Planners urged to approve plans for old telephone exchange

PLANNING chiefs at Warrington are being recommended to approve a retrospective application for permission to alter the front of the Old Telephone Exchange in Common Lane Culcheth – despite objections from Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council.
The occupier of the building, Courtyard Carpets, has installed timber cladding to the front of the building, altered the entrance and placed a storage container on the site.
According to the parish council, the cladding is “inappropriate” and not in keeping with the street scene. The original rendered finish was far better.
They point out that the building is in a prominent posit6ion at the junction of Wigshaw Lane and Common Lane making street scene and off-road parking important.
But the council do not oppose the storage container.
In a report to the borough council’s development management committee, officers say permission is not required for any change of use of the building, which was previously a book shop and café.
The cladding has been in position for nearly a year and there have been no complaints from neighbours.
While they agree the cladding has probably made the building more conspicuous, they do not believe it has had any serious impact on the street scene.
They recommend the application be approved.