Plans to transform the south of the town with a huge new housing estate and supermarket have been given the green light by Cheshire East Council.
Phase one of the South Macclesfield Development Area (SMDA) will take place on land between Congleton Road and London Road.
Under the scheme, which involves 220 new homes and a new 80,000 sq ft supermarket, the playing fields will be relocated and a new sports pavilion and play areas will be built.
It is part of a ‘masterplan’ for the 63-hectare site, which could eventually see 800 more homes, a new £3m primary school, a link road from Congleton Road to London Road and a new stadium for Macclesfield Town Football Club.
The plan was given the go ahead at the council planning meeting on Wednesday, October 21, at Macclesfield Town Hall with seven councillors voting in favour, one against and two abstentions.
Alexa Burns, who represents the developer, Engine of The North, said the supermarket would ‘reduce pressure on the town centre Sainsbury’s and Tesco’.
Coun David Brown, Deputy Leader of the Council and Highways Portfolio Holder, backed the plans and said the sooner the link road from Congleton Road to London Road could be put in place, the better.
Concerns were raised about increased traffic and the need for another supermarket.
Coun Laura Jeuda, who represents Macclesfield South ward, said residents are concerned the link road is not in phase one of the development. She said: “ "Most people think the link road connecting the two main roads is a very good idea.
"My main concern is heavy traffic. Congleton Road residents already have difficulty exiting from their own road. The link road may never be complete and then we would be left with 220 houses, a superstore and not much else”.
The supermarket, she added, seemed to ‘go against the town centre first policy’.
Macclesfield Central ward councillor Janet Jackson said she welcomed the playing fields but was ‘greatly concerned’ about the impact of the supermarket on the town centre and on traffic. Another issue raised was the reduction in the development’s affordable homes, from 30 to 20 per cent.
Voting against the plans, Handforth ward councillor Barry Burkhill said: “This country needs more affordable housing and affordable rented housing. We should not be watering the 30 per cent down.”
