Wilmslow Police Station up for sale for redevelopment

Wilmslow Police Station has been put on the market for an undisclosed sum.

Acting on behalf of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, Legat Owen has been instructed to market the former Wilmslow Police Station site as a prime development opportunity.
Located adjacent to the junction of Beech Lane and Hawthorn Road the 1.38-acre site comprises the 5,824 sq ft police station, a car parking and a yard area.

The redevelopment of the fire station, and neighbouring Fire and Ambulance Stations, is highlighted in the Wilmslow Neighbourhood Plan as a 'key opportunity site' and an important gateway to the town. The plan supports high quality residential development should these sites come forward for
redevelopment.

Speaking about the development, Will Rees, director at Legat Owen, commented: "This is an extremely rare opportunity to acquire a prime site in one of the most sought-after locations in not only Cheshire but also the wider North West region. The town is well connected to the main regional motorway network and is on the main west line from Manchester to London. The site itself is perfectly positioned; close to local schools, retail and leisure facilities, including Hoopers and The Rex Cinema, as well as areas such Little Lindow Green and areas such as the Edge just minutes away – Wilmslow
really does have everything.

"With the current property under used, our client's preference would be to dispose of the majority of the site and retain an area for a smaller new-build police station and a feasibility study has been undertaken to demonstrate how this could be accommodated.

Rees concluded: "The housing market in this area experiencing high demand and competition for this site is likely to be fierce. The site lends is able to accommodate a range of uses including residential, apartment, care home or retirement and we would welcome interested parties to come forward as
soon as possible and submit written offers invited by informal tender by 5.00pm on 18th March 2022.".

Following a public consultation plans to redevelop the station - to create a new, fit for purpose zero carbon station at the site with a view to become fully operational in around Summer 2023 - were approved in November 2021.

Cheshire Constabulary said that the new station will not only help save tens of thousands of pounds in both utilities and maintenance costs but will also allow them to sell the remainder of the unused land and reinvest any money back into local policing to help make Cheshire a safer place to work and visit.

Offers are being invited by informal tender by March 18th 2022.

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Comments

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

Pete Taylor
Tuesday 1st February 2022 at 3:31 pm
The site is “perfectly situated” for a much-needed multi-storey car park.
Dan Barnes
Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at 11:53 am
As it's on the open market it will just end up as luxury retirement properties or a care home, further reducing diversity in the town.

Another opportuning wasted for affordable housing for people living and working in the town.
Simon Atkins
Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at 2:43 pm
turn it into parkland or natural land instead of trying to make money out of it.
William White
Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at 3:38 pm
So Dan Barnes you'd sooner they agree a low price to turn it into affordable housing and then you can complain they've let it go "on the cheap" instead. Not that you're prejudging the outcome of course. Why not wait to see what happens before criticising on the basis of a theoretical conclusion you've conveniently jumped to?
Simon Worthington
Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at 3:43 pm
'key opportunity site'
The usual suspects and many other will be dribbling with exitement as a chance to erect another eyesore (hopefully hard to sell - hideous flats, Chapelwood at Kings Arms roundabout and the prison block adjacent to the railway station anyone!), create more traffic etc etc. How did this piece of land fall into plod's hands? Anyone.
John Harries
Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at 4:44 pm
Seeing as his name is on the docket - thanks ever so much,100% credit for this exciting development news must be attributed to Cheshire PCC John Dwyer (our elected change for the better!)
Remember the name and the fact that he underwrote the disposal of Wilmslow civic land for private development, worse the funds raised will essentially go elsewhere in his domain (maybe it will support the recent increased salary approved by him for his DEPUTY, yup a Deputy PCC where the primary part-time position at circa £75K/annum can hardly be justified). What little eventually returns to benefit the immediate Handforth/Wilmslow/
Alderley Edge area also represents a significant reduction of vital local policing services so it's a double whammy folks.
It's been heralded and otherwise well publicised with 'public consultations' etc. (who knows if they even represented the eventual outcome) so it's of no surprise to me - "when it's gone, it's gone" and, now the offer is out there, it's definitely GONE - down the money drain.
Those residents of South Wilmslow who (in particular) suffer what seems to be a perpetual, and so far as I can tell, largely unsolved pandemic of burglaries etc. can now heave a sigh of relief; soon there will be a new Wilmslow based help desk/direct telephone link to the Cheshire Police Control Centre...is it in Northwich or maybe Chester?, who knows, but it will certainly improve the crime clear-up rate.
That's what we've all gained and I'm prepared to be persuaded to the contrary.
Robert Taylor
Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at 5:07 pm
@John Harries - exactly, yet again stripping public assets saying that they can do the same job on less money and with fewer resources but will end in broken promises. Which will in turn lead to reduced social currency and increased crime and mayhem bringing with it more promises that they will 'fix it', that get broken again into perpetuity. And the voters will still vote for them.
Anna Meadmore
Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at 5:43 pm
Where is our nearest Police station now?
Jon Williams
Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at 7:16 pm
Stuart Redgard
Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at 7:59 pm
#Dan Barnes
The requirements for this site are set out on page 95 of the Wilmslow Neighbourhood plan (https://tinyurl.com/2u4n5s57)

One of them is the provision of a high-density residential development comprising a mix of starter homes, affordable housing and homes appropriate for those wishing to downsize

#Anna Meadmore
Your nearest police station is on Hawthorn Street and it will remain on Hawthorn Street once the new (much smaller) police station is built on the same site but releasing the rest of the site for development.

