Just what we need – another out-of-town supermarket

Plans to build an 80,000 sq ft supermarket and hundreds of homes as part of the South Macclesfield Development Area are set to get the go-ahead – despite concerns about the size of the store.

Councillors have been told that “there is an overriding quantitative and qualitative need for a new food store in Macclesfield”.

On 21 October 2015, Cheshire East planning committee will consider an outline application to demolish existing structures and create up to 220 homes, a food store with a gross internal area of 80,000 sq ft, replacement sports pitches and facilities including a new clubhouse, and vehicular access off Congleton Road by Engine of the North, the council’s property development company.

The development will create up to 1,050 homes, a food store, employment land, a new primary school and the potential relocation of Macclesfield Town FC.

The land earmarked for development in phase one is a 66.2-acre mostly vacant site bounded to the west by Congleton Road and to the north by Moss Lane. The rest of the South Macclesfield Development Area is located to the east.

As part of the consultation process, Macclesfield Civic Society said that it was unsure as to the justification for a large supermarket at the entrance to the site given Cheshire East Council’s town-centre-first approach, adding that “it appears that this part of the proposal is driven by financial expediency and nothing else”. The society also responded that there is no indication regarding a potential new ground for Macclesfield Town FC and how this would be secured.

The application has also received 21 letters of objection including multiple expressions of concern about the effect that an out-of-town supermarket would have on the viability of businesses in the city centre.

Ahead of the meeting, a report by the planning officer has recommended that the scheme should be approved, saying that “the impact of the food store has been assessed by consultants and it is considered that there is an overriding quantitative and qualitative need for a new food store in Macclesfield”.

It added: “This scheme is considered to represent the first phase of the South Macclesfield Development Area and the other elements contained within the emerging policy should be delivered in the application for the second phase.

“The proposal would satisfy the economic and social sustainability roles by providing for much-needed housing adjoining an existing settlement where there is existing infrastructure and amenities.”

Ed: Where have the planners been for the last few years?

Have they ever visited Macclesfield and seen the town centre?

Just exactly who maintains “there is an overriding quantitative and qualitative need for a new food store in Macclesfield”?

How much is Waitrose (I’d guess this is who the planners refer to) paying Cheshire East?

Has anyone told them that Lidl have a new store planned for Park Green?