Multi-million manufacturing site for Knutsford

A multi-million pound science, logistics and advance manufacturing site of more than two million sq ft is being planned for land on Tatton Estate near the under-construction A556 relief road scheme in Cheshire.

Early-stage planning is under way as businesses in the area bid to benefit from the Atlantic Gateway and the opportunities presented by Peel Ports’ Liverpool2 project which will be the UK’s most centrally-located deep water container terminal.

The land around the M56 motorway junction at Lymm has been the target of developers for years, but Tatton Estates Management’s managing director Henry Brooks has resisted approaches.

But now, moves are afoot with a so-far unnamed developer to maximise the location with the coming HS2 across Tatton land also making the area a prime logistics target.

Behind-closed-doors discussions are taking place with planning officials at Cheshire East Council over the scheme and the ramifications for the Local Plan, with some Green Belt land possibly needing to be released for it to come to fruition.

The parties concerned are unwilling to discuss the project, but it is understood nationally renowned architect John Simpson who has worked with the Prince of Wales and on the masterplan for Fairford Leys, a village outside Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, has been approached.

Moves to create a new “Cheshire Gateway” are being helped by the work currently being carried out on the A556, which will also improve the area’s connectivity.