PLANS for six new apartments to replace a house on Macclesfield Road in Prestbury have been given the go-ahead by councillors.
The scheme will see the existing two-storey property, known as Fallibroome House, at 68 Macclesfield Road, demolished.
The six three-bedroom apartments will then be built, with one apartment at basement level, two each on the first and second floors and a penthouse on the third floor.
Balconies and terraces will be built at lower levels although after the original application was rejected, plans for a penthouse balcony have been scrapped.
The first application to demolish the building and build six apartments was refused in October but since then a number of other changes have been made to the application.
These include setting the building a further 3ft into the ground and redesigning the top floor and roof to accommodate the penthouse within the roof space.
The ceiling heights of apartments have been reduced and the layout of the penthouse amended so that the windows closest to the neighbouring property at 64, Macclesfield Road, have been replaced by a single obscure glazed window.
A screen hedge by the neighbouring property will also be retained with boundary screening supplemented with additional evergreen planting.
The new building will be rendered and is described as having a formal mock-Georgian design complete with large windows, parapet walls and parking at basement level.
The overall height of the building has been reduced from 48ft to 41ft and it will now be lower than both the existing building and the one proposed in the previous scheme.
The application was made by PH Property Holdings Ltd and considered by councillors at the South Area planning meeting.
David Malcolm, principle planning officer for the South Area, said: "Prestbury Parish Council object very strongly to this scheme. They feel that in an area of low density housing it will be out of character.
"The design has been changed slightly since the last application and they will be able to dig the property to a new ground level. It is now recommended that the scheme can be approved."
Councillor Thelma Jackson, ward councillor for Prestbury, said: "I totally agree with Prestbury Parish Council's comments but we've got to make a decision.
"I think the applicants have been quite helpful in trying to get the size of the scheme down.
"Local people would prefer to see the building in brick rather than rendered because it will blend into the landscaping better."
Coun Jane Palmer, ward councillor for Gawsworth, said: "I think that brick will make it less visible as anything rendered, whatever the colour, takes quite a while to blend in."
The two councillors moved the scheme for approval in brick rather than rendered but they were defeated and councillors instead approved the original proposal.
