Plans to convert the former gasworks site off St Anne’s Lane in Nantwich to a private car park have finally been approved by Cheshire East Council.
The brownfield site, once earmarked for the ambitious Vision for Nantwich mixed use redevelopment, had previously received outline planning permission for a scheme that included apartments, a hotel, restaurants and boutique retail units.
However, delays caused by the pandemic and escalating construction costs meant the original scheme was deemed unviable and scrapped.
As Nantwich News revealed, the developers formally abandoned those original proposals and instead prepared plans for a new wide bay car park, barrier-controlled and equipped with solar powered ANPR technology.
These plans were advanced in line with Cheshire East Council’s need for increased and improved parking provision in Nantwich.
Now Cheshire East has finally approved the planning application for a car park on this site.
Nantwich Town Cllr Anna Burton said she welcomes the shift in focus, describing the derelict site as an “ideal location for modern parking facilities that can support residents, businesses and visitors”.
She added: “This is great news and we hope that residents will be happy that this application has finally been approved and hopefully progress can be made to turn this eye-sore into a much-needed facility for the Nantwich community.”
A spokesperson for Carlton Holdings Paul Schofield highlighted that the revised car park scheme reflects both current economic realities and community need.
He added: “The council identified a need for more parking in Nantwich hence why we are putting planning in for a wide bay car park which Nantwich doesn’t have.
“This has taken 14 months to advance but I am glad to see that plans have finally been approved.”
The former gasworks site, which was used for many years by motorists as a free car park, has long been considered one of Nantwich’s key regeneration opportunities.
This is crackers, wheres the impact assessment?
The traffic flow on Welsh Row is already dreadful for significant parts of the day. Add another 100+ car park to this and the route down Wesh Row will be significantly affected.
What an opportunity missed for additional housing to save building on greenfield sites
This site was cleaned as a result of the former operations on it to render it fit for safe redevelopment. It is hoped this was well reflected in the site value.
Wasn’t there a public outcry when the old “rough” car park here was closed ?
Loads of folks whining that Nantwich didn’t have enough parking spaces and what it did have was being used up by the various members of staff that worked in the town itself, thus not leaving enough spaces for visitors etc……Good old Dabbers attitude at work again.
Anyway, just be grateful it’s not a multi storey.
Looks like the northern powerhouse is dead, was earmarked for a riverside development, nantwich has expanded and infrastructure has not, one hundred free! parking spaces for years on the old site, as its private it will cost a fortune to park no doibt
Great if it stops people blocking up the side streets like Park View and Queens Drive and parking in front of residents drives.
Unless they knock down a building to give better access to the proposed car park. Entrance and exit off Welsh row will be an major issue.
Also add to the chronic traffic issues Nantwich already has.
But we do need more car parking.
Let’s hope the costly cleaning of this site to render it suitable for redevelopment after the contamination is recouped. Will CEC confirm?
How much parking does Nantwich need? Surely there’s plenty in the car park near the swimming Baths.
Another missed opportunity for much needed housing
Huge missed opportunity to make a long-lasting contribution to Nantwich public realm.