouring architectural styles. It looks big brash & urban.

Thirdly why does a village need a third supermarket? What if it doesn't ?..and M&S pulls out? We will then have another Supermarket brand arriving in our village with no planning process to go through so we should view the proposal as being generic rather than simply M&S.

Fourthly they claim to have sent consultation leaflets to alll nearby homes , we are 200 yards away and received nothing , nor did our neighbours. Why ?

Fifthly the back portion of the car park will be designated for & controlled by Network Rail, it will have handy steps down to it from the footpath from Davey Lane to Heyes Lane, this will become the destination of choice for anyone wanting a quiet spot to score drugs, or any of the other activities that the vibrant nighttime economy of our village has as an undesirable side effect.

I'm fed up of picking up empty bottles,cans, legal high canisters as it is from the gunnel, will Network rail prevent this from being an issue, my experience of their car parks around the country is mixed at best.

Sixthly many great local businesses have survived Tesco &Waitrose expansion this may tip them over the edge to the detriment of all of us.

In conclusion I think this is an attempt to squeeze a wildly oversized design onto a site with severe access issues, that junction is problematic at the best of times this takes that to a whole new level of risk.

We're not in favour...

I'm usually the one defending developments in the village, but this? No Thanks.

Some sort of development in that area is needed granted, a news agents or something handy for commuters. McColls would probably be the best candidate for moving into the station. The proposed development is problematic in far too many ways:

-Not remotely in-keeping with village aesthetic
-Far too large
-Creastes further urbanisation of a still relatively rural village
-Takes masses of trade away from local retailers, and once they're gone, that's it.
-Worsens parking situation by not only creating demand for more spaces for customers, but also having less spaces specifically for rail travelers/pay & display.
- Takes away a beautiful vista when entering the village. If you,be ever walked over the footbridge towards the car park you'l see the Victorian cobbled area below with its iron lamp posts, a view down London road & the edge in the background, looking incredible!

Havijg knowledge and interest in urban planning and architectural design I can tell you this is very poorly thought out. I'm happy to do some 3D/plan view mock ups of something more tolerable (and beneficial) to show what residents are looking for, hopefully influencing the proposed design/usage of the area.

What a fantastic addition to the village!
Marks and Spencer and more parking, just great.
If we left decisions to some people our village wouldn't be so vibrant. With the mix of fab restaurants, local shops, Tesco and Waitrose, I think M and S is a perfect addition.
The new jobs created and additional parking are huge pluses too.
Bring it on!

I agree with everything that John and George have said about this proposed development and how inappropriate it would be for this site and village. The reason given for the recent closure of our sweet shop and flower shop, was because of the existing supermarkets. Do we want to walk more empty shops when only 2 miles down the road is an M&S for those who 'must have'?

Hi, I heard about this yesterday too late unfortunately to go to the consultation. I think it is is very sad that so many people agree that this is a good idea for the village. The local shops are suffering already from the likes of Waitrose and there is no need for an M&S. There is one less than 4 miles away in Wilmslow and if they are that greed why can't they take over the ugly building opposite. People can go to Wilmslow, Manchester and Handforth Dean. They claim to have mail shot local residence we live next door to Granthams and they haven't done our area. Help to keep the soul in the village please residence and vote against M&S Waitrose is sufficient and equally as good we don't need both

I'm a fan of both M&S and positive development. I'd also love a coffee bar at the station. However, this feels inappropriate for the village - it is not (yet) a town - for the nature of the business and the location.

Waitrose and the lovely Tesco are more than sufficient national food stores. The butcher, Grantham's and Wienholt, are more than sufficient independent food stores. A big M&S feels more appropriate in a town than the small village of AE and it could therefore change the character of the village.

The junctions of London Road and Heyes Lane, Ryleys Lane and Davey Lane are already overly congested at rush hour. Heyes Lane can feel dangerous with little visibility over the railway bridge. Supermarket traffic will only worsen that.

