Decision set to be made on plans to replace former care home with apartments

Plans to replace a former care home with a block of apartments are set to be determined by the Northern Planning Committee next week.

Mirasa Wilmslow, who own the 0.23Ha site set back off Adlington Road, are seeking planning permission to demolish a two storey detached building used as a care home known as Hillside, along with an outbuilding to the rear. The proposal is to construct a replacement building containing 11 apartments.

The new residential development will consist of a two storey block containing 10 two bed and 1 one bed apartment with 21 car parking spaces and 10 cycling spaces.

Wilmslow Town Council objected to this application on the grounds of it "being overbearing on neighbouring properties and its construction being out-of-keeping with properties in Wilmslow Park, contrary to Policy TH4 of Wilmslow's Neighbourhood Plan. In addition, the Town Council's Planning Committee expressed concerns regarding how refuse collections would be undertaken."

Amended plans were received during the application period - 22 objections were received prior to the amendments with a further 8 objections received following, with all of these commenters having already commented earlier.

The main issues raised were: an apartment block is not in keeping with the area, the site is overdeveloped, design of the building is not in keeping with the character, the building is on a larger footprint, future pressures on the protected trees which will overhang car parking spaces, parking provision is inadequate and the proposed position of the refuse collection could lead to safety issues along Wilmslow Park North.

The Planning Officer is recommending the application for approval at the meeting of the Northern Planning Committee on Wednesday, 11th March, concluding "comments from the neighbours and town council are noted, however the site comprises previously developed land in a sustainable location, with access to a range of local services and facilities nearby and has good public transport links.

"It would add to the stock of housing and its construction and occupation would result in social and economic benefits, albeit relatively minor. The development would make effective use of a previously developed site.

"The proposal also raises no significant design, amenity or highway safety issues."

A previous application (reference 16/6225M) submitted in 2016 by Jones Homes for the demolition of the building and the construction of a new three storey building providing 14 apartments was refused in March 2018.

The application was refused because the proposed development would result in the loss of protected trees which was considered unacceptable because of the impact upon character of the area; the proposed three storey structure represented an overdevelopment of the site and it would lead to a loss of light and privacy for the neighbouring property.

The plans can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council website by searching for planning reference 19/4862M.

Tags:
Adlington Road, Hillside Residential Home, Northern Planning Committee
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Roger Bagguley
Tuesday 3rd March 2020 at 6:21 pm
Inevitable this application is recommended for approval despite the total bulk, out of character design and impact upon the house directly behind in Overhill Drive. Inevitable too there will be a serious accident somewhere along this length of Adlington Road with three access points coming together on the bend and no footpaths of any quality leading to Wilmslow via the bridge over the Bollin. Of course CEC should approve redevelopment of brown field sites but not applications that over develop sites and pay little respect to road safety and policies coming out of the Wilmslow Neighbourhood Plan, and in this case the Three Parks Guidance that seeks to protect the amenity of Wilmslow Park at this point in the park.

Looking forward to members of the Northern Planning Board objecting again to an application that seeks to enhance profit by stretching the boundaries of planning legislation and guidance.

This is why RoW is so important to me, WNP too.
Paul Roue
Tuesday 3rd March 2020 at 8:16 pm
Hello Roger Bagguley,

We agree with your comments on this inappropriate Wilmslow Park planning application.

Of course, Summerfields Village residents are used to Cheshire East Planning recommending approval of developments

"... of total bulk, that are out of character, design and impact upon surrounding homes."

More's the pity that the new, more independent Northern Planning Committee (NPC) weren't making the final decisions then.

Kind Regards,

Paul Roue.
Jon Williams
Wednesday 4th March 2020 at 9:41 am
Looks like a new Care Home !
Christine McClory
Wednesday 4th March 2020 at 3:28 pm
Perhaps the developers haven’t noticed Chapelwood Court.
Bill Bennett
Wednesday 4th March 2020 at 5:09 pm
It’s odd that they want to demolish a nursing home, if According to to the developers who have tried to build homes in Handforth Road and in Manchester Road, there is a shortage of nursing home beds in Wilmslow. If that was the case, why would anyone close a home? It’s not the case, 10 minutes on Google would confirm there is no shortage of beds, every home in a 15 Mile radius has vacancies.
Jon Williams
Wednesday 4th March 2020 at 8:29 pm
Bill: The Banks closed Hillside, the owner Caroline Timmons is now In Bankruptcy.
Hillside needed money spending on it, money the owner did not have, this was down to bad management and the owners divorce.
David Smith
Thursday 5th March 2020 at 9:39 am
I can't help feeling a tinge of craziness in all this. We have care homes being replaced by housing that annoys the neighbours and housing being turned into care homes that is annoying the neighbours. Are we just not capable of doing things properly and with FULL consideration of others? A brand new care home just has to be mega expensive to run so isn't for the likes of those without the finance to pay for being in there - and we are talking the order of £4,000 - £5,000 per month [out of taxed income] so who can afford that? If you cannot pay, council tax payers [you and me] via the council might have to pay for your stay. To compound the whole mess, somehow we have managed to persuade our politicians that it should not be necessary for you to sell your home to fund a comfortable last few years of your life and instead be allowed to leave it to your descendants so they can buy lots of new 'stuff', drive flash cars and go on fabulous holidays with the proceeds … then perhaps visit you once a month if you are lucky!
Why can’t those that we elect to run our lives and set standards for what is PROPER and JUST get on with doing the right thing?
Peter Davenport
Saturday 7th March 2020 at 6:32 pm
Do not forget that C East has closed one home in Handforth and 2 in Macclesfield, and then they say, we care for the oldies, which to me is incredible! What has been closed elsewhere I do not know
Peter Davenport
Pete Taylor
Saturday 7th March 2020 at 9:33 pm
I do hope that the Planning Committee read these comments.