Further new homes on King’s School site set for approval

Developer Hillcrest’s plans for 121 new homes on the former King’s School campus in Macclesfield look set for approval from councillors following a number of amendments to earlier proposals.

Plans for the development had previously been deferred before Christmas to allow the developers to amend their proposals to increase affordable housing provision on the site. Concerns were also raised over the potential loss of the war memorial and cricket pavilion on the school site.

The number of overall homes on the site has now been increased in response to councillors’ comments, adding a further six homes to the scheme, as well as increasing affordable housing provision from five to 12 dwellings; however, Cheshire East Council’s planning policy recommends at least 35 affordable homes to be built for a development of this size. Agents on the scheme had previously raised concerns that increasing the number of affordable homes on the Cumberland Street site could prevent the development from being financially viable, due to the historic nature of existing buildings.

While plans will still see the cricket pavilion demolished, Hillcrest have instead committed to reconstructing the building, in a move that has satisfied previous objections by the War Memorial’s Trust.

Hillcrest completed their purchase of the former school site in February this year, with the school having relocated to a new purpose-built campus in Prestbury at the start of the 2020/21 academic year.

In addition to Hillcrest Homes’ development of the Cumberland Street site, Barratt and David Wilson Homes North West were chosen to by Homes England to build 300 homes on the Fence Avenue campus, and McCarthy & Stone have secured planning permission for an 89-unit retirement community.