Inquiry date set for £13m mill scheme

THE date has been set for public inquiry to decide the fate of a controversial out-of-town retail park.

Plans for the £13 million scheme, which include four large shops on the former Barracks Mill site on Black Lane, were refused by councillors last autumn.

The decision went against the recommendation of planning officers who advised it would create jobs and investment in the town and wouldn’t have a significant effect on town centre generation projects.

Now the applicant, Cedar Invest, has challenged the decision and a public inquiry will take place on July 11.

Graham Whateley, chairman of Cedar Invest, has hit out at the council for forcing the inquiry.

He said: “I am absolutely frustrated with the council. We have met every technical objection from the council.

“All the officers recommended it for approval but the councillors turned us down. You cannot build housing on the site because of the contamination.

“This retail park will create a huge number of jobs, and there will be between 150 and 200 on the site. People need these sort of shops selling heavy goods. They don’t come into the town centre for them.”

The inquiry is expected to take place in Macclesfield over five days.

Objectors to the scheme Macclesfield Town Council, Macclesfield Civic Society and Eskmuir Securities Limited, which owns the Grosvenor Shopping Centre, all argue it will divert trade from the town centre.

Macclesfield MP David Rutley even warned it could adversely harm the town centre cinema scheme.

A report published by planning officers said the proposal brings ‘economic benefits through new jobs, investment in the area and by bringing a vacant brownfield site into viable use on one of the key gateways to Macclesfield’.

It added: “...the impact of the proposal on the vitality and viability of Macclesfield town centre will be adverse but not significant adverse...”.

Ward councillor Steve Carter previously argued the development will bring jobs and get rid of a dangerous building.

If the appeal is granted the units could be taken up by big name national brands including Range, Dunelm and Sports Direct.

The site has been unused since 2004 when fire ravaged the buildings. There were further fires in 2013.