Plan to turn ‘landmark’ old mill into new homes
AN HISTORIC ‘landmark’ building could be turned into flats - despite the developer offering no affordable housing and insufficient parking.
A planning application seeking to turn dilapidated Albion Mill, on London Road, Macclesfield, into 34 two-bed homes goes before a committee on Wednesday, March 11.
Cheshire East Council planners recommend it for approval, which would come three years after proposals were submitted in 2017.
The scheme, from Mr Z Rafiq, fails to meet council policy as it offers no affordable housing - a development of this size should have 10 units.
It also comes with 33 parking spaces, less than half the required 68.
The developer offers no education contribution to deal with increased pressure on schools from more residents. The council’s children’s services department calculate £81,713 is due.
But overall planning officers say this is outweighed by the ‘real public benefit’ of ensuring the future of Albion Mill, which dates back to 1843.
A council report says: “Albion Mill is well known ‘landmark’ Grade II listed building on a gateway route into Macclesfield,has been vacant for a long period of time and is in a very poor state of repair.
” The very substantial benefit of bringing the listed ‘landmark’ building into use, (after such considerable amount of time) 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 on this occasion.”
Mitigation for the insufficient parking will be provided by the applicant offering new residents a six month bus pass and a bike voucher.
It is also said the sustainable location near bus and train lines will mean less need for cars. And no more spaces could be fitted on the site.
The proposals indicate 30 flats would be in the mill with another four in an extension at the rear.
Macclesfield Civic Society supports the plans, describing them as being ‘welcome proposals’.
According to SR Design, agent for the development, the building is in a ‘dilapidated’ state and subjected to ‘weather, pigeons and vandalism’.
A report states the applicant has already undertaken remedial work to halt the building’s decline and the ‘essential character’ of the mill would be retained.
Originally a silk mill the building has stood empty for around 20 years.
Planning permission to turn into 16 homes, with 20 parking spaces, was given in 2003 but work was abandoned in 2009 as the scheme was no longer viable.
Sales of the building have since fallen through so a new application for more units was submitted to make its conversion more viable.
S R Design has been contacted for comment.