Finally, any parking spaces created will be taken by M&S customers. It will do nothing to satiate some people's desire for easier parking.

Developments to AE should protect the character of the village - it is a special place and so popular with people coming from miles around because it is a small, lively and pretty village. There are plenty of larger towns they eschew in favour of AE. The proposed development of a big M&S on that plot feels out of keeping with the character of the village and will increase traffic congestion.

What price progress?

In 1842 the railway came to Alderley Edge. That was progress, and from it our village evolved. The station is part of our heritage and exists to a great extent in its original form.

Through the years, development has been part of our lives - not always for the best - but in the main, those whose responsibility it has been have striven to maintain the look and feel of our lovely village.

We have now had chance to look at the proposed plans for the M&S Foodhall and to air our views (many of which are detailed on this forum).

Shame on Northern Rail. They have allowed a group of dedicated volunteers to give hundreds of tireless hours to improving and maintaining the station and its car park, but at no time has any mention been made as to how the land might be developed.

Shame on all those who seek to bring about this monstrosity. I strongly suspect that the building of this M&S in one form or another is an inevitable continuation of “progress”. The lease on the car park has been acquired, plans have been drawn, palms have been greased and doubtless, a pot of money has been earmarked.

Shame on these so called “businessmen”. With their flagrant disregard for all that our village is, the price of their type of “progress” is high indeed.

I am frankly astonished that there has been support for this proposal. I can only imagine that those who have supported have no real appreciation of the negative impact that this will undoubtedly bring on the village.

Apart from the heavily increased traffic at the Hayes Lane junction (which it cannot take), the even longer queues to get into and out of the village, the environmental impact of the additional vehicle and lorry movements, and the devastating impact on our smaller businesses (which are irreplaceable and will never return), it will forever change the appearance of the unique Alderley Edge High Street - which it will dominate.

It is also totally unnecessary, driven not by some desire to improve the amenities for local residents, but by the greed of those promoting it who have no regard or thought for the future impact on the village, but only the potential profit for themselves.

We have the largest single story M&S in Europe at Handforth, an excellent Waitrose and a useful Tesco. Surely that is enough without risking ruining Alderley Edge for ever.

I've read the comments above. Unfortunately I was unable to attend the public exhibition over the weekend. However, from what I can glean, I think the proposal represents unnecessary and unwelcome development for all the excellent reasons spelt out in comments above. Primarily, in my opinion, this development should be opposed because it means:

1. Further threat to our precious and valued independent retailers, as listed above. And let's not forget Murray's Sandwich Shop either, who will certainly lose trade if an M&S food hall is built.
2. Saturation of national brand supermarkets in what is still (for how much longer?) a village.
3. The poorly considered location and design of the proposed development.

I am also interested to note how many people claim not to have received the consultation leaflet that is supposed to have been delivered to every household. No sign of one through my letterbox either. Has ANYONE received one?

I hope that speculation that this is already a 'done deal' is wrong. Personal experience of the planning process indicates that objections, no matter how well thought out, and reasonable may fall on deaf ears and come to nothing. Let's hope I'm wrong.

There are no doubt access issues to resolve , but overall seems to solve issues around parking that the PC realistically can never do with limited resources. We should try and help shape to needs of village rather than rejecting.

Lunacy!

The village is well served with supermarkets. If this development goes ahead it will be to the detriment of the few remaining quality food retailers like Granthams who will suffer a hammer blow. These small independents deserve our support.

Alderley Edge is crying out for more car parking spaces. As residents we already suffer the curse of all day parking. The thought of more cars on residential streets fills me with dread.

John Hannah makes several good points and I totally support them.

Finally, the comment about Tesco being filthy is just not fair. The store is open when others are not and the staff are friendly and very helpful.

I am against this development!

