The Northern Planning Committee are scheduled to meet to discuss three planning applications, including a deferred application for a care home in Wilmslow. The meeting will also include a review of the minutes from the previous meeting. Members of the public will be able to speak about the planning applications.

Land West of Alderley Road, Wilmslow

The committee will be considering planning application 24/4391/FUL, for the demolition of existing buildings and erection of a care home with associated parking, landscaping and access improvements, on land west of Alderley Road, Wilmslow.

This application was previously deferred to allow for further information to be provided regarding:

• Proven need
• Variation to layout (too uniform)
• Contaminated land
• Car parking / travel plan

The agent for the applicant, Mr J P Singleton of McGoff Group Properties Ltd, has provided an updated response regarding the need for care beds in Cheshire East. Their analysis indicates a net need for 200 care beds in Cheshire East in 2028, and 251 in the market catchment, with an even greater need for dedicated dementia beds within Cheshire East (372). The agent's statement continues that there would be a shortfall of 2,017 in Cheshire East for full market standard, spacious best practice care homes where all bedrooms include full wet room ensuites, similar to the proposal.

Adult services have been consulted again in relation to the proposal, and have concluded that whilst there are vacancies in some care homes, the council does not have robust documented evidence to contradict the needs assessment provided, and cannot therefore dispute its findings.

The report pack notes that the council's strategy is 'Home First', to optimise independence for as long as possible, supporting people to remain in their own home, but also notes that a preference for alternative methods of care would not be a sustainable reason for refusal of the planning application.

Revised plans have been received showing a variation in rooms with the provision of two sets of interconnecting rooms, one pair on the ground floor and one pair on the first floor. These rooms could be used separately or connected in the case of couples in adjacent rooms in the care home. The plan also shows other variations to the bedrooms which are as on the original layout, with a wider bedroom on each of the three floors, a typical bedroom and dormer bedroom on the second floor.

A response has been received from the Environment Agency (EA) confirming they have no objection subject to conditions. The previous use as a fuel filling station presents a moderate to high risk of contamination that may mobilise/ could be mobilised during site works and construction to pollute controlled waters. The EA response states that they believe that shallow groundwater may also be in connection with surface waters. The EA considers that the applications submissions demonstrate that it will be possible to manage the risks posed to controlled waters from the development, but that further information is required before built development is undertaken.

A revised site plan has been provided including an additional two parking spaces which had previously been landscaped areas. The applicant has also provided an addendum, noting that the parking would equate to 1 parking space per 0.53 beds, which is comparable to other sites operated by the applicant.

Since the August committee, a query has been raised by the agent with regard to the calculation for NHS contributions in line with the Developer Contributions SPD¹. Discussions are ongoing and further details will be provided as an update.

The planning application is recommended for approval, subject to conditions. In the event of an agreed NHS contribution there would also be a requirement for a S106 agreement².

St Georges Street Baptist Church, Macclesfield

The committee will also be considering planning application 25/0676/FUL, to convert St Georges Street Baptist Church into 8 luxury apartments and a 6-bedroom House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

The application has been 'called-in' to Northern Planning Committee by Councillor Ashley Farrall for the following reasons:

• Impact on High Street conservation area - potential harm to character and appearance
• Impact on a non-designated heritage asset - loss of historic features
• Design, Scale and Character - concerns over external alterations and extension
• Residential amenity and highways - potential impact on parking, traffic and residential amenity

Revised plans and further information was received during the application process in order to try and address officer concerns, and a re-consultation exercise was undertaken. The changes included:

• Change of a 2-bed apartment to a 1-bed apartment
• Changes the internal layout of the units in an attempt to adhere with the Nationally Described Space Standards³
• Provision of additional obscure glazing
• Retention of 6 cast iron columns at ground floor, details of a less intrusive approach to windows and provision conservation-style roof lights.

Additional information received included:

• Receipt of further drainage information
• Identification of floor levels on the elevation plans to assist with amenity assessment.
• Provision of a proposed section drawing to assist with amenity assessment
• Written response to specific loss of privacy concerns identified by officer.
• Fire safety information.
• Rebuttal of concerns raised by the Council's Highways Officer with regards to the level of off-street parking proposed
• Explanation as to why further heritage elements cannot be achieved.

The church is not included on the Local list, but it is a substantial building with some fine details and is considered to be a Non-Designated Heritage Asset (NDHA) of relatively high importance. It also makes a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the Macclesfield (High Street) Conservation Area, and is prominent to both the front elevation to St Georges Street and to the flanking side street, Grapes Street.

