Council approves new retirement apartment block scheme on Crewe farm site
Plans to build 47 'affordable' retirement apartments at a Crewe farm site have been approved, despite councillors' fears the development will "isolate" some of the residents.
On Wednesday 2 August, Cheshire East's southern planning committee gave the go-ahead for the three-storey apartment block to be built at Sydney Cottage Farm off Herbert Street.
The existing buildings on site will be bulldozed.
Niall Mellon, agent for Bowsall Developments Ltd and Housing 21, told the committee there's an acute need for affordable retirement homes.
"This scheme will go a significant way to address that need and will help provide homes for older people who are on some of the lowest incomes in our society," he said.
But councillors questioned its location in relation to services and facilities.
Ward councillor Hazel Faddes (Labour), speaking as a visiting member, said: "There are few local facilities in Sydney Road with the nearest post office and shop almost a mile and a half away from the site and all medical facilities including the hospital two bus journeys away, not ideal for older people."
She also questioned the lack of parking spaces – just 28 for 47 apartments.
Crewe councillor Anthony Critchley (Labour), said he didn't object to the development in principle, but also questioned the nearby services.
"If you look at the needs of older people you would say doctors easily accessible, and convenient public transport, none of which I think… are readily available.
"I'm surprised there's nothing on site for recreation," he said.
"It's one of those developments where the developer is going to be providing a facility which is going to isolate people that probably need interaction more than ever and it's not something we should be promoting as an authority."
Planning officer Daniel Evans told the committee: "It is on the edge of Crewe but it is within the settlement boundary".
He said the nearest shop (McColl's) was on Coleridge Way – although Sandbach councillor Laura Crane (Labour), said it had since closed.
He said there was a pub nearby, a medical centre on Hungerford Road and bus stops on Sydney Road – although two councillors said the nearby bus stop was for school transport only.
Audlem councillor Rachel Bailey (Conservative), referred to previous fires in Crewe – four years since the blaze which gutted the Beechmere Retirement Complex.
Cllr Bailey asked if sprinklers could be insisted upon as part of the planning permission. She was told this was not possible and had to be dealt with at the later building control stage.
She acknowledged the scheme was 100 per cent affordable for older people, but said: "I believe that puts an even greater emphasis on us, as planning committee members, to do the right thing and not just say, oh yeah it's ok.
"We've heard about the lack of facilities to ensure the mental wellbeing, we've heard of the concerns in relation to responses from Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service and we've heard about the concern about design of the building."
Said called for the application to be deferred, but the deferral wasn't seconded and neither was a proposal soon after from Cllr Andrew Kolker to approve.
Eventually, Cllr Critchley seconded the approval and the scheme was given the go-ahead, subject to conditions, with six councillors voting for, one against and one abstaining.
READ MORE: Crewe retail park store closes down with relocation planned for former restaurant.
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By Ryan Parker and Belinda Ryan.
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