#Pete Taylor
“A much-needed multi-storey car park” is not in line with the Wilmslow Neighbourhood plan. The site identified for the Multistorey is Broadway Meadow car park.

#Simon Atkins
There is already a very underused “parkland” immediately adjacent called “Little Lindow”

#William White
My thoughts exactly.

#Simon Worthington
You obviously are not aware of the Wilmslow Neighbourhood plan!
John Harries
Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at 8:18 pm
Jon Williams, how interesting, that link doesn't even show a police station in Macclesfield (which, from memory, was where the "Command Centre' for the impending redundant Wilmslow unit was moved to!!). Could be wrong but that happened around 3 years back still it does show Knutsford (marginally a bit further away from me in Handforth) and Stockport (which is Greater Manchester Police..) and of course the virtually abandoned Wilmslow Police Station.
Not shooting the messenger but that link is a fat lot of use to Joe Public wouldn't you say - still it takes a lot to keep a vital public website up to date.
Rick Andrews
Thursday 3rd February 2022 at 12:25 pm
How long before the fire station and ambulance station also become surplus to requirements? The sale of publicly owned assets is a short sighted strategy which only serves to line developers pockets.
We are paying a fortune in Council Tax but just see services reducing.
Simon Worthington
Thursday 3rd February 2022 at 5:19 pm
Stuart - I assume the plan is residential, what in my comment could give you any idea that I am not aware (or care) about state parasites plans for Wilmslow. Youngsters make note of this.
Wilmslow will be another GM slum in 20 or so years!!!
Stuart Redgard
Thursday 3rd February 2022 at 6:36 pm
#Simon Worthington
Your reposne clearly demonstrates that you assume and are not prepared to even find out when the link and page reference are given for you on a plate. Some might consider that a demonstration of how much you care.
Dan Barnes
Thursday 3rd February 2022 at 8:41 pm
@William White- I mentioned nothing about the price, so why would I complain about it being let go "on the cheap" as you've conveniently assumed ?

I would rather see the site stay in public ownership, then it could be developed considering the requirements set out in the Neighbourhood plan.

Since the site is being put on the market I don't see that happening. I'm happy to stand corrected though.
Martin Anderson
Friday 4th February 2022 at 2:15 pm
Has anybody seen the planning submission for the "new police station" yet?
Stuart Redgard
Friday 4th February 2022 at 4:41 pm
It has not been submitted yet. But if you got to the Legat Owen Website at:
shorturl.at/fgoyT

you can download the brochure which shows the size and location of the proposed new police station. I am have also been trying to get this information by a FOI but so far have been hitting a stonewall.
David Smith
Monday 7th February 2022 at 8:12 am
The comment below is a repeat of my posting on the 'sister' site alderleyedge.com.

Another fine example of the Muppets who run our lives round here not getting to grips with one of Wilmslow’s problems and missing an opportunity that would benefit our town!

How long and often has the issue of a town centre car park been discussed and put off for a variety of reasons?
This site is PERFECT for a multi-storey car park. It is close to the centre of town and good for anyone entering Wilmslow from the North [Altrincham & M56] or the west [Alderley Edge & Knutsford via the Kings Arms roundabout].
The other perfect location for a LARGE multi-storey car park has always been the existing Broadway Meadow car park for visitors to town from the east and south [A34 bypass & Macclesfield]. All talk though and NO action.
Another future multi-storey car park site would be the existing telephone exchange, next to Waitrose, which I understand one day might require a better high-tech building and so move elsewhere [any knowledge of that anyone?]. This spot would be ideal for arrivals in town from the A34 and Handforth direction.

By the sound of it, the Police Station site isn’t owned by the council. In which case, whatever happened to the act of ‘compulsory purchase’? Doesn’t that happen any more or is it just when the council wants to nick a bit of your garden [or your whole house] in order to widen a road or something equally uninteresting? So this was also part of the Wilmslow Plan eh? Can anyone tell me what was in that to alleviate the parking and traffic problems that we all know are getting worse round here? Getting worse because any spot of land without a house on it has all the property developer ‘vultures’ waiting to pounce and build more houses so that the roads get clogged up with even more residents who drive around town with nowhere to park and leave their cars down anyone’s street whilst they nip to the shops/restaurants etc. or go to work.

