Cheshire West and Chester Council unanimously approved both schemes at its planning committee meeting on Thursday, in line with officer recommendations.

Ash Road

Application number: 22/03693/FUL

Encirc, which manufactures and distributes glass bottles, will build a 657,000 sq ft facility on the 50-acre plot previously occupied by four cooling towers.

Designed by AEW Architects, the scheme will deliver a 364,400 sq ft automated warehouse and more than 15,000 sq ft of office space, as well as a 150,000 sq ft dispatch area.

Plans will also see the creation of a monorail providing an automated link for transporting goods from Encirc’s existing warehouse to the new facility.

Encirc opened its Elton facility in 2005. Since then, its workforce has more than doubled from 400 to 900.

The new production line is planned as a joint initiative with Diageo, the alcoholic drinks maker. The line is due to be ultra-low carbon, using green electricity and hydrogen.

The facility is expected to start production in 2027, with a target of producing 200m bottles a year by 2030 for brands including Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Gordon’s, and Tanqueray.

Encirc submitted the plans for the warehouse in February.

Lichfields is the planning consultant for the scheme. The project team also includes IDOM, I-Transport, The Environment Partnership, and WSP.

The scheme will be set across four fields. Credit: via planning documents

Bretton Hall Farm

Application number: 22/02042/FUL

New Energy Wales will deliver and operate the solar farm on a 60-acre plot off Chester Road.

The scheme, set across four agricultural fields, will have a capacity of 14 megawatts – enough to power 4,200 average UK homes.

Plans form part of a proposed 30-megawatt solar farm across a wider 124-acre site. The wider development would provide between 28,000 MWh and 30,000 MWh into the local grid annually, generating renewable energy for the equivalent of around 8,400 average UK homes.

The larger site sits on the boundary between Wales and England, with the northern area lying within the administrative boundary of Flintshire County Council. Therefore, a separate application was submitted to Flintshire County Council last month for the remaining 64-acre area and is awaiting consultation.

The scheme is one of 11 that has received a share of £75,000 from Ynni Cymru, a renewable energy company launched by the Welsh Government in August to help Wales reach its goal to have all its electricity provided by renewable sources by 2035.

The project team includes Corin Hughes, Mabbet & Associates, Land Research Associates, and Systra.

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Barclays Bank has submitted a planning application to Chester West and Chester Council to convert the 5,000 sq ft former city centre McDonald’s building into a bank.

Designed by ISG, the scheme would see the installation of one external ATM, new signage, and three air conditioning condensing units at the two-storey property.

The council-owned Northgate Street building has been vacant since McDonald’s closed its doors there in 2018.

Chester Cathedral wants to reclaim its wing off St Werburgh Street. Credit: via Chester Cathedral

The plans for Barclays’ relocation are the result of a partnership between Chester Cathedral, Barclays, and CWAC.

The institutions have been in talks since 2021 to allow Chester Cathedral to reclaim the hidden part of its estate at St Werburgh Street as part of its £11m Project Discovery. Discussions also aimed to ensure that the bank remained in a city centre location.

Project Discovery hopes to reconnect Chester Cathedral’s estate with the city centre and its communities by revealing it to a wider audience.

To find out more about Barclay’s plans for Northgate Street, search for application number 23/02236/FUL on CWAC’s planning portal.

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Plus Dane Housing is working in partnership with Mayor Steve Rotheram and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to invest around £10m into its retrofit programme.

Plus Dane will invest £5m of its own funds into the programme, as well as the £4.5m that the company has received from LCRCA. The combined authority secured this funding from the second wave of the government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund in March.

Works will be carried out over the next two years to investigate a range of energy-saving solutions and retrofit a number of Plus Dane’s 18,000 properties across Merseyside and Cheshire.

Barry Callow, director of repairs at Plus Dane, said: “Funding from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is really making a difference to what we can achieve when looking to retrofit our homes, and we are grateful to the combined authority for helping us to do more with our money.

“Making our homes more energy efficient is a positive thing, not just as part of our obligation to meet net zero targets in the sector, but also for our customers who should see that they don’t need to use as much energy to keep their homes warm.”

This is not the first time that Plus Dane and LCRCA have worked together.

Last February, the combined authority awarded the housing association £1m from the first wave of its Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund allocation to oversee energy improvements to 100 homes.

These programmes form part of Rotheram’s plans to help 10,000 low-income homes to save money on their energy bills.

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As an experienced off plan property sales manager, you will work closely with the team to ensure that they are maximising every potential sales opportunity, developing new and current clients, overseeing both the sales and lead generation teams.

Providing daily coaching and training will be just a part of this challenging role. You will work with individuals to identify training needs, setting sales targets, ensuring that your team are continually motivated to perform to the best of their ability. You will be responsible for exceeding competitors within the Investment Sales Industry and driving your team forward to be the best performing sales team in the UK.

As part of our client’s ambitions expansion plans, you will take ownership of recruiting new team members, developing new agents to fulfil their potential. You will also have the opportunity to organise and attend targeted sales exhibitions and to develop relationships with new clients.

Working closely with the operations director, you will promote the company and develop new sales strategies, always striving to ensure that business targets are met, or exceeded.

This is a rare opportunity for a talented Sales Manager in Cheshire to work with a prestige brand, an exciting role which offers a clear path to career progression and a high earning potential.

Our client is offering a generous package including a basic salary circa £60,000 – £70,000, plus genuine OTE of £200,000. You will also be given the opportunity to become Sales Director and to receive company profit share.

