Major plans to revamp the Grosvenor Centre have moved a step closer to getting the green light.
Eskmuir Securities, which owns the shopping centre, plans to demolish five existing retail units - including Argos - and part of the iconic Cheshire Building Society building on Castle Street.
This will make way for a new two storey building for four shops, and an extension into the former Cheshire Building Society premises, which will be used for offices.
A new glass canopy over the entrance to the Castle Street Mall is also proposed and the building will be linked up internally with the rest of the Grosvenor Centre.
The plans were approved by Cheshire East's Northern Planing Committee meeting at Macclesfield Town Hall on Wednesday (January 22).
The final say on whether the work can go ahead will now be decided by the Northern Planning manager and town centre councillors Janet Jackson and Ken Edwards.
At the meeting council members raised concerns that the new buildings features – including a flat roof element – would look incongruous against the locally listed former CBS headquarters, which was originally built as a post office in 1927
Speaking at the meeting, Coun Janet Jackson said: “I have concerns about the design of the two-storey building as it is out of keeping with the rest of the structure. We have not seen any sign of what materials are going to be used in this extension.
“The design is out of character.”
However heritage officers said they approved of the plans, stating that demolition of parts of the CBS building is acceptable because the facade will be preserved.
John Sullivan, senior asset manager at Eskmuir Securities, also assured the committee that his company had done its best to ensure the new development would not look out of character.
He said: “There has been lengthy discussions which has resulted using stone brick work and mock sash windows. These plans will bring new retailers to the town.”
The committee eventually agreed to the plans after ensuring that town centre councillors will be involved in the final decision on the materials used and the design of the new structure.
