The developer constructing five warehouses in Alsager has been criticised for not doing their due diligence, after they submitted plans to reposition two of the units to allow further distance from the overhead power cables.

Residents of Alsager had strongly campaigned against the proposals, submitted by Commercial Development Projects, to build five warehouses on land south of Crewe Road, known as Radway Green North, Alsager.

The application received outline planning permission following an appeal hearing in February 2020.

The new units will provide up to 19,236 square metres of employment floor space and the site was allocated for employment development in Cheshire East Council's Local Plan.

However, Commercial Development Projects has now submitted plans to reposition units four and five.

The applicant claims the repositioning is to allow further distance from the overhead power cables to enable a 'contractors safety zone' and to move the units further away from Crewe Road.

The latest plans have not been well-received by Alsager residents, one of which even questioned if the developer "fully understood the existing site constraints".

A resident who lives on Close Lane, Alsager, and submitted their objections to the application via Cheshire East's planning portal, said: "This development has been a long running issue for local residents who in the main rejected the proposal.

"Surely given such scrutiny the developer would have fully understood the existing site constraints when submitting their plans for scrutiny.

"On that basis I suggest that the current proposed amendment is refused, and the developer is requested to consider revising their site plan to reduce the footprint of units four and five in order to satisfy the pre-existing constraints.

"The original proposals were therefore awarded at appeal on unworkable design and should be amended and reduced."

A Crewe Road resident who also submitted their objections said: "Having been refused planning twice by Cheshire East, surely the applicant was aware of the power cables which have been there for at least 45 years.

"I would imagine a project of this sort requires careful scrutiny and yet the problem with units four and five was not anticipated on the original plan.

"Perhaps the developer can amend the footprints of units four and five, reducing slightly their size in order to accommodate the cables.

"We suggest therefore that the current amendment be refused. The originals plans were not suitable for the site and should therefore be reduced."

The Crewe Road Action Group (CRAG) "accepted" the need for changes to the approved plans, both for health and safety reasons and because warehouses four and five needed to be moved further back from Crewe Road, although they felt the plans showed the move back would be "slight".

Given the health and safety issue of the overhead power cables, the CRAG were "shocked" that the plans were passed at appeal, by the Secretary of State and wondered whether perhaps the Secretary of State should have the latest proposed changes "drawn to their attention".

The action group felt a suitable alternative would be to reduce the size of the two warehouses by removing the sections that underlie the overhead cables or that permission for warehouses four and five should be withdrawn altogether.

Through delegated powers, Cheshire East have set a decision target date of 22nd July for the application.

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