We are looking for an exceptional Head of Property, who has experience and knowledge within Property Investment Sales, a highly motivated people manager who has the ability to lead a strong-minded team of sales professionals to the next level.

To apply for this position, send your CV or contact Rachael Gray for an initial discussion.

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Rula Developments, which acquired the site from Build&Thrive – a partnership between Cheshire West and Chester Council and PSP – has submitted a planning application for a 225,000 sq ft scheme featuring 213,000 sq ft of industrial space and 12,000 sq ft of offices. 

The shed would be located off Junction 18 of the M6 and developed speculatively in response to the region’s shortage of large industrial accommodation. 

The development has the capacity for 275 full-time jobs and Rula is aiming for EPC A and BREEAM excellent ratings. 

Subject to planning consent, construction could begin next March and complete the following September. 

Anthony Clitheroe, development director at Rula Developments, said: “With infrastructure already in place, we can offer fully serviced plots for immediate development.  

“Opportunities are available on freehold or leasehold terms, for new build units, ranging from 1,500 sq ft up to 225,000 sq ft supporting industrial manufacturing, distribution and roadside amenity uses.” 

Corstorphine & Wright is the architect and ID Planning is advising Rula on planning matters.

The scheme is the latest Rula has brought forward at Winsford. In May, the developer submitted proposals to speculatively deliver two smaller industrial units offering 74,508 sq ft and 27,728 sq ft of accommodation. 

Rula has previously delivered a 168,000 sq ft factory for Tiger Trailers at Winsford Gateway and more recently completed a 1.6-acre roadside petrol filling station with retail amenity for The Kay Group as well as a new 60,000 sq ft storage facility.  

PSP and Cheshire West & Chester Council have been working in partnership on the redevelopment of Winsford industrial estate since 2017.   

In 2020, the JV appointed Rula as development partner for the next phase of the scheme. 

Legat Owen and CBRE are the agents for Winsford Gateway.

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Fronting onto Exchange Square, the future Picturehouse Cinema will occupy a prominent spot at the council’s Chester Northgate project, which has seen the creation of an 800-space multi-storey car park, 10,000 sq ft of offices, and a new indoor market over its £70m first phase.

The first phase of Northgate opened last year.

Picturehouse has been the confirmed operator of Northgate’s cinema since 2016. The movie theatre will show a variety of arthouse and blockbuster films.

Cheshire West and Chester Council Leader Cllr Louise Gittins welcomed the news of Picturehouse’s opening date.

“The opening of the Picturehouse cinema at Northgate will be a major milestone achieved for the council; to bring a multi-screen cinema back to the city centre and complement the existing and planned attractions within Chester Northgate,” she said.

The announcement of Picturehouse’s autumn opening comes days after the cinema’s parent company, Cineworld Group, officially filed for administration – a decision that had been expected for several months in the wake of financial uncertainty from the company.

Despite this, a Cineworld spokesperson said that the group’s administration status would not impact its subsidiaries and that these companies, which include Regal and Picturehouse, would operate as usual.

Regarding the opening Clare Binns, managing director of Picturehouse Cinemas, said: “Picturehouse is so delighted to become part of the Chester community this autumn. We can’t wait to bring the Picturehouse experience, and a host of great films from around the world, to Chester.”

Picturehouse is celebrating its upcoming opening by hosting free film screenings at Chester Market on Tuesdays starting on 8 August. The cinema chain is also encouraging customers to sign up for its Chester Picturehouse Founder Memberships, which provides a series of free tickets each month.

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The developer plans to redevelop a half-acre surface car park off Charterhill Drive, providing a mix of one- and two-bedroom homes for older people. 

Ian Wilkins, divisional managing director at McCarthy Stone North, said: “Our exciting plans for Chester will help to address a critical need for retirement accommodation in the area, providing housing choice for local older people, whilst also freeing up the wider housing market for local families and first-time buyers further down the chain. 

“Residents typically use shops and services on their doorstep and, as such, this development will provide a vital boost to businesses in Chester city centre, helping to support local shops and cafes.” 

Approval for the scheme was given by Cheshire West and Chester Council under delegated powers. 

McCarthy Stone’s proposals include 36 car parking spaces for residents, staff, and visitors. This would include disabled and allocated visitor spaces. 

Communal facilities would include a residents’ lounge, guest suite, internal refuse store, and mobility scooter storage with charging points. 

Lift access would be provided for each floor of the six-storey building. 

A 24-hour emergency call service would also be available for residents. 

The Planning Bureau is the planning consultant for the scheme. Box Architects is the project’s architect, and TPM Landscape is the landscape architect. 

The estimated construction cost for the redevelopment is more than £10m. 

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Cheshire West and Chester Council approved the draft masterplan for the Chester City Gateway at its cabinet meeting on Monday.

The regeneration site includes Station Square, Queens Road, Hoole Way Edge, Flookersbrook, Lightfoot Street West, Lightfoot Street East, and Northgate Links.

Known as the strategic regeneration program, the framework is underpinned by five key initiatives:

• An improved Chester railway experience: internal concourse improvements, an enhanced Station Square public realm, and the provision of additional bus stops
• Greater accessibility: active travel improvements such as the creation of a pedestrian and cycle bridge alongside the existing Hoole Bridge, reduction of private vehicle use from parts of Brook Street and City Road and removal of through traffic on Station Road, and the creation of a mobility hub for the railway station
• Consolidating car parking: the building one multi-storey car park on the existing Chester Station West NCP above the proposed mobility hub, as opposed to the existing 10 that are spread out
• High-quality public realm: enhancing the public space around City Road Boulevard, Hoole Way Landscapes, Station Square, Flookersbrook, Shropshire Union Canal, and Lightfoot Street
• Housing: the construction of up to 600 homes as part of the 10-year strategy.

