Homes plan for disused store site

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PLANS for 14 detached houses on the site of a disused discount store and petrol filling station are to come before Warrington planning chiefs next week.
Although the site at the former M&S Discount store in Warrington Road, Glazebury is partly in the Green Belt it has qualified support from Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council.
Planning officers also support re-development of part of the site for housing – as does local councillor Chris Vobe.
But there are concerns about the type of housing proposed by Kenryn Developments Ltd.
The parish council says it has no objection to housing on the site which, it believes, would be an improvement on its present condition and also protect it from inappropriate use in the future.
But it has concerns about the details and urges the borough’s development management committee to visit the site before reaching a decision.
Cllr Vobe also supports the idea of housing on the site – provided it is affordable housing rather than the three, four and five bedroomed properties proposed.
Planning officers say in principle they support housing but say it should be confined to that part of site currently occupied by existing buildings
In a report to the committee they say: “The proposal includes permanent built development across the whole site, which is considered to have a far greater impact on openness compared with the existing buildings, which is confined to just under half the site.”
They are recommending the scheme be refused as inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
The developers argue that their scheme would remove all previous development and “green up” the site.
Houses would be dispersed across the site, reducing impact and allowing for the introduction of green space. A woodland belt would be planted to the west of the site.
The proposal would remove an ugly building and areas of contamination, provide homes and provide a visual and ecological enhancement of the site.
Kenryn Developments would offer payments of more than £115,000 towards off-site affordable homes and enhancing open space and play provision.
Pictured: The disused M&S Discount site.


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  1. The scheme should be judged solely on the merits of the development locally and not confused with the offer of the contribution “towards off-site affordable homes or enhancing open space and play provision”. All of the latter would be away from this development.

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