Plans to convert The Gables into a beauty salon and flats have been given the go-ahead – with councillors welcoming the re-purposing of the historic Nantwich town centre building.
The Beam Street property is currently empty but was formerly used as a community club and offices.
Cheshire East’s southern planning committee approved plans yesterday (January 10) to convert the ground floor and basement for use as a beauty salon and the upper two floors into four flats.
The scheme also includes bulldozing the existing two-storey and single-storey rear extensions and replacing them with a two-and-half-storey extension.
Ward councillor Anna Burton (Lab), who moved the application be approved, said the building used to be the offices of the former Nantwich Urban District Council.
“It’s got quite a long history, it used to be the CAB and the town’s luncheon club,” she said, adding: “It’s nice to, at last, see that something’s being done here to the building.”
She praised what had been done already to tidy up the front of the property.
“They’ve shown… they got an aesthetic appreciation for the town,” said Cllr Burton, adding the existing extension at the back is unsightly and the proposal looked like it would enhance that.
“It does seem like a good thing for the centre of Nantwich and I will be supporting it.”
But Cllr Andrew Kolker (Con) disagreed.
“You’ve got a beautiful frontage and then you go round the corner and to me it appears completely out of character,” he said.
“It’s a large flat-roofed extension which doesn’t look anything like the front.”
The Dane Valley councillor said planners, historically, hadn’t done towns many favours and described Nantwich Library opposite the Gables as a ‘hideous building’.
“I think we need to try and steer ourselves away from making similar mistakes for future generations,” he said.
“This is part of the heritage area of Nantwich and I think we need to look really carefully at these beautiful buildings, what we’re doing to them.”
Cllr Rachel Bailey (Audlem, Con) said she welcomed the building coming back into use but agreed with Cllr Kolker.
“To me common sense should prevail and there should be a more appropriate extension here,” she said.
Cllr Allen Gage (Willaston, Con) seconded the move to approve the scheme saying: “As long as I’ve been in this neck of the woods that building has been empty.”
He said if it could be brought back into use to provide accommodation for people that need it ‘I’m more than happy to go with that’.
Six councillors voted for the application to be approved, one voted against and two abstained.
Someone thinks there is an it seems is willing to put up the money to do the work.
And meanwhile the sheltered housing on Lady Helen Walk have lost a big chunk of parking for staff and visitors. Nice move CCC.
Wasn’t that building undergoing work last year. I remember skips outside, workmen.
Like theirs a need for more of them
Good idea a beauty saloon, maybe a nail bar of Turkish barbers