Too dangerous to cycle anywhere - the roads are full of vehicles - but it will now be ok because according to Grant Shapps and his new Highway Code, when your 8 year-old child and his 82 year-old granny are out on their bikes, all they have to do is cycle down the middle of the road and when a 46-tonne HGV comes along whose driver has been at the wheel for most of the day or night THEY WILL BOTH BE AS SAFE AS HOUSES - even the ones that haven’t yet been built round here!

The description of Wilmslow by Legat Owen - whoever they might be it doesn’t say - alludes to the connectivity of Wilmslow to the ‘main regional motorway network and the main west line from Manchester to London.’ So come and live in Wilmslow and then drive miles to your place of work along any of the wonderful motorways round here or perhaps even commute hours to London? Then, when you are doing that don’t forget your kids can enjoy the local schools and shops or even play on the new swings that will soon be installed in the renovated play area of Little Lindow Green nestling by the junction of two busy main roads but don’t worry - in about 57 years when we all have electric cars the air will by then be clear of vehicle exhaust fumes and, who knows, perhaps free too from the noise buckets driven by the morons who like to use our local roads as race tracks?

Oh and here’s another couple of missed opportunities to help with our town traffic/parking problems. The Morley Tea Rooms & Garden Centre that has recently been approved for development could also be converted at a relatively low-cost into a Wilmslow Park & Ride. Looking at this Google Maps link:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Raptor+safari+park/@53.3358478,-2.2577183,123m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x487a4cde3ee57ded:0x9cdf3fc1c0747d5c!2sWilmslow!3b1!8m2!3d53.328!4d-2.229409!3m4!1s0x487a535b7162bfef:0x6313b705fcd1e180!8m2!3d53.3247444!4d-2.248074?hl=en

…it would appear the Morley site already has taken advantage of parking many vehicles on the land and is being used, sardine fashion, as an airport car park? Can our council/councillors please explain what their policy is for allowing our part of Cheshire to become an extension of the CITY OF MANCHESTER airport’s car park but not to the advantage of easing the parking problem in our own town where WE live? The airport is owned by the councils in the area but NOT Cheshire and yet we endure all the noise disturbance of westerly departures and easterly arrivals. Plus, the airport has not long ago made it almost impossible for anyone to benefit from living locally by dropping someone off or pick them up after arrival. Similar ‘facilities are edging into the area round Styal. What does councillor Stockton have to say about that? Nothing - I know, because he never says anything about anything that matters but still expects you all to vote for him come election time.

Why was the opportunity not taken when approving planning for the large ‘edge of town’ development [presumably in the ‘Greenbelt’] that is the much-valued Waters complex, similarly to include some sort of area on site for a town ‘Park & Ride’ facility?

The Spring Street multi-storey car park on Water Lane has many poor reviews at the link:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Spring+Street+Car+Park/@53.3267411,-2.2354084,18.87z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x487a4d762b0b8b43:0xb353d513d1e017ea!8m2!3d53.326826!4d-2.2354988?hl=en

…and from what I have seen has lots of spaces reserved for PRIVATE PARKING [on behalf of a company whose name you may be familiar with] whose spaces may or may NOT actually be taken up and so are left vacant!

What do you think? Missed opportunities, blinkered thinking, not looking to the future and like Boris who most of us round here have voted in - lots of talk and ideas that never come to much and should be better thought out for the benefit of US - yes, YOU too!
Jon Armstrong
Monday 7th February 2022 at 10:43 am
"Another future multi-storey car park site would be the existing telephone exchange, next to Waitrose, which I understand one day might require a better high-tech building and so move elsewhere [any knowledge of that anyone?]. This spot would be ideal for arrivals in town from the A34 and Handforth direction."

4600 exchanges will be closed as a result of the move to fibre products, and although as far as I know a list hasn't been published, there is a very good chance Wilmslow will be one of these. However, this isn't likely to be until after 2030.
Robert Taylor
Tuesday 1st March 2022 at 9:48 am
the views that Wilmslow requires more car parking are so far behind the curve.

Wilmslow does not need any more car parking and if anything it needs less to benefit the town (improving the economy) and move more to a car-free centre:-
https://www.icebike.org/car-free-cities/

“Minimum parking standards are fertility drugs for cars.” Donald Shoup (audio link):-
https://freakonomics.com/podcast/parking-is-hell/
Tony Haluradivth
Tuesday 1st March 2022 at 1:03 pm
So Robert Taylor what do you propose for the elderly, infirm and disabled. Chairlifts? Zealots on all sides don't think these things through do they?
Sandra Cox
Tuesday 1st March 2022 at 1:49 pm
Thank you Mr H. So many healthy people never think what might befall them and their families. I read so much on here telling us all to get out of cars and onto bicycles or to walk everywhere. This is not possible for so many who are seldom mentioned or considered.
Stuart Redgard
Tuesday 1st March 2022 at 7:37 pm
In my opinion, the town centre needs to be accessible to ALL.

Of whatever; age; mobility; and preference in the mode of transport they decide/have to use.