View the draft Chester City Gateway SRF

Robin Dobson, group property director at Network Rail, said: “The approval of the Strategic Regeneration Framework is an important step in the transformation of this core part of the city.

“As a major landowner and long-term investor in regeneration projects, we have a unique ability to create partnerships such as these around vital transport hubs”, he continued.

“The combination of development and infrastructure expertise generates real value and will help to deliver an improved neighbourhood for Chester’s communities and visitors, alongside driving wider economic growth for the region.”

The project team for the scheme includes London-based design practice 5th Studio, alongside CBRE, Arup, and Royal Pilgrim.

LCR and CWAC held a public consultation on the masterplan in January.

Cllr Nathan Pardoe, cabinet member for inclusive economy, regeneration, and digital transformation at CWAC, said: “Chester is a fantastic and vibrant city, and the City Gateway area forms the first impression of many visitors to Chester.

“Approval of the Strategic Regeneration Framework means there is an aspirational vision for positive transformation”, he continued.

“Responses to the framework consultation show clear enthusiasm for improvements to the station experience, active travel, public realm, and new homes.”

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Chester West and Chester Council’s staffing committee will be recommending that Curtis is appointed as the authority’s chief executive at its full council meeting on 13 July.

Currently acting as interim chief executive, Curtis joined CWAC as deputy chief executive of health and wellbeing in 2017 and has also acted as NHS director of place for the local authority.

Previous positions also include director of social care and deputy chief executive of Blackpool Council, as well as NHS management positions across performance, commissioning, and service transformation with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals and Fylde and Blackpool Primary Care Trusts.

Taking on the role of chief executive of CWAC will see Curtis supporting the borough’s future, the wellbeing of residents, and the engagement of colleagues.

Curtis said: “It is an honour to have the opportunity to lead our talented and dedicated workforce, as well as working closely with our partners, to build on the great work already being done across the borough and the wider region.

“I am passionate about the positive difference that can be achieved when public services work together with their residents and partners”, she continued. “Whilst there will be challenges, there are some great opportunities for our borough, and I am really excited about our future.”

Cllr Louise Gittins, Leader of CWAC, added: “Del clearly demonstrated her dedication and skills as a strategic leader during our rigorous recruitment process.

“With her passion for public service and deep commitment to improving opportunities for our residents, Del is ideally placed to take the council forward as we continue to build a borough where everyone can thrive.”

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Aew Architects designed the scheme on behalf of Encirc. Plans would see the creation of a 656,200 sq ft factory for the manufacturing and distribution of glass bottles.

The two-storey bottle factory would feature 364,500 sq ft of warehouse space and an 82,900 sq ft packaging area, as well as two 7,700 sq ft offices.

At 44 metres in height, the automated warehouse would accommodate 16 cranes for automatic stacking.

Visitors would be provided with 140 car parking spaces, including 14 electric vehicle charging bays. There would also be 20 cycle and seven motorcycle bays.

Currently vacant, the 50-acre plot was formerly occupied by the Ince A power station. The power station was closed and demolished in the 1980s.

Accessed off Ash Road and Ince Lane, the land sits on a wider 200-acre site, which currently houses Encirc’s existing warehouse.

The company first opened its Elton Facility in 2005. Since then, its workforce has more than doubled from 400 to 900.

Lichfields is the scheme’s planning consultant. The project team also includes transport consultant I-Transport, environmental consultant The Environment Partnership, and noise consultant IDOM.

To find out more about the plans, search for application number 22/03693/FUL on Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning portal.

UPDATE 6 JULY 2023: The application has been withdrawn from the planning committee agenda.

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Tickets cost £80+VAT. There will be a mix of presentations and panels. Breakfast and lunch are included, providing plenty of opportunity for business development.

This event is sponsored by Waterman.

View sponsorship opportunities.

Book using the form below – if you can’t see the form, please contact events@placenorthwest.co.uk

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Dan Whelan, senior reporter at Place North West, opened the annual Cheshire Development Update in feisty style with this question. The event, held at Chester Racecourse on 8 June, was sponsored by Waterman, Telcom, and Savills.

Opening up

One opportunity travelling at speed is the Chester City Gateway project – a partnership between developer LCR Property, Network Rail, and Cheshire West and Chester Council over the next 10 to 15 years. It has five priorities: the Chester Station experience, accessibility, high-quality public realm, and meeting local housing needs.

“Chester has a vibrant city centre but the area around the station is uninspiring,” said Peter Rowe, senior development manager at LCR, during the first, Chester-focused half of the conference.

To remedy the station’s “uninspiring” nature, the partnership is looking at creating a pedestrian and cycle-friendly route at Hoole Bridge to complement the existing road bridge.

Cllr Richard Beacham, deputy chair of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “Hoole Road is a really important corridor and the railway is a barrier. This is an opportunity to make it more permeable.”

Speaking more broadly about LCR’s projects, Rowe said: “We’re driven to deliver commercial return but, equally, public value is really important to us. It’s about housing delivery, public realm, job creation, and driving investment back into the railway.”

The event’s first panel was focused on Chester. From left: LCR Property’s Peter Lowe, University of Chester’s Eunice Simmons, Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Cllr Richard Beacham, Donald Insall Associates’ Tony Barton, Chester BID’s Andy Farrall. Credit: PNW

Changing trains

Professor Eunice Simmons, vice chancellor of the University of Chester, said her organisation was reacting to the way students operate – from promoting green travel to relocating the university’s base in Warrington to a central location between the town’s main railway stations.