As proposed, the changes to the exterior of the building would be relatively minor, primarily comprising of the removal of a more modern extension, which adds little to the appearance of the building, and its replacement with a more modern, more compact extension. The remainder of the external works would primarily be refurbishment.

The application proposes the provision of x4 off-street parking spaces for the development as a whole, whereas based on the development proposed, the scheme would require 18 parking spaces.

Cheshire East Highways undertook a parking survey, over 2 days, to understand the availability of on-street parking in the area in order to have a better understanding of whether the council could consider a departure from the parking standards in this instance. The survey results show that there were on average, 30 parking spaces available on the surrounding terraced streets on each of the 2 survey days, well above the number required by this development.

The report pack notes that the Council's Environmental Protection Officer's consider matters in relation to environmental amenity (ground, noise, air and light pollution), and that upon review of the application proposals, Environmental Protection have raised no objections subject to conditions.

The Council's Ecology Officers are satisfied that the proposed works are exempt from statutory Biodiversity Net Gain⁴.

The application proposals are deemed acceptable in relation to its impact upon neighbouring amenity and environmental amenity, however, the degree of outlook for the future occupiers of apartments 5-8 would be limited as a result of either the required obscuration of many of the existing windows being utilised, required in order to protect neighbouring amenity, or as a result of the inclusion of high-level roof lights.

Overall, it is considered that the significant benefits of providing new residential accommodation in a Principal Town in the absence of a 5-year housing land supply, within walking distance to public services and facilities along with the benefits of re-using and therefore retaining a NDHA outweigh the moderate harm relating to a lack of outlook for the future occupiers of apartments 5-8. As such on balance, the application proposals are recommended for approval.

Sherwood, 33 Adlington Road, Wilmslow

The committee will also be considering planning application 25/1947/FUL, for the creation of two new houses to the rear of the existing house 33 Adlington Road.

The application has been called into Planning Committee by Councillor [name of Councillor Anderson] for the following reasons:

• This is a backland development, WNP NE6: where Plots A and B exceed the 50% hard stand. Non permeable materials.
• WNP S2: Delivering a scale, mass and density commensurate with the surrounding townscape (particularly for apartment proposals) with sufficient associated amenity space. This development is not in keeping with other houses on Adlington Road.

The site lies to the rear of 33 Adlington Road and currently forms part of the rear amenity space afforded to this dwelling along with associated detached garage. The site boundaries are densely vegetated with tree preservation orders identified along the south boundaries of the site. Access to the site is via the existing driveway for 33 Adlington Road and runs parallel to the neighbouring driveway.

The site does have an extant planning permission for 2no. dwellings which was granted in 2023 under planning application reference 23/1802M as part of a wider residential development expanding across this application site and the neighbouring property to the east (no.35).

The proposed site would take up approximately 47.5% of the original land afforded to 33 Adlington Road and within the application site, which would meet the 50% as set out in Policy NE6 of the Wilmslow NP.

The report pack notes that during the lifetime of the application the proposal has been amended to address comments received from the Highways Officer including ensuring that the access width meets the minimum requirement of 5.25m, that the parking spaces for plot A can be accessed/egressed in forward gear and the provision of a bin collection area within the site on refuse collection days.

The proposal would provide 3no. parking spaces for each new dwelling and the existing dwelling which would satisfy the minimum parking standard set out in Appendix C of the CELPS.

The application site falls within a 'Core Area' and a 'Restoration Area' of the CEC ecological network which forms part of the SADPD. The proposed development would result in a loss of over 63% (1.58 hectares) in existing habitat units within the site. The applicant seeks to achieve the required 10% biodiversity net gain through the provision of a 1.83-hectare contribution to an off-site habitat bank.

The proposal is supported by an Arboricultural Assessment. Several trees have already been removed from the site as part of the earlier planning approval; no additional trees are proposed to be removed that have not already been agreed under the earlier approval.

The application site does not fall within a Flood Risk Zone 2 or 3 and is not of a scale that triggers the requirement of a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) or sequential test to accompany/be considered as part of the application.

United Utilities have been consulted on the application and have advised that they have no objection to the proposal, subject to a condition to ensure that the development is carried out in accordance with the drainage strategy submitted with the application.

For the reasons set out in the report pack, the planning application is recommended for approval, subject to conditions.