Kings School development recommended for approval

Hillcrest’s proposal to build 115 homes on part of the school’s estate on Cumberland Street in Macclesfield have been recommended for approval by Cheshire East Council – after the decision was deferred in January. 

Hillcrest proposes converting the existing 20th century Rock Block building within the King’s School complex into 29 one- and two-bedroom apartments with a contemporary extension to the rear, along with 45 apartments for elderly people.

The plans also propose 33 two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom houses on the site. 

The grade two-listed library and gatehouse would be retained and converted, under Hillcrest Home’s plans. The library would contain seven two-bedroom homes while the gatehouse would become a three-bedroom house. 

Following the deferral Hillcrest lodged revised proposals, which included minor changes to the configuration of the development and changes to house types. 

In January, the council’s planning committee requested an independent viability appraisal of the scheme to investigate whether Hillcrest, which bought the site in 2018, could reasonably include a higher provision of affordable homes on the site. 

The housebuilder had proposed five affordable homes, around 4% of the total offer and well below Cheshire East’s target of 30%. The developer also proposed contributing £378,000 in the form of a section 106 payment to make up for the lack of affordable homes within the scheme. 

The independent viability appraisal, carried out by consultancy Gerald Eve, found this to be reasonable. 

Local residents continue to oppose the revised plans on grounds including demolition of war memorial pavilion, serious affordable housing shortfall, privacy invasion issues and woefully inadequate parking provision and related traffic concerns.

The King’s School site is being redeveloped into housing after the school relocated to a £60m new-build campus on Alderley Road in Prestbury in July.

Housebuilders Barratt and David Wilson Homes, with housing association Torus, are to build 300 homes on nearby Fence Avenue.