Plans for cafe and ‘upmarket hostel’ dashed
PLANS to open a ‘glamorous cafe’ mixed with an ‘upmarket hostel’ in Macclesfield town centre have been refused.
Laura Mayall had submitted a planning application to convert a former kitchen showroom with a flat above it on Chestergate.
She had wanted to put a cafe-cum-bar on the ground floor and eight accommodation units throughout the building that would have shared kitchen facilities.
Ms Mayall had said that the ‘house of multiple occupancy’ would meet a gap in the market for people who wanted to stay in Macclesfield longterm but not enough to rent for six to 12 months.
But Cheshire East Council ruled that having eight flats in a building that had formerly had just one would not give good enough living accommodation.
Ms Mayall had told planners: “Passers by (will) see a glamorous bar/cafe and not be aware of accommodation that is behind and above. I need eight rooms to make the scheme financially viable.
“I would like to be able to serve alcohol in the evenings but I envisage a cafe that serves pastries and coffees in the morning, sandwiches at lunch and cold plates in the evening.”
One letter of support for the plans said: “It’s amazing that even in these uncertain times people are still trying to bring positive change to Macclesfield.
“The concept reads to be something along the lines of a very upmarket hostel, so it makes sense to make use of all the space available in this rather large building.”
But nearby residents had concerns over parking problems, noise from late opening and disturbance from commercial bins being emptied and moved.
One said: “Squeezing eight rooms into what was one flat originally seems unrealistic especially with the poor kitchen facilities included in the design.
“The last thing Chestergate needs is a cafe bar. The Picturedrome has recently opened and been a huge success and we also have many other restaurant type places.”
Others objections were raised by Macclesfield Town Council, Cheshire East’s housing standards team, Macclesfield Civic Society and local councillors.
Danielle Sammy, a Cheshire East planning officer, ruled: “It is recommended that this application be refused.
“The proposal would not create a high standard of amenity for future users of the development. Residential units would lack the basic facilities expected.”