The university’s out-of-town site is in the process of being sold. She added: “60% of our students are from the region; quite a few of them stay at home. People are looking for more adaptable ways to study so public transport is massively important.”

Opportunity knocks

Andy Farrall, board member at Chester BID, said: “The interesting thing about Chester is, for a historic city, it’s got huge opportunities for redevelopment. About half the city dates from about 1970 and it’s getting fairly elderly.

“I think there’s key promotional activity to do so the right developers see the sites and we need to be a bit more urgent to bring them forward to prove to the investment industry that development here is not difficult,” he continued.

Beacham added: “There are lots of opportunities for different levels of investment. We’ve got smaller building projects that are coming forward now that are conversions of under-used space into residential, which also helps us get more people living in the city.”

Tony Barton, chairman of architecture firm Donald Insall Associates, said: “People are seeing that the historic buildings aren’t the barrier to development. They’re the attraction. There’s lots of land all around them. People want high-quality housing. We need social housing as well. It’s got to be that mixture.”

Northgate Two

The council’s ambitious Northgate project was discussed, given the semi-recent completion of the £72m first phase which created a leisure destination in the heart of the city. An expected second phase would look to build on the land of the old Chester Market (a newer version of which now exists at Northgate) and its adjoining car park.

Quizzed about progress on this next phase of the Northgate redevelopment, Beacham said: “The council has already assembled the land, we’ve compulsory purchased parts that we need, so there is a red line around that site. We need to bring forward strategic framework in the same way we’re doing with City Gateway.”

Students want to live in Chester, but the offering just is not there yet, according to Chester BID’s Andy Farrall. Credit: PNW

Changing the estate

Simmons said the university is looking hard at how it uses its buildings – retrofitting, building sustainable extensions, and selling surplus stock.

She added: “It became really clear that we had to do something about the legibility and coherence of our estate. We’re a multi-faculty, middle-sized, middle-ranking university of about 15,000 students…

“The vast majority of students want to stay in this area so graduate housing is a real thing. There might be a developer out there amongst you who’s got an idea about what a housing model looks like that’s one step up from a hall of residence but not a luxury apartment building.”

Farrall added: “The Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership did a study six years ago which looked at young people. It identified three places: Crewe with HS2 (whenever that happens), Warrington because of its position and its connectivity, and the other one was Chester city centre, because of its lifestyle and character, and its attractiveness to younger people. But what they found was the offer wasn’t there.”

Browns update

Donald Insall’s Barton teased the audience with a ‘watch this space’ message when asked about the Browns of Chester and Grosvenor site. He said the Martin Property Group, the new owners, is actively working on plans for it and added: “Browns of Chester will be reborn.”

Beacham said: “Strategically, it’s a really important site. Now it’s got one solid owner for all of those buildings. It’ll be exciting to see what they do – and they’re listening.”

Difficult delivery

Asked about planning and development delays, Barton said: “You could say the same for almost any other attractive place in the UK – Chester probably got a reputation for being hard to do business. The thing is, Chester wasn’t built by a council. It was built by loads of people over time. We need to get back where the council’s there to oil the wheels. It’s not there to create the city.”

Simmons said: “It’s all about knowing your council and knowing what the priorities are. I think it’s a framing of a vision.”

Rowe said: “We need to work together as a collective, as an industry, and part of that is going out of our comfort zones. We need to not be afraid that we might get it wrong.”

Farrall said: “The last thing you need is a design framework for a place like Chester. It’s beautifully chaotic in terms of its design.”

The event’s second panel looked at the broader Cheshire and Warrington area. From left: Tatton Group’s Annette McDonald, Savills’ Jeremy Hinds, Maple Grove Developments’ Karen Hirst, and Warrington & Co’s John Laverick. Credit: PNW

Rural retreats

During the second panel presentation, Annette McDonald, deputy managing director of Tatton Group, described the wealth of projects her company was involved in, like the Parkgate Village development of 400 properties.

She also highlighted the new Tatton Services, in conjunction with Cumbria’s Westmorland Group, that is due before planners in July. Tatton Services will utilise a derelict farm as its location, integrating original buildings and creating a kitchen garden.

“It’s important to be agile and future thinking,” she said. “In terms of sustainability, we want to be pioneering and influential. It’s about partnership working across the geography. We say to local authorities ‘we can help you solve problems if you work with us’.”

No limits

Discussing the future of Cheshire and Warrington, Karen Hirst, managing director of Maple Grove Developments, said: “From a business perspective, business doesn’t look at the boundaries of counties. They’re just looking at places and opportunities where people want to live, work and play. It’s hard to get the coherent plan for the whole of Cheshire.”

However, she did praise the fact all the councils came together at UKREiiF, as did John Laverick, managing director of Warrington & Co.

Laverick added: “You’ve got Liverpool, Manchester, Midlands – all these people who have got something to say. It’s quite a big marketplace for Cheshire and Warrington to break into so if we do it separately, it’s not going to happen.”

‘I want to see centralisation in the sense of having a county model and capitalise on its strategic benefits,’ said Savills’ Jeremy Hinds. Credit: PNW

The mayoral debate

A show of hands in the room revealed only two people in favour of a mayor for Cheshire.

Jeremy Hinds, director at Savills, said: “The benefits of devolution arrived from economies of scale so it will work for Manchester, Liverpool, and so on. Cheshire is not a city, and the model that exists at the moment would not work for Cheshire. I want to see centralisation in the sense of having a county model and capitalise on its strategic benefits.”

