Opinion: More To Let signs than road signs

by Peter Davenport

Tuesday 19^th February 2013

Tue 19^th Feb 2013

In the projected Town Plan for Wilmslow it states there should be more "employment space".

Bearing this in mind I have been on a grand tour around Wilmslow, and have found to date at least 146,000 square feet of empty office space, of which no doubt some could be converted to residential use.

Also, it seems, there are some more applications for offices in the pipe line. Do we need anymore empty office premises?

Also only about two miles from the centre of Wilmslow, there are quite a few empty units for industrial use.

One thing is certain in Wilmslow, is that there are more To Let signs than road signs!

This is a member post by Peter Davenport.

What do you think, does Wilmslow need more employment space? Share your views via the comment box below.

Comments

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

Pete Taylor

Tuesday 19^th February 2013 at 5:30 pm

I cannot remember a time when the has not been an "Office space to let" sign outside the Royal London site; it seems somewhat ironic that this is where CEC appears to want to build "employment space", on Green Belt agricultural land.

Richard Minton

Tuesday 19^th February 2013 at 7:29 pm

CEC could compulsory purchase any empty office space , and convert to affordable housing. Sorted. No need to pretend we need to build on green belt, there is plenty of brown belt available some which the council apparently own !! (but of course it's easier and cheaper to build on Green belt) Keep Wilmslow Green . Facebook :- Wilmslow RAID residents against Inappropriate development. Join up and communicate!

Pippa Jones

Tuesday 19^th February 2013 at 8:36 pm

During the Wilmslow Vision process last year the participants were very supportive of the idea of converting empty office space into housing. This would be one way of reducing both the amount of green belt being built on for housing, but also the green spaces within the town which, while not designated green belt, still contribute significantly to our well-being and sense of place. There are so many empty offices in Wilmslow that could presumably be converted to flats: could CEC tell us how this could be achieved? Empty offices contribute nothing to the economy, look depressing, and would be much better converted into town centre homes.

Stuart Redgard

Wednesday 20^th February 2013 at 12:09 am

Remembering that "Previously Developed Land" (Often referred to as "Brownfield Land")is a "planning term", we need to look at government issued documents for a true definition of "Previously Developed Land". A quick internet search has identified a definition in the PPS3 (June 2011) and NPPF (March 2012)

Peter Davenports Quick tour of Wilmslow seems to Determine that CEC have not provided a full and comprehensive study of "Previously Developed Land" for either residential or employment use as part of the current Local Development Framework proposals ('local plan").

This is what we need to identify when commenting on the current proposals.