Sutton Quarry plans go to Strategic Planning

AM Bell’s hopes to build 31,000 sq ft of small business units at its base near Bosley, to the south of Macclesfield, remain alive after a lengthy planning debate.

Planning officers had recommended refusal of the Hawkshead Quarry proposal, but the applicant told the committee he believed that national planning policy would support it.

It has now secured a recommendation to approve, from Cheshire East Council’s northern area committee, that will be referred to Cheshire East’s strategic planning board.

Aided by Emery Planning, AM Bell – a long-established local haulage business – submitted a hybrid application for its site, which is split over two levels at a former quarry. The company sought full permission for the development of the upper quarry area with eight small industrial/storage units; and outline consent for 13 units on the lower quarry site.

At present, there are no buildings on the upper site, largely an area of hardstanding accessed from a country lane. The lower site, accessed from the Leek Old Road, to the rear of Fool’s Nook, currently houses five buildings.

Planning officers had recommended refusal, maintaining the proposal did not accord with Cheshire East’s hard-fought-for Local Plan. They argued that only being accessible by car, the countryside site does not represent sustainable development.

Emery Planning responded to that with a letter to committee members that in its view, the National Planning Policy Framework’s support for rural business should win out, particularly as the site is already developed, being used largely by HGVs.

Ward councillor Cllr Andrew Gregory spoke at committee in support of the plan, stating that “if we can get fewer HGVs on these country lanes, and bring more employment to the Sutton area, that has to be a good thing”. Cllr Lesley Smetham spoke against the proposals.

Much of the debate centred on how the scheme could be encouraged, with conditions attached around environmental issues, access and the type of vehicles allowed on site.

When it came to the vote, the verdict was nine in favour of approval and two against, with one abstention.