Planners are recommending councillors approve an application for the retail and employment phase of the Maylands Park development at Stapeley in Nantwich, writes Belinda Ryan.
Outline approval for the whole controversial scheme – which includes residential and employment use – was granted on appeal by the Secretary of State in July 2020.
That followed years of legal wrangling after Cheshire East Council originally refused the application from Muller Property Group, which could total more than 1,000 houses on the “Nantwich South” development.
The latest reserved matters application submitted to CEC is for the appearance, scale, layout, and landscaping for phase two – a mix of commercial property consisting of offices, light industrial, warehousing and local centre including six shops with parking, service yards and associated infrastructure.
The application, from Muller Property Group, will be considered by Cheshire East’s strategic planning board on Wednesday and follows the approval of phase one, for 188 homes, in March last year.
Stapeley Parish Council has objected to the scheme for the land off Peter Destapleigh Way, outlining several reasons it believes it should be refused.
These include:
the height, elevations, and scale of the office building and light industrial units are completely out of keeping with the local area
the proposed parking is insufficient for the retail, commercial and office development
fears of a lack of future control of noise levels from commercial and industrial units
Fourteen letters of objection have been sent to Cheshire East Council by local residents.
Among their objections are the development will lead to a loss of open countryside; it should be sited at existing warehouse or business locations and the proposals will result in noise, light and air pollution.
Nantwich South & Stapeley councillors John Priest (Lab) and Geoff Smith (Lab) have also objected to the proposal.
In a letter to the council’s planners, they said: “One of the key issues in the ward, raised countless time by constituents, is the volume of traffic and the effect this is having in terms of pollution, noise and accelerated deterioration in the state of the roads.
“This development as it stands can only mean a significant increase in heavy goods vehicle use of existing roads and the exacerbated consequences that will ensue on these issues.
“The building of warehousing and distribution facilities is also not in keeping with the character of the local area.”
In recommending the scheme for approval, the report from the council’s planning officer states: “The scheme achieves an acceptable relationship with the character of the locality, without material harm to neighbouring residential amenity.”
It adds: “The impact on the wider highway network arising from the mixed-use development of this site was addressed with during the consideration of the outline application.”
You can view the full application on the CEC website here
The meeting takes place at 10am on Wednesday, January 31, at Crewe Municipal Buildings.
Tom it could have been 14000 + do you think Cheshire east would take notice?
When will #CheshireEast learn?
Out of town shopping has badly harmed both Crewe and Nantwich town centres.
Except for local small scale convenience, corner shop like, retail,
ALL out of town shopping applications should be rejected,
until the town centres can’t accommodate any more retail……and that is a long way away.
“Muller Property given approval for 17,200 sq ft of retail space in Stapeley.”
https://thenantwichnews.co.uk/2024/01/29/planners-back-retail-and-employment-phase-of-stapeley-development/
How does the retail park add value to the issues faced in Nantwich Town centre. Empty premises, increase in nail bars beauty store barbers hardly unlikely to drive significant growth and or attract people and enticing them to spend more. Will the retail park offer free parking. Surely CEC straight should to working to COC and others to build a sustainable future for Nantwich Town Centre. CEC is sympathetic of an organisation with no commercial acumen.
The extra revenue can be used to pay the executives even bigger salaries in Cheshire East. When will local democracy really represent the genuine interests of its residents. The expansion on Nantwich is becoming detrimental to the quality of life of its residents. Volume of traffic, pollution.
Can any tell me how they will monitor the affects on air pollution and the potential traffic chaos as a result of this development.
This proposed development appears completely out of character for such a historical market town.
We need Counsellors and Officers of Cheshire East to genuinely put the interests of residents first.
The roads through the town will simply not cope with the traffic.
A 1000 new homes means more schools, GP Services The overall environmental damage to Nantwich will form part of the unintended consequences .
The quality of life is important.
There is lack of joined up thinking within Cheshire East. You cannot simply go expanding a historical market town.
14 letters against eh? pathetic, just wait till they are built, they will devalue all those overpriced homes nearby, it will be as great as living in Crewe, welcome to the ghetto