A local businessman has submitted a planning application for a newcar park which he says will not totally resolve the parking crisis in Wilmslow but is a step in the right direction.
Mike Cooksey of Village Heritage Homes is applying to build a car park on land he owns to the rear of Heald Court on Hawthorn Lane. The site, which lies within a conservation area and is designated as residential land, has been vacant for almost 30 years.
The proposed car park would provide around 90 long stay spaces which are intended for business contract users. However, it may be possible to use some or all of the spaces for public parking at weekends.
Mr Cooksey said "There can be little doubt that car parking in and around Wilmslow town centre is in crisis. It is frequently the number one talking point.
"Although the Council is investigating the situation, as far as we can glean, the report being prepared will have limited effect even if all the anticipated recommendations are acted upon."
He added "The report is not demand led and looks only at potential for land etc in public ownership, with minimal reference to managing what is there already.
"Crucially, there are current proposals for traffic restrictions on key feeder and residential roads in the town centre, which would remove up to 254 spaces currently available. In addition, the potential redevelopment of the Tesco site would appear to remove 20 on-street spaces and create a demand for more off-site parking for the mixed development, including a hotel.
"This parking proposal considers the potential for a key edge of centre location in private ownership and that would offer a significant level of off-street parking provision that could be quickly delivered at no cost to the public purse."
The site would be lit by low level down lighters with elevated cameras located on the boundary.
Several previous applications to develop the site for residential use have been refused on Conservation Area grounds and subsequent appeals have been dismissed.
The plans can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council Planning Portal using reference 20/0182M. The last date for submitting comments is 27th February and a decision is expected by 12th March.
Comments
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Also- what about car use and pollution? Is it right that we should be encouraging even more cars to come into Wilmslow?
I can only presume that Mr Cooksey has submitted this plan to provoke the
council into agreeing to a residential scheme after it has refused all his
plans over the past few years
Our best long term tansport solution is for a Tbus network linking our towns. See: http://www.tbus.org.uk/home.htm
Not to mention the kind of traffic jam it would create for Hawthorn Lane. As it is at the moment, there is traffic jam on this road from the end of Broad Walk all the way to the end of Hawthorn Lane in the morning, as well as Kennerley Lane.
Why do we have conservation areas? so that someone who cares only about making money can change it?
Perhaps council should be looking at park and ride option?
That would free up a road to narrow to allow parking and traffic flow - but, of course, it might also encourage speeding.
Also consider for a moment the environmental impact on local residents from even more cars on their road. The extra noise, fumes and light pollution would not be insignificant.
As others have mentioned the congestion on Hawthorn Lane can be horrendous at work/school run times so adding another 180+ vehicle movements at these times would make things a lot worse.
And whilst one can sympathise with the plight of any Wilmslow resident whose road/driveway is hampered from daytime car parkers, it would be contrary to support a proposal that could turn green belt land into a car park in what is a wonderful residential and Conservation area of the town.
Hawthorn Lane is a residential street. The very last thing it needs is more traffic, quite the opposite in fact.
However, I see no reason for this application being granted as it is NOT in line with the policies of either the Cheshire East Council Local Plan Strategy or the Wilmslow Neighbourhood plan,
Just to clarify that the proposed site IS NOT in the Greenbelt. But it is a greenfield site in a conservation area.
See https://bit.ly/36BY6fi
and use postcode SK9 5DG to zoom in.
Anyone else have any views on this?
Don’t hold back now.
The developers are now using the current car parking issues in Wilmslow to make an opportunistic attempt to galvanise some local support to help get their plans approved. How can it possibly be right to develop this site into a 90 bay car park in a conservation area which is already struggling with traffic congestion issues? I hope the Council sees the plans for what they are and reject this application in its entirety.
I would just like to say at this stage, that I also bear the same surname as this man. BUT I am not related to him in any way, and judging by his words, deeds & actions, I wish I was called Smith!!
If you disagree with the application, then register this with Cheshire East NOW - planning application ref: 20/0182M
I live on one of the above named roads, and have cars parked blocking safe access from my driveway daily from 05.30am (due to several tenants of Blackbox, Beech Lane, who operate 24/7). The number of cars dumped on both sides of the pavement at the entrance to Lindfield North is just ridiculous - a new house is being built in the area and on a regular basis, wagons and essential deliveries can not be made, despite polite notices being left on windscreens. The area is never visited by parking enforcement nor actioned by the police, despite the fact the station is at the top of the road and they drive past several times a day.
There is a car valeting business who set up every Friday on the double yellow lines on Beech Lane, on the blind corner outside the police station, servicing vehicles from Black Box. I called in to the police station to ask they could be moved on, as its an accident waiting to happen. I even walked outside with an officer so they could see what was going on but was told it was not within their remit and to contact parking enforcement - which I did to no avail.
Whilst I desperately want the parking situation resolved in the immediate area I live in, shifting this issue to a clearly unsuitable privately owned site is not the solution. In a few years time when the owner applies for change of use to a residential development, we will be back to square 1.
I submitted my comments and thoughts in respect of the 2019 parking survey and hope that a suitable solution will be published soon.
The current Kennerley, Hawthorne Lane rush hour rat run is highly dangerous for pedestrians and completely out of control. All the pavements need widening to save us all from endless high powered SUV 4x4s bouncing over speed humps and speeding and forcing through narrow gaps, with no regard at all for either local residents or anyone actually brave enough to take a stroll into Wilmslow town centre , from what is supposed to be still a conservation area.
Hopefully Cheshire East Council will deal with the rat run issue very soon for all our sakes. As for Mike Cooksey`s new car park idea. For almost half a mile beginning behind Sainsbury`s and Hoopers, all the way across to Wilmslow train station, there are literally hundreds of car parking spaces available for any town centre visitors.
Mike Cooksey, if you really have such a drive to solve your imaginary Wilmslow parking crisis. How about you concrete over your own land for car parking just outside the town, Then run a new Park and Ride scheme into Wilmslow...?, I`m sure we would all approve of that idea.
90 place car park in no way is in keeping with this.
Wilmslow needs parking to encourage town centre usage, but not at this location disrupting the very essence of "Conservation Area".
Right idea - totally wrong location.
middle of a residential area is outrageous it would cause chaos and is
totally unacceptable.