Laverick added: “I think, more importantly, we get ourselves together so we have one voice in Cheshire and Warrington, and that we have proper conversations with our neighbours in Liverpool and Manchester. So, if you’re sat in Westminster and Liverpool, Manchester, and the combined authorities in Cheshire and Warrington want to come and speak to you, you’re going to speak to them, because that’s the whole of the North West, probably one of the most economically active parts of the UK.”

Hirst said: “What government wants to understand is who the accountable body is which is going to show them the money will go where it should to create jobs and homes.”

Changing places

Asked what Cheshire needed to become more collaborative and open for business, Hinds said: “A cohesive, coordinated narrative about the value, the virtues, the benefits, and the resources that this fabulous county has to offer.”

McDonald wanted more green energy opportunities to attract businesses, while Hirst said she wanted residents to treat it as a northwest hub for their careers, without boundary restrictions.

Laverick concluded: “How do we get weight behind our leaders in order to tell our story coherently? I think that’s the bit we really need to crack.”

Slides

Peter Rowe, LCR Property

Annette McDonald, Tatton Group

What’s next?

Place is heading to Kendal tomorrow for our Cumbria Development Update conference. Tickets are still available. Next week, the Place team will be hosting our Liverpool Summer Social on 22 June. Book your tickets.

Click any image to launch gallery

The post Cheshire Development Update 2023 | Photos and summary appeared first on Place North West.

]]> https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/cheshire-development-update-2023-photos-and-summary/feed/ 0 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/elliott-group-starts-work-on-36m-boughton-heath-retirement-village/ https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/elliott-group-starts-work-on-36m-boughton-heath-retirement-village/#comments Fri, 26 May 2023 09:53:55 +0000 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/?p=519787 Developer Retirement Village Group's 155 senior living apartments on the former site of Beechmoor Garden Centre are set to open in late 2024.

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]]> Developer Retirement Village Group’s 155 senior living apartments on the former site of Beechmoor Garden Centre are set to open in late 2024.

Architect RCKa designed the £36m scheme off Whitchurch Road, which will see a mix of one- and two-bedroom homes split across six villas.

Main contractor Elliott Group, whose headquarters are in Ireland, has started construction on the Boughton Heath retirement village. The village is a 30-minute cycle from Chester city centre.

The site will feature a restaurant, café, and wellness area as part of Retirement Village’s Thrive Living collection, designed to promote active and independent lifestyles.

Plans also include a sustainable transport hub to provide cycle hire and electric vehicle charging points in order to reach net zero carbon emissions. Additionally, renewable energy sources will be used on site.

The apartments will be spread across six villas. Credit: via Font Comms

Plans were submitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council in May 2022, following a lengthy consultation process.

Will Bax, chief executive of Retirement Villages Group, said: “We’re incredibly excited to have broken ground on building our newest community in Chester.

“It’s clear that we are not alone in wanting more positive life choices for older people.

“We’ve been delighted by the high level of local interest and engagement”, he added. “It’s clear this is an extension to the city, and we’ve shaped our proposals with facilities and amenities that respond to the community needs.”

Stantec is the scheme’s planning consultant. Also on the project team are landscape architect Fabrik, transport consultant Vectos, and arboricultural consultant DEP. Quad is consulting on flood risk and drainage strategy.

To find out more about the plans, search for application number 22/02075/S73 on CWAC’s planning portal.

The Boughton Heath site is Retirement Village’s first in the North West with a total of 16 sites across the UK, from Cornwall to Lincolnshire.

The company was purchased by European insurance and investment company, AXA IM Real Assets, in 2017 with plans to deliver 5,000 new homes across 40 sites over the next 40 years.

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]]> https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/elliott-group-starts-work-on-36m-boughton-heath-retirement-village/feed/ 2 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/job-listings/property-sales-executive-2/ Fri, 26 May 2023 05:41:30 +0000 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/?post_type=job_listing&p=519820 Our prestigious client is expanding their sales team and looking for intelligent and ambitious Sales Consultants to join their dynamic team in Chester. They provide advice to UK and global property investors, with a heavy focus in the UK residential markets. They  have a strong proven track record and specialise in exclusive off-market property investment, […]

The post Property Sales Executive appeared first on Place North West.

]]> Our prestigious client is expanding their sales team and looking for intelligent and ambitious Sales Consultants to join their dynamic team in Chester.

They provide advice to UK and global property investors, with a heavy focus in the UK residential markets. They  have a strong proven track record and specialise in exclusive off-market property investment, helping new and existing clients create wealth through property investment.

They are offering a generous basic salary of £30,000 – £40,000 plus a realistic OTE in year 1 £100,000+ | Year 2 £150,000+ | Year 3 £180,000+.

We are seeking experienced, passionate, diligent individuals to join their dynamic and hard-working investment sales team. They truly believe investing in talent and taking target-driven individuals with them along their journey, so this is a perfect position for a hungry and ambitious candidate!

The role

• Engaging with potential clients & understanding their financial goals & requirements
• Responding to client enquiries and providing comprehensive information about our investment property and market conditions
• Managing a client pipeline and client relationships
• Negotiating with clients & closing out investment discussions to ensure clients proceed
• Book virtual meetings with clients and deliver investment solutions to enable investors to achieve their goals
• Be able to clearly explain an investment recommendation and analysis

Required experience

• Experience within the property sales sector
• Winning and ambitious attitude
• High-level performer with a proven track record
• Industry knowledge and interest in financial markets
• Highly target driven with the ability to produce strong results consistently
• Educated to a degree level preferable
• A professional manner in dealing with internal and external stakeholders
• Good understanding of the mathematics of property investment (yields, interest, LTV etc.)
• Thrives within a team environment and is driven by competitiveness

Benefits

• Uncapped Commission
• Clear Promotion structure
• Generous holiday allowance
• Bespoke employee wellness benefit package
• Monthly and quarterly social/team-building events
• Autonomous and fun environment
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free or subsidised travel
• Gym membership
• Private medical insurance
• Wellness programme

Attach your CV to apply for this exciting Sales Consultant opportunity based in Chester!

