Plans for retirement apartments on police station site refused

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Plans for a development of retirement flats on the site currently occupied by Wilmslow Police Station were refused.

Members of the Northern Planning Committee went against the Planning Officer's recommendation and rejected the scheme due to the lack of on-site affordable housing provision, as requested by the Wilmslow Neighbourhood Plan.

McCarthy Stone initially applied in March 2023 to build 56 retirement apartments then in July 2024 they submitted amended plans for 52 apartments for the over 55s, to be built following the demolition of the existing police station. The four storey building would have a lift to each floor and contain 27 one bedroom and 25 two bedroom apartments.

Cllr Mark Goldsmith, who attended the Northern Planning on Wednesday 2nd October to speak against this application, commented "The proposed building is too big, too tall, too ugly, too near the park, has too few parking spaces and too few affordable units. It should be refused."

The Planning Officer had recommended the plans for approval subject to a s106 agreement to secure a financial contribution totalling £1.115m, including £915,247 for off-site affordable housing. However, eight members voted for refusal whilst two voted in favour and one abstained.

Cllr David Jefferay said "Personally, I did not share the committee's conclusion and voted against refusal of the development. Whilst I suspect that will be unpopular amongst residents, it was and still is my view that refusal for that reason would be impossible to defend at appeal.

"Although the Wilmslow Neighbourhood Plan asks for affordable housing on that site, this application only forms part of the site and therefore affordable housing could be put on the remaining portion of the site if/ when it comes forward and housing policy does allow affordable housing provision to be met off-site when it cannot be met on-site. Further, the application fulfils another requirement of the Neighbourhood Plan for the site, which is for housing to meet needs of people wishing to downsize (e.g. retired people).

"Although I would rather a different scheme was put forward for the site (we have had quite a few developments of this type in Wilmslow over recent years), I could not identify any planning reasons to justify refusal and planning decisions have to be based on policy, not popularity or preference. If not based on policy, applicants go straight to appeal, the decision is overturned and the council has to pay significant costs.

"I will not be surprised if that happens in this case, the costs of which the council can ill-afford at the moment. As councillor on a planning committee, I have to make difficult decisions based on policy and this was one of the most difficult and unpalatable ones I have had to make so far because it was against what I wanted. It is particularly frustrating when applicants submit "viability assessments" claiming that schemes cannot afford to meet their obligations to the community (like affordable housing) as was the case in this application. Unfortunately in such cases the council's hands are tied although the council's review of the assessment did identify a further £1m of contributions that the development could make."

Cheshire Constabulary have been granted planning permission to build a new two police station at their site. The replacement two storey police station will be located on the site of the existing car park where there are currently 35 spaces - making a portion of the land available for the development of retirement apartments.

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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Andy Brown
Saturday 5th October 2024 at 3:16 pm
There's no affordable housing on the Horseshoe Lane development but planning approved it with a £246K financial contribution.

They then turn this down because there's no affordable housing despite there being a £915K financial contribution.

Do these Cheshire East bureaucrats actually know what they are doing?
Stuart Lees
Tuesday 8th October 2024 at 2:55 pm
For gods sake!! This ridiculous bureaucracy and time wasting on planning committees , from unelected old people with nothing better to do is exactly what the new Labour government are committed to removing.
And that's coming from a member of the Conservative Party. !!!