PLANS for a major industrial development on land adjoining a Grade 2 Listed farmhouse dating from the 17th century have been submitted to Warrington Borough Council.
The scheme involves the former temporary Inland Border facility, off Barleycastle Lane at Appleton.
Currently disused, the building would be demolished and replaced by a 6,283 square metre building for light industrial use. An existing vehicle maintenance building would be retained, along with existing hardstanding areas to be used for parking.
The site housed a Shearings bus/coach interchange until May 2020 after which it became a temporary Inland Border Facility until the end of 2022. It is currently disused.
But it is close to Beehive Farmhouse, a Grade 2 Listed cruck-framed farmhouse dating from the 17th century, or earlier, which is considered a building of national importance for its special architectural and historic interest.
The rarity of surviving cruck buildings renders it of further significance architecturally but its setting has been devalued by the intrusion of 20th century industrial estates along with their infrastructure, say the applicants.
The intended occupier of the site is Sortimo, who are based at Risley, Warrington, and who have secured 42 percent of the European service vehicle fit-out market. As a result of
their success, the proposal site is required for a satellite operation, encompassing fitting out along with storage and distribution of vans both prior and following completion of the works. In addition, the application seeks a generic planning consent that will allow a wider mix of uses, maximise flexibility and future proof the site.
The applicants believe that as the site is part of an existing employment area in the Local Plan, the proposal is entirely appropriate to the location and will have no impact on the listed farmhouse.
Borough council planners are now considering the proposals.
2 Comments
the “FARMHOUSE” should have “GRANDFATHER RIGHTS” because it was there before the industrial estate and should have a “EXCLUSION ZONE” to how near INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS are in close proximity to the FARMHOUSE BORDERS !
Take it down brick by brick and rebuild it in Appleton Thorn on land provided by homes England and funded in total by the proposed developer