Councillors to vote on ambitious plans for the former 3M site in Morley Street
COUNCILLORS are set to decide whether huge ambitious plans for the former 3M site in Morley Street, Loughborough will be given the go-ahead.
The science-based technology company occupied the historic former hosiery mill building since the early 1950s but has now relocated to new offices on the Charnwood Campus (the former AstraZeneca site).
Local developer Solus Homes Ltd submitted a planning application for the former Victorian mill, back in January this year.
Now members of Charnwood Borough Council’s plans committee are set to make a decision on the application this Thursday (May 3).
The plans include 210 apartments with the whole site being a mix of residential, office, retail and leisure facilities.
The proposal includes demolition of a 1980s’ extension to the existing building, but the old mill and its landmark chimney will remain.
Planning officers have recommended it be passed saying the new homes would be built on a brownfield site and would go towards a quarter of a year’s supply of the borough’s housing need.
They also say that the development would retain the character of the existing building, would create a landmark development at the entrance to Loughborough for car and railway users, create jobs and retain them.
The design and access statement with the application states the re-development of the site will: “create a mix of 1 and 2 bed good quality apartments appealing to a variety of market sectors, from young professionals to retirement living and small family accommodation.
“The scheme should feature a mix of residential, office, retail and leisure offering and the developers aim is to form a community “village” setting providing key services to residents and the wider community with great access to Loughborough’s town centre and railway station.”
The scheme would see the creation of two new offices fronting Nottingham Road and two new apartment blocks.
There would be a convenience food retail store and hot food café / restaurant, fronting the Nottingham Road and railway station approach.
The applications states that there had been interest expressed by the Co-op and Tesco for the site’s convenience store and Costa Coffee had also expressed initial interest in the coffee shop.
The statement says that an added bonus of the application was that it would provide provision for the adjacent Preci Spark Ltd engineering company to expand.
“The company state that the business expansion option offered to them as part of this scheme will satisfy their requirements, secure an existing 304 jobs and create an additional 90 jobs over the next five years.