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Cricket club is out

Pete Bainbridge
8/ 8/2007

AFTER months of heated debate, councillors have finally rubber-stamped plans for a £5million private care village on Macclesfield Cricket Club's Victoria Road site - the third of its kind in the town.

Town hall discussions barrelled on for 45 minutes at Monday's planning committee meeting but at the close of play, developers Richmond Villages were granted outline planning permission.

Air conditioning couldn't cool the mood in the packed council chamber and various concerns were raised about the private care home - which would feature 60 bedrooms, 42 care suites, and 54 apartments.

But chief planning officer Peter Yates told the committee that he "couldn't think of any appropriate reasons to reject the plans" and proposals were passed, eight votes to three.

A condition was added that the planning chairman and ward councillors are consulted before detailed building plans are finalised.

Coun Ainsley Arnold, representing Bollinbrook Ward, told the committee: "Residents in the area view this as a green lung, and its loss would be detrimental to the area.

"Central government now recommends that sports clubs should be in the heart of the community, not on the outskirts of town which this would be if it moved."

Local resident Terry Brown begged members to reject the proposals. He said: "Traffic problems are already getting worse on Victoria Road, and we need the open space which is vital to the local area."

Coun John Goddard, who voted against the plans, said: "Macclesfield has an ageing population, and this move will bring more elderly people in from outside the area, which will strain services."

But Mike Burdekin, president of Macclesfield Cricket Club, told the committee: "Our existing site is inadequate to cope with all our junior members. We need more, and better space, and we can't afford to develop on our current site."

Coun John Narraway said: "As a committee, we should have more control of how these homes are going to be used, so we can set the standard for other developments.

"Retirement homes are notoriously expensive and I would like to see a percentage of this home reserved for our residents at the county council's standard rate of payment.

"A large influx of people from outside the area will have a serious effect on Macclesfield Hospital."

Coun James Williams proposed the approval, and said: "I think those trying to save the site of Macclesfield Cricket Club are on a hiding to nothing. The planning officer has no objections to the environmental issues. However, I do think that there could be traffic problems."

Roger Moss, cricket club treasurer, speaking after the meeting, said: "It's been a long hard trail, and we are very pleased. But in a way, the hard work has just begun.

"We are now making preparations so that as soon as Richmond give us sufficient funds we can start work on the new London Road site."

Furious Fern Lea resident, Stuart Bucknell, a retired auditor, said later: "I'm very, very disappointed with the planning committee and it's a shame that common sense didn't prevail. We have done our best to try to support the cricket club so that they could stay at the site."


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Most recent 2 of 2 user comments

   Ah another fine mess by the macclesfield planners, still it probably doesn't bother them as they no doubt live in the leafy suburbs. Why not keep the cricket club and build the old folks a nice care home out of town? Plenty of space there, oh sorry i forgot thats where the planners live!
James Lee, Edinburgh
9/08/2007 at 10:26
   This is so typical of the planning dept of this council. The two local Councillors most affected object but are over ruled. The traffic will be more horrendous than it is now. Victoria Road should be kept as free and flowing as possible because of the hospital, access and egress. The Cricket club at the moment provides little traffic, and that is contained to certain days. With this development it will be a massive increase. Do the Council believe that retired people do not own and use vehicles. These people will also bring a massive increase of Service traffic. The Planning committee members, with the exception of Councillors Arnold and Goddard, should hold there heads in shame.

Gerry Spragg, Macclesfield
8/08/2007 at 19:06
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