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]]> https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/book-now-cheshire-development-update-4/ https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/book-now-cheshire-development-update-4/#respond Mon, 15 May 2023 10:18:04 +0000 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/?p=518754 Join MCI Developments, McGoff, McCarthy Stone, RSK, Morgan Sindall, BE, Purcell, and many more companies already registered to attend this annual state-of-the-property-market briefing for Cheshire and Warrington.

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]]> Join MCI Developments, McGoff, McCarthy Stone, RSK, Morgan Sindall, BE, Purcell, and many more companies already registered to attend this annual state-of-the-property-market briefing for Cheshire and Warrington.

Get Tickets

Hear about the latest major developments, supply and demand for commercial and residential and the political trends shaping the landscape for the area.

 

Cheshire Development Update is due to take place at Chester Racecourse on the morning of Thursday 8 June. This conference is sponsored by Savills, Telcom and Waterman.

• Speakers confirmed so far
• Peter Rowe, senior development manager, LCR Property
• Annette McDonald, deputy managing director, Tatton Group
• Daniel Bourne, head of asset management, Bruntwood SciTech
• Karen Hirst, managing director, Maple Grove Developments
• John Laverick, managing director, Warrington & Co
• Andy Farrall, board member, Chester BID
• Tony Barton, chairman, Donald Insall Associates

There will be plenty of time for networking before during and after the event. Attendees also get access to the database and other benefits on the Place North West app. Breakfast and lunch are provided.

Book your ticket today by using the form below. If you cannot see the form please contact events@placenorthwest.co.uk

 

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]]> https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/book-now-cheshire-development-update-4/feed/ 0 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/cityheart-appoints-assistant-development-director/ https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/cityheart-appoints-assistant-development-director/#respond Mon, 15 May 2023 07:51:37 +0000 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/?p=518610 Anika Day joins the Chester-based developer with more than 12 years of experience in the property industry.

The post Cityheart appoints assistant development director appeared first on Place North West.

]]> Anika Day joins the Chester-based developer with more than 12 years of experience in the property industry.

Day will head up Cityheart’s development team in her new role, predominantly focusing on the £135m Wigan Galleries project.

As assistant development director, Day will also work in partnership with other public sector bodies to contribute to projects as the company adds to its £650m development pipeline.

Day previously worked as a senior project manager at Moda Living, a position she held for more than five years. She also worked as development manager at Select Property and project manager at Gardiner & Theobald.

Warren Taylor, development director at Cityheart, said: “Anika’s strong track record, particularly in the residential sector will enhance our existing in-house resources and skills.”

Day added: “Cityheart is evidently a very dynamic company with a lot of energy and ambition and a strong variety of schemes being undertaken, which will provide a breadth of exciting new challenges.”

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]]> https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/cityheart-appoints-assistant-development-director/feed/ 0 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/ba-commercial-appoints-directors/ https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/ba-commercial-appoints-directors/#respond Fri, 05 May 2023 18:13:30 +0000 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/?p=518337 Robbie Clarke and Howard Cole have been promoted to the senior position, buying into the chartered surveying company that they joined as graduate surveyors more than five years ago.

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]]> Robbie Clarke and Howard Cole have been promoted to the senior position, buying into the chartered surveying company that they joined as graduate surveyors more than five years ago.

BA Commercial provides agency, valuation, property and asset management, and landlord and tenant services. The more than 50-year-old firm has offices in Chester and St Asaph.

Clarke and Cole are both members of BA Commercial’s agency department and were associate directors before their promotion in April to director shareholders.

Frase Crewe, head of BA Commercial’s agency team, praised the two’s professional journey.

“It is great news to see two chartered surveyors joined BA Commercial as graduate surveyors, now becoming shareholders with the intent of progressing and developing the business going forward,” Crewe said.

Clarke shared his and Cole’s ambitions for BA Commercial.

“We are looking to expand the business across all lines, and ultimately go on a recruitment drive and look to expand in areas where BA Commercial has had a less active presence than other areas,” Clarke said.

“We are a hardworking and committed team and have the capacity to go even further.”

Cole echoed Clarke’s words.

“The company has developed a lot in the past 5-years and it has been good to be a part of that growth together with the rest of the team, we now look forward to the future and continuing to deliver the best service possible to clients,” Cole said.

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]]> https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/ba-commercial-appoints-directors/feed/ 0 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/north-west-local-elections-2023-results/ https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/north-west-local-elections-2023-results/#respond Fri, 05 May 2023 09:14:43 +0000 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/?p=518251 All of the results are in for the 32 local authorities that held elections yesterday in the North West.

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]]> All of the results are in for the 32 local authorities that held elections yesterday in the North West.

From the overnight counts, Bolton Council was the most interesting result, with Labour taking over as the party with the most seats. There is still no overall majority in the council.

The evening’s surprise result was in Oldham, where Oldham Council Leader Cllr Amanda Chadderton lost her seat. She is the third leader to be unseated in Oldham during an election, following the same path as Arooj Shah and Sean Fielding.