Would deliveries and customers use the same entrance on the same difficult junction or would there be another entrance I can't see how any additional traffic to that dangerous bridge and heys lane junction several articulated vehicals turning up per day can't help the situation of course these people representing M&S will spin there way because they will make a vast fortune at our exspence but don't let me put you off how many M&S in the area do we need

Of the 50+ comments, there are some that choose not to deal with the subject as such and of the 35+ that do, there seems to be an overall 'NO THANKS' by about 5:3 (just my judgement).

Interestingly the proportion of 'NO' seemed to increse after the public exhibition/consultation.

Now that M&S have had their say: the decision will be taken by C.East.

Is it possible that we might hear the views on this from our C. East Councilor (who will know much more about what is being said within C. East) and from AEPC (who can have a significent input into the decision).

When do the pre-application and planning applications take place? and are they at all open to the public?

In case any reader thinks I have any 'axe to grind', I don't unless the proposed M&S means yet another reduction in parking for visitors to the village.

Brilliant news and very excited.
Now I can just walk to my favourite supermarket rather than waste petrol and destroy the environment in the traffic on the way to Handforth Dean.
It won't take my custom away from the local stores, as I don't use them currently anyway - obviously supermarkets can afford to offer meat/sweets/flowers etc at a cheaper cost and still great quality.
It's fantastic if you can afford to buy local and support your local businesses but most people probably can't.
I don't think Yes or Nos should be fighting against one another and judging people's views either way. Just put up a fair argument and listen to one another's views in a respectful way.

It is important that we all understand where we are with the 'proposal' that Marks and Spencer plc build a new Food Hall on our station car park.

No planning application has yet been submitted nor have pre- application discussions taken place between Marks and Spencer and Cheshire East planning department or Cheshire East Highways.

Craig Browne, our Ward Councillor, I can assure you, is tireless in ensuring that we are kept properly informed over developments in this whole process. As a very active Councillor and a member of the Northern Planning Commitee he will ensure that the views of Alderley Edge residents are expressed clearly and in a well balanced way. After all, there are a great many supporters of this proposal and a great number who oppose it!

For every action there is always going to be a 'reaction' and if this proposal goes ahead there will be consequences. These will probably take the form of a huge increase in inbound traffic into the Village, a worsening of the parking situation which has been improving recently and considerable problems that will need to be addressed by Cheshire East Highways in re-configuring roads, access points, traffic safety and congestion at busy times.

Perhaps the most important issue is that our local businesses, which have been established here for many years, will be placed under more pressure and will perhaps struggle to survive. But what also may happen is that Waitrose, at some point in the future, decide to pull out and Tesco decide to close and then life becomes more interesting as residents suddenly discover that what seemed like a good idea is not quite as exciting as we thought!

The Marks and Spencer planning application will eventually be posted on the Cheshire East Planning Portal and will come to Alderley Edge Parish Council for approval or rejection. That meeting will be well publicised and I would urge all residents, whether you are 'for' the application or 'against' it, to prepare for that meeting and to attend. To that end, we will hold the meeting in the main body of the Festival Hall when the date is known, to ensure that there are enough seats for those who wish to attend and express their views - as without hearing these views it is difficult for your Parish Council to represent you properly.

Access to the Cheshire East Portal is easy and your views can be expressed on that Portal for the Planning Department to consider once the application is posted. If you want 'it' say so. If you don't want it - say so but please express your views as saying nothing does little for peace, harmony and democracy downstream.

Our role as your Parish Council and Craig Browne's role as our excellent Ward Councillor is to represent the will of the Village. We might need your help in this one as I fear this proposal will require very strong support to be shown if it is to succeed - and very strong support to be shown if it is to be rejected.

Just please don't sit on the fence!

No Information booklets received by this house hold either, I checked also on some of the information I was given at the consultation. It proved to be grossly inaccurate, especially about the narrowing of the road once vehicles come over the bridge into the village, by providing cobbled and painted stones, they had an answer for everything irrelevant of the practicality.

Do we need yet another super market.........REALLY !!

The M&S in Handforth is proposed to have a 2,450 m2 increase in floor space.
Might this proposal affect the M&S proposal for Alderley Edge ?