BP have been granted planning permission to re-develop their site on Alderley Road and open a M&S Simply Food store.
The Northern Planning Committee gave them the go ahead to redevelop the existing petrol filling station to include a new sales building, canopy, fuel pumps, storage tanks, minor boundary treatments and new car parking arrangements to provide additional customer parking spaces. The company will also be removing the car wash.
The application was called into Committee by Councillor Rod Menlove over concerns that the proposal would have a negative impact on the amenity of the neighbouring properties and was an overdevelopment of the site, due to the massing and scale of the proposed new shop.
Wilmslow Town Council expressed their preference for this prime site in Wilmslow not to be a petrol station, however, should the petrol station be retained the Planning Committee said they would favour a change to an M&S Simply Food store.
Objections were received from residents of Draxford Court, Hallwood Road, Covington Place and Park Road on the grounds that increased noise would be generated by patrons and vehicles visiting the site plus by the air conditioning and refrigeration units.
Concerns were also raised over the design of the flat roof, which was felt to be unsympathetic to the architecture of Draxford Court and the adjacent shops; the positioning of the ATM because it could increase illegal parking on a very busy street corner and the significant expansion of the shop which could lead to more drivers parking on the private land to the front of Draxford Court.
Cheshire East Officers felt the proposal may result in significant harm to the nearby residential properties if adequate controls were not put in place. In light of this, the applicant agreed to restrict the hours of operation to reflect the existing opening hours of 6am to 11pm.
The Strategic Highways Manager also expressed concerns that the site appears overdeveloped and that the parking arrangements and movement of vehicles might not work. As a result the agent liaised with the Strategic Highways Manager and submitted an amended plan.
The gross floor space of the sales building will increase from 80 sqm to 225 sqm and house a Marks and Spencer food store selling between 600 and 800 products.
The new petrol station and Simply Food store are expected to open sometime in November and create 20 new jobs.
The plans can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council website by searching for planning reference 14/1693M.
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