
Housing developer, Story Homes, has secured approval for the 54-home Fulshaw Manor scheme on the former site of Royal London’s Wilmslow headquarters.
The Cumbrian housebuilder acquired the 9.1 acre Westlands plot of the finance group’s campus off Alderley Road, Wilmslow, which was sold by Royal London as part of a move to a new home at Alderley Park.
Outline planning consent to develop the land for housing had already been granted for 60 homes before its sale, and Cheshire East Council have now approved Story Homes plans for the scheme.
Developers will deliver 38 properties between of up to five bedrooms sold at market rates, alongside 16 one- to three- bedroom affordable homes.
Approval for the scheme follows protracted negotiations with planning officers, after plans attracted rejections from both Wilmslow Town Council and Cheshire East Council’s wholly-owned facilities contractor, Ansa. Concerns had been raised over flood risk and protections for the site, and that the character of the properties failed to consider local architectural styles, particularly given the prominence of the scheme off a main artery into Wilmslow’s town centre.
Planning permission was granted by Cheshire East’s Northern Planning Committee on 15th September following extensive revisions to designs by the developers, including ecological enhancements that would add over 100 new trees to the site.
Following approval, construction is now expected to get underway in early 2023, with the first plots to come up for sale during the summer.