Plans to convert former chapel into apartments

oldchapel

Permission is being sought to repair, extend and rebuild part of a former chapel on Wilmslow Road, Handforth in order to create seven apartments.

The proposed property is a listed building called The White House, which previously contained two houses, a Methodist Chapel and a Sunday School. More recently, it has been used as staff accommodation for employees of the adjacent Pinewood Hotel.

The proposal is to convert this vacant Grade II listed building into seven luxury apartments, which are aimed at young professionals.

Many features of the listed building will be retained, such as the original lancets, original label mouldings, the 16 pane window in the main chapel and the semi circular headed lights.

The proposed accommodation consists of 5 two bedroom apartments, a property with one bedroom and a unique three bedroom apartment located in the main chapel with double height living space and exposed roof beams visible from the ground floor level.

These apartments would take up the entire existing footprint of the building with an extension to the rear.

The plan is for all windows within the existing chapel to be replaced with black metal windows with leaded glass, currently, these windows are all boarded over for security reasons. All windows to the remainder of the building are single glazed timber and in a poor state of repair, these will be replaced with black painted top hung timber framed windows.

External walls to front of the property will be repaired where necessary with white rough cast render and the original slate roof materials will be reused as part of the development.

A structural report revealed that the building has suffered from structural movement over the years. The main area affected is the gable end of the existing chapel, where some local repair works will be undertaken and it is proposed that an internal steel support frame is added to stabilise the sagging roof and gable wall from further movement.

The southern elevation of the chapel is likely to have to be rebuilt as this small section of wall has suffered significant structural movement and the wall on the eastern elevation of two flats may need rebuilding as it has also bowed significantly and is considered unsafe.

The proposal also includes the removal of 17 protected trees. According to the Design and Access Statement it has been agreed with a Senior Arboricultural Officer that these trees can be removed as part of the development because of their close proximity to the chapel, which is contributing to the structural movement. Also, as the trees are close to the building, erecting scaffolding and undertaking the necessary repairs will prove difficult without damage caused to these trees.

The plans for The White House at 180-186 Wilmslow Road, Handforth can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council website by searching for planning application 14/2478M.

The deadline for submitting comments is 3rd July and a decision is expected by 11th July.

Tags:
Handforth, Planning Applications
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Comments

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

Terry Roeves
Tuesday 3rd June 2014 at 2:45 pm
A fine example of a recycling opportunity. So much is available, especially Wilmslow, plus abundant brown field sites. Just cannot understand why CEC don't practice what they preach.
We sort our waste for recycling, our children and grandchildren are taught about dwindling natural resources and how we must reuse as much as we possibly can. Poynton tip recycling stood at 71% last month.
So, I sincerely hope that this building does get reused. It ought to be, as an example to current and future generations of children.
Alison Warburton
Wednesday 4th June 2014 at 6:12 am
Doesn't Wilmslow Rd have enough apartments? Though don't suppose the building could be used for much else and guess its better to be used than to gradually fall apart... shame about the trees - what's the point of having protected trees if clever planners/ developers with the funds/contacts [no doubt] provide excuse to chop down a bit of natural history.
Pete Taylor
Friday 6th June 2014 at 2:07 pm
Good proposal for a brownfield site; let's hope the rebuild will be possible without losing he character of the building.
Mark Lehmann
Monday 16th June 2014 at 1:30 pm
I drive past this building every week on my way to J Sainbury's. I've sometimes wondered what it is/was and what might be planned for it. I always imagined it was a workhouse for children in cotton mills and though it would make a great medieval themed banqueting suite with a rustic/gastro menu. Hearty food at wholesome prices.The sort of stuff that Henry VIII would happily eat.

I just hope that the style of the apartments is sympathetic with the existing architecture and that the windows close to the road are triple (quadruple?) glazed just to be sure that comfort levels are adequately maintained.

Does anybody know the name of the development company?