Chadderton came in fourth in her ward, Royton South. The highest number of votes in that ward went to independent candidate Maggie Hurley.

But it was not all bad news for former leaders of Oldham Council. Fielding, who lost his seat in 2021, had his own victory on Friday, claiming a seat in Bolton Council.

• READ MORE: A Northern perspective – what we know so far about the local elections
• READ MORE: Local races to watch, key themes, and more

You’ll find a summary of the North West local election results below. This story will be updated with results as they come in.

Cheshire

Cheshire East

Labour gained six seats in Cheshire East to the detriment of the Conservative Party, independents, and the Liberal Democrats which lost one, three, and two seats, respectively. There is no overall majority control in the council. The new council makeup is 33 Conservative, 31 Labour, 11 independent, five Residents ‘Association, and two Liberal Democrat.

Cheshire West and Chester

Labour gained an overall majority in Cheshire West & Chester, claiming four new seats. Conservatives lost five seats, while Liberal Democrats one. The Green Party and independents gained one each. The new council makeup is 39 Labour, 23 Conservative, five independent, two Green, and one Liberal Democrat.

Cumbria

Westmorland and Furness Council

Labour retained its Old Barrow and Hindpool ward seat, the subject of a by-election after the death of former Barrow Council Leader Ann Thomson in January. Dave Cassidy has taken over Thomson’s seat. Liberal Democrats are still in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 36 Liberal Democrat, 15 Labour, 11 Conservative, two independent, and one Green.

Greater Manchester

Bolton

Labour is now the party with the most seats at Bolton, growing the number of councillors by five. Among those elected include former Oldham Leader Sean Fielding, who claimed the Breightmet ward seat. Fielding, who works for BECG, is a contributor to Place North West’s Insight column, writing about politics.

The Conservatives lost seven seats in Bolton and UK Independence Party lost its only councillor in the borough. Independents gained three seats in Bolton, growing their numbers to 11. The votes were split between three groups, with Horwich & Blackrod First Independents taking the majority as it tripled its numbers at the council, going from two councillors to six. The other two groups, Farnworth & Kearsley First Party and One Kearsley took two and three seats, respectively.

The new council makeup is 26 Labour, 17 Conservative, 11 independents, and six Liberal Democrat.

Bury

Bury gained two seats at the cost of the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives, who lost one seat each. Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 31 Labour, 11 Conservative, and nine independent.

Manchester

Labour lost two seats in Manchester compared to the previous election. These seats were picked up by the Liberal Democrats and the Greens.

However, in reality, Labour lost three seats. This is because Greg Stanton, the councillor for Didsbury West, was elected as a Liberal Democrat but resigned from the party in 2020 and joined Labour. He did not run for re-election, and the Didsbury West seat has now been claimed by Liberal Democrat Richard Kilpatrick.

Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 88 Labour, four Liberal Democrat, and four Green.

Oldham

Oldham Council Leader Cllr Amanda Chadderton was the third leader in a row to lose her seat in an election, suffering the same fate as Arooj Shah in 2022 and Sean Fielding the year before. Still, Labour retained a slight overall majority – despite losing three seats. These were picked up by the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and independents. The new council makeup is 32 Labour, 11 Conservative, 10 Liberal Democrat, and seven independent.

Rochdale

Labour gained three seats in Rochdale, one from the Conservative Party and two from independents. Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 46 Labour, nine Conservative, three Liberal Democrat, and two independents.

Salford City

There were no changes in Salford, with Labour retaining its 18 seats and the Conservatives keeping the three that it had up for election. Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 49 Labour, eight Conservative, two Liberal Democrat, and one independent.

Stockport

Stockport continues to be a council with no overall majority. Conservatives lost all five seats they held in the borough. Liberal Democrats picked up one of these seats, as did the Greens. Independents claimed the remaining three. The new council makeup is 30 Liberal Democrat, 24 Labour, six independent, and three Green.

Tameside

Labour picked up three seats at Tameside at the expense of the Conservative Party, which lost two seats, and the Green Party, which lost its only councillor. Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 51 Labour and six Conservative.

Trafford

The Green Party picked up two seats in Trafford, while the Conservatives lost two. Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 41 Labour, 10 Conservative, six Green, and six Liberal Democrat.

Wigan

Labour gained five seats and independents gained one, all at the expense of the Conservative Party. Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 64 Labour, nine independent, and two Conservative.

Lancashire

Blackburn with Darwen

Labour gained two seats, one from the Conservative Party and another from the Liberal Democrats during the election. The Conservatives held on to three seats. Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 39 Labour and 12 Conservative.

Blackpool

Labour secured an overall majority in Blackpool after securing five seats at the expense of the Conservatives (down one) and independents (down four). The new council makeup is 28 Labour and 14 Conservative.

Burnley

Labour picked up two seats in the election, while the Conservative Party gained one councillor – the same result as the Greens. Liberal Democrats and UKIP both lost one seat, while the number of independents reduced by two. Labour is the party with the largest number of councillors, but there is no overall majority in Burnley. The new council makeup is 21 Labour, seven Conservative, seven Green, seven Liberal Democrat, and three independent.

Chorley

Labour gained five seats at the expense of the Conservative Party, which was only able to retain one of the council positions it had up for election. Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 36 Labour and six Conservative.

Fylde

Conservatives maintained their majority in Fylde, despite losing one seat. Labour picked up two and Liberal Democrats claimed one, while the number of independents on the council was reduced by two. The new council makeup is 19 Conservative, 14 Independent, two Labour, and two Liberal Democrat.

