Wilmslow Town Council has objected to Royal London's application to use land at their Alderley Road site as a temporary car park for a further seven years.
The area of land which is the subject of the application is located within the Green Belt and Royal London were previously granted temporary planning permission in 2009, which expired in May 2010.
The company's intention is to bring the car park back into use for a period of seven years, to cater for approximately 104 vehicles, until Royal London's targets for reducing the demand for car parking spaces is fully operational.
Wilmslow Town Council has recommend the planning application for refusal, stating:
"The Planning Committee object strongly to this application and recommend that Cheshire East Council do not allow a 7-year extension to the temporary car park. Furthermore, the Planning Committee were concerned that the situation should be resolved as a matter of urgency. The Planning Committee recognise the importance of Royal London as a major employer in Wilmslow and would be happy to enter into discussions with the company regarding a way forward."
Cllr Hilary Shepherd commented "This is a large company and they know they have had this problem but don't seem to have done anything about it. I feel quite strongly that they are taking the mickey, they should have returned the land to green belt two years ago."
The plans are expected to be debated by the Northern Planning Committee on Wednesday 26th September.
The planning application can be viewed of the Cheshire East Council website by searching for planning reference 12/2631M.
Photo: Harefield grazing land by Stuart Kinsey.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Perhaps someone from the Planning Committee would care to comment?
The use of the Royal London grazing land for a car park is inappropriate development; it does not fall within any of the exceptions to inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
I believe that in the event that the planning application being declined, the “threat” of future parking on roads near to Royal London House is overstated.
Wilmslow Town Council Planning Committee acknowledged the importance of Royal London as a major employer in Wilmslow and has indicated the need for further consideration of alternative solutions if parking is the real issue. An example could be temporary two level demountable car park decking located on the existing open car parking area on the main Royal London site. This might receive planning permission as it would be in the context of a developed brownfield site. This should be investigated with Cheshire East Council rather than continue with encroachment on Green Belt land. Such temporary car park decking would not offend the ethos of the stated Green Travel Plan as it would not be permanent.
With regard to my "overstating" the illegal parking, you are clearly unaware of what was happening a couple of years ago, when we had the Police in almost daily attendance to deal with the traffic problems on Fulshaw Park South and Fulshaw Park.
I also live in the immediate area of Holly Road South where for years our environment was gravely damaged by mass car parking of workers at Royal London and others. It had become totally unpleasant for all the Residents in the area, with instances of "parking rage" and driveways being blocked. We were unable to park our cars outside of our houses. A return to those days is unthinkable and will be vigorously resisted by every possible means.
What is your solution Stuart? In the short and long term.
I appreciate Clive's comments and agree that we do not want a return to the days of "parking rage". The solution used to ease parking at Macclesfield Infirmary (see photo), which has also been used in similar form at Stepping Hill Hospital, might work for Royal London in both the short term & long term?
Thank you all for your thoughts & suggestions. Please "carry on thinking"!
Stuart, I think that we are talking at cross-purposes; my reference to "scrub-land" (at least that is what it looks like on the satellite view) was regarding land used for the "temporary" car-park. I obviously did not think that your grazing land; or the agricultural land on Alderley Road (behind my house) was scrub- sorry if I gave that impression.
It seems to me that Royal London found a solution which was acceptable to everyone, except the Town Council Planning Committee, who, as I understand it had no previous planning expertise before the committee was formed and who have no planning powers, other than that of making recommendations.
Thanks for posting your somewhat soggy photo, this just reinforces what we could lose if the land is put to industrial use, as proposed by CEC's consultants.