Saga of old mill flats plan goes on
THE three year wait to see if an historic landmark building in Macclesfield can be converted into flats continues.
Proposals to turn derelict Albion Mill, on London Road, into 34 homes were withdrawn from agenda of a planning committee meeting on Wednesday, March 11.
Two planning applications - an additional one seeking consent for work on a listing building - were submitted to Cheshire East Council in 2017.
And council planning officers withdrew the applications with the meeting told they would be decided at a future point - but it was uncertain when.
The proposed development would bring an empty building back to life with two-bed homes.
But applicant Mr Z Rafiq has not met several council policies with the plans, including no affordable homes being offered instead of the requisite 10.
Chairman of the planning committee Councillor Craig Browne told the meeting: “It has been withdrawn by officers to seek further clarification.
”I understand it will come back to a future meeting of this (northern planning) committee, not necessarily the next one.”
Albion Mill, which dates back to 1843, has stood empty for around two decades and according to reports submitted by Mr Rafiq is in a ‘dilapidated’ state and subjected to ‘weather, pigeons and vandalism’.
Permission to turn it into 16 homes, with 20 parking spaces, was given in 2003 but work was abandoned in 2009 as the scheme was no longer viable.
After sales of the building fell through it is hoped this new application, containing more homes, will be more viable.
According to council policy a development this size should have 10 affordable units.
It should also have 68 parking spaces but proposals are for 33. However the applicant will offer new residents a six month bus pass and a bike voucher.
Parking problems will be mitigated by the site’s ‘sustainable’ location near bus and train lines, it is said.
The council’s children’s services department says £81,713 should be paid by the developer to help schools cope with the influx of residents. But the plans offer no education contribution.
Planners have recommended the scheme should be approved, saying: “The very substantial benefit of bringing the listed ‘landmark’ building into use, thereby helping to sustain its future, outweighs, on balance, any harm that would be caused by the lack of developer contributions and limited parking provision.”