Plan to convert St John’s in the balance

Plans to convert St John the Baptist Church in Bollington into apartments have been recommended for refusal.

St John’s, on Church Street, Bollington, closed twenty years ago and permission was granted to convert the property into apartments in 2010.

The permission was subsequently renewed and the applicant maintains consent remains in existence as conversion work was started.

Cheshire East refutes this and say that permission has lapsed.

In 2022, an application was submitted to convert the church into 18 apartments and that application will be decided at next Wednesday’s meeting of the northern planning committee.

A report to the committee from Cheshire East’s planning officer states: “The proposals would provide small one and two-bedroom homes in line with one of the greatest needs highlighted in the Bollington Neighbourhood Plan, which at first glance is a positive feature of the development.”

It adds that conversion of the listed building into homes ‘is considered to hold public benefit as an optimum future use for the building’.

But the report raises a number of reasons why the scheme should be refused: “The development does not propose a housing mix of types, sizes or tenures that meets the locally defined needs including that for affordable housing, downsizing and homes for elderly/older persons” and some rooms would have insufficient natural daylight.

It continues: “The development results in the unjustified and unmitigated loss of protected open space, a cemetery and graveyard area associated with a historic church” and the proposal fails to provide adequate financial contributions towards planning obligations for open space, outdoor sport and recreation, allotments, green infrastructure and affordable housing.

There have been five written objections and one in support of the scheme.

A second application for listed building consent for the development is also on next week’s agenda and that has been recommended for approval.

The meeting of the northern planning committee takes place at 10 am on Wednesday, November 13, at Macclesfield Town Hall.