Plans for apartments, retail unit and cafe off Hawthorn Street

by Lisa Reeves

Wednesday 27^th January 2016

Wed 27^th Jan 2016

A planning application has been submitted for a mixed use development on land to the rear of 75 Hawthorn Street.

The site is currently used for the overnight storage of removal vans and the storage of salvaged items.

The proposal involves the demolition of some of the existing buildings and the erection of a two-storey block that will house four two bedroom apartments.

The plans also include changing the use of the remaining buildings to retail with a café which will occupy about 33% of the area - allowing for an additional income stream to the proposed A1 use.

The scheme includes eight car parking spaces and four cycle spaces.

The houses on Hawthorn Street that directly front the site are owned by the applicant, who plans to rebuild the outriggers to increase the distance between the residential block and their rear walls and remove any windows facing the new development.

The planning application can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council website by searching for planning reference 16/0345M.

The last date for submitting comments is 18th February and a decision is expected by 18th March.

Tags:: Hawthorn Street, Planning Applications

Comments

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

Kate Ravenscroft

Wednesday 27^th January 2016 at 2:25 pm

As a resident of this street, living pretty much opposite this site, I would suggest this is madness! This road is unable to cope with the amount of traffic that uses it now and suffers daily from people illegally and inconsiderately parked. Despite the planned provision of parking spaces you can guarantee an increase in on street parking.

This road is dangerous and often the scene of poor driving and road rage due to the reduction to one lane that happens due to parking at the existing businesses on the street.

This is a poorly thought out plan that will hopefully go no further.

Pete Taylor

Wednesday 27^th January 2016 at 3:47 pm

I would suggest that if this use of a brown-field site goes ahead, then a condition must be that double-yellow lines run the full length of Hawthorn Street from the Shell Garage to the Fulshaw Cross roundabout. Parking at any time of day anywhere on this road makes it very dangerous. A 20mph restriction would be no bad thing either.

Nick Fesmer

Wednesday 27^th January 2016 at 9:12 pm

Pete, have you thought how double yellow lines running the full length of the street would affect the existing businesses that rely on customers being able to park? In my experience, if anything the cars that park on that street act as natural traffic calming.

Peter Evans

Thursday 28^th January 2016 at 12:12 am

The traffic on Hawthorn Street is a real problem, mainly as it is a very convenient "rat run" to avoid the town centre, and I agree that this needs urgent action - providing alternative parking and installing double yellows, maybe speed bumps...? Or make it one way... Of course, one issue is that taking traffic off this road will just make the town centre even more congested. I guess this has just been too difficult for our poor town councillors to dream up a solution to.
However, this has absolutely nothing to do with this planning application, which isn't going to cause any more traffic. That site is an absolute dump and has needed action for ages, so I think this is a good idea, I can't believe anyone living on the street could object to a plan to tidy it up. I do wonder if there would be enough trade for a cafe in this location though?

Ella G

Thursday 28^th January 2016 at 8:35 am

Folks, please remember that it's housing here or on green field land. Parking and traffic measures certainly need to be well considered, but I for one would much rather see disused land such as this developed to meet the housing need and contribute to the local economy, rather than continue inefficient green belt sprawl. The businesses on this road will benefit from increased footfall. Perhaps limits on parking times would be an appropriate solution.
What is very important, is that developments such as this are not pokey shoe boxes, but designed to maximise the efficiency of the land to create adaptable family dwellings.

James Hall

Thursday 28^th January 2016 at 7:51 pm

Some good point made so far about consideration of any additional traffic. As a resident pretty much opposite, redevelopment would be an excellent idea, particularly the use of a brownfield site. Not sure there is any need for a retail/cafe unit with the shell garage and Crispens buttie shop in such close proximity. Let's hope the council properly consider any additional traffic calming/management measures with this proposal.

Sally Hoare

Thursday 28^th January 2016 at 8:05 pm

Seems a strange spot for a cafe, who would use it? Ideal brownfield site for homes as long as there is enough parking allowed. Surely a few cars would cause less disruption than removal lorries.

Simon Worthington

Wednesday 3^rd February 2016 at 12:40 pm

The businesses on this road are in converted houses and should not rely on what parking there is. The road is now a major thoroughfare and takes an enourmous amount of traffic "passing through" and no effort is made to ensure the road is clear of illegally parked cars (and the illegal use of blue badges) during rush hour. The traffic often backs up to the roundabout when busy. However the plan can only be of benefit so long as the 4 newbuilds are accounted for in the "master plan".