Nantwich: Maylands Park employment phase recommended for approval

Outline approval for the whole scheme– which includes residential and employment use - was granted on appeal by the Secretary of State in July 2020.

This reserved matters application 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.

Cllr John Priest (Image: Cheshire East Council)

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.”

The meeting takes place at 10am on Wednesday, January 31, at Crewe Municipal Buildings.