A planning application has been submitted to demolish former council offices off Chapel Lane and replace them with retirement apartments.
PegasusLife is proposing to knock down the two existing buildings build 65 assisted living apartments, which will be a range of one, two and three bedroom apartments, at the Remenham site.
All apartments are designed to be wheelchair-friendly and a guest accommodation suite is provided to facilitate for visitors to residents to stay overnight. On site staff will be present 24/7, 365 days a year, with a wide range of communal and support facilities.
The scheme includes a reception/concierge area, restaurant, lounge, library and hobby room as well as wellbeing facilities including a physiotherapy suite, treatment room, hair and nail salon, hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room, and gym. A car parking space will also be provided on site for each assisted living apartment, with 67 spaces in total, and there will also be a bicycle and mobility scooter store.
Access to the car park will be provided via a new entrance/exit road from Alderley Road.
Cllr Gary Barton said "I am pleased that an application has now come in for the former County Council office site at Remenham. The site has been empty for too long now in a central location in Wilmslow.
"There is a proven need for more retirement accommodation in Wilmslow and the application is also in line with the policy of building on brown field sites ahead of green belt locations. The application also includes a large provision of parking spaces – more than planning law would allow Cheshire East to insist upon.
"I hope that there is some room for change in the final design and appearance of the proposed flats, but the large amount of trees around the site will make any impact minimal from most angles. I think that it would be great if the applicant is also willing to support local improvements in the vicinity such as improving the pavements around the site. More importantly, I think that the money raised from the sale of the site should be prioritised for reinvestment in Wilmslow.
"Wilmslow has seen a high level of spending on resurfacing roads, but there are a number of local issues such as parking problems, the need for public toilets in the cars, and wider improvements to the town centre that would very much benefit from further investment. This is a Wilmslow asset and the people of Wilmslow should be the beneficiaries of the money raised."
The planning application can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council website by searching for planning reference 14/5471M.
The deadline for submitting comments is 7th January and a decision is expected to be made by 3rd March 2015.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Residents of Wilmslow raised very real concerns with both Cllr Michael Jones & the planning officers over the Council's original plan for only 4 to 5 houses on the Remenham site. RoW insisted all along that this site was ideal for retirement homes and urged the council to designate Remenham for such. RoW estimated, over 2 years ago, that somewhere between 64 and 68 apartments should be built here.
CEC was not at all enthusiastic, continually citing developers wishing to build houses.
Public support for this planning application will of great help towards approval. RoW urge you to write to CEC Planning Site, application 14/5471M, with your support.
Makes good sense and with residents just a short walk into town, it is unlikely to create traffic problems, unlike Adlington Road - chaos and danger in the making IMO.
I'm pleased to see that the "robotised underground parking" proposal has been dropped but will there still be an exit from the Health Centre car-park onto Bedells Lane, as I was told at the presentation?
The visibility splays on the Alderley Road entrance/exit look rather too small, given the speed that traffic exits the roundabout.