Hyndburn

Conservatives picked up two seats at Hyndburn Council from Labour. Conservatives and Labour now have the same amount of councillors – 16. The new council makeup is 16 Labour, 16 Conservative, two Green, and one independent.

Lancaster City

It was a big night for the Green Party, which gained 10 seats in Lancaster City Council. Gains were also made by Liberal Democrats and Labour, which earned five and two additional seats, respectively. Conservatives lost seven seats, while independents lost 10. There continues to be no party majority in Lancaster City. The new council makeup is 24 Labour, 21 Green, seven Liberal Democrat, five Conservative, and four independent.

Pendle

Liberal Democrats picked up two seats in Pendle, while Labour gained one. All three of those posts were picked up from the Conservative Party. There is no overall majority at Pendle. The new council makeup is 14 Conservative, 11 Labour, seven Liberal Democrat, and one independent.

Preston

No parties made gains in Thursday’s election. Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The council makeup continues to be 26 Labour, eight Conservative, and seven Liberal Democrat.

Ribble Valley

The Conservative Party lost its overall majority at Ribble Valley, losing 10 seats. Liberal Democrats also lost two seats, while Labour and Green picked up seven and two. Independents claimed three additional seats.

There is no overall majority at Ribble Valley. The new council makeup is 18 Conservative, eight Liberal Democrat, seven Labour, five independent, and two Green.

Rossendale

Labour gained three seats in the election, while the Conservatives lost an equal number. Independents also lost one seat while the Greens were successful in picking one up. The Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 22 Labour, nine Conservative, four independent, and one Green.

South Ribble

South Ribble went from having no overall majority to being red, with Labour claiming seven seats from the Conservatives during the election. The current council makeup is 29 Labour, 16 Conservative, and five Liberal Democrat.

West Lancashire

Labour gained an overall majority in West Lancashire, which previously had no overall majority. Labour picked up four seats at the expense of the Conservatives and independents, who both lost two seats. The new council makeup is 26 Labour, 15 Conservative, and one independent. There are three positions that are vacant, all in the ward of Rural South. This is due to the death of a candidate.

Wyre

Conservatives maintained control of Wyre Council, despite losing seven seats. UKIP also lost all three of the seats that it held. Labour gained seven and independents gained three. The new council makeup is 30 Conservative, 15 Labour, and three independent.

Liverpool City Region

Halton

Labour gained one seat during the election at the cost of the Conservative Party. Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 49 Labour, three Liberal Democrat, and two Conservative.

Knowsley

The Green Party picked up two Labour seats in Knowsley. Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 31 Labour, seven Green, four independent, and three Liberal Democrat.

Liverpool City

Labour lost nine seats, while the Green Party lost one in Thursday’s election. Liberal Democrats picked up six of the seats lost, while independents nabbed three. The remaining seat was won by the Liberal Party.

Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 61 Labour, 15 Liberal Democrat, three Green, three independent, and three Liberal Party.

Sefton

Labour gained three seats in the election, two from Independents and one from the Conservative Party. Labour remains in control of the council with an overall majority. The new council makeup is 51 Labour, eight Liberal Democrat, five Conservative, and two independent.

Wirral

The Green Party gained five votes and Labour gained two, all at the expense of the Conservative Party, which lost seven. There continues to be no overall majority party in Wirral. The new council makeup is 30 Labour, 17 Conservative, 13 Green, and six Liberal Democrat.

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]]> https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/north-west-local-elections-2023-results/feed/ 0 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/refusal-for-212-chester-homes/ https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/refusal-for-212-chester-homes/#comments Thu, 06 Apr 2023 11:00:56 +0000 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/?p=516193 Taylor Wimpey’s plans to increase the number of homes it built on a parcel off Wrexham Road from 127 to 212 was shot down by Cheshire West and Chester Council.

The post Refusal for 212 Chester homes appeared first on Place North West.

]]> Taylor Wimpey’s plans to increase the number of homes it built on a parcel off Wrexham Road from 127 to 212 was shot down by Cheshire West and Chester Council.

CWAC’s rejection of the application came contrary to officer recommendation. CWAC’s planning committee voted that the application was considered to be overdevelopment, which would negatively impact the character of the area.

The council’s decision notice also stated that the application “fails to respect the prevailing layout and urban grain”.

Taylor Wimpey had originally secured permission to build 127 homes on the 17-acre plot in April 2019, as part of a wider application for 785 homes on the northern part of Taylor Wimpey and Redrow’s still wider Wrexham Road site.

The wider Wrexham Road site has approval for 1,269 homes.

The recent application focused on the northernmost part of the northern site and would have made up phase three of the larger project.

In addition to the 212 homes, Taylor Wimpey’s plans included a children’s play area. The homes themselves would have included eight one-bed affordable apartments, 15 two-bed affordable houses, and 3 three-bed homes.

Of all the 212 homes, 119 would have had three bedrooms and 70 would have had four.

Access to this part of the development would have been off Roman Crescent, a spine road that connects to Wrexham Road in Chester.

Lichfields was the planning consultant for the project. The application’s reference number with Cheshire West and Chester Council is 22/03064/FUL.

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]]> https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/refusal-for-212-chester-homes/feed/ 2 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/fisher-german-appoints-two-north-west-partners/ https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/fisher-german-appoints-two-north-west-partners/#comments Thu, 06 Apr 2023 10:25:12 +0000 https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/?p=516189 Simon Geary and Hugh Platt, both based in the chartered surveyor’s Knutsford office, have been promoted to the senior position.

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]]> Simon Geary and Hugh Platt, both based in the chartered surveyor’s Knutsford office, have been promoted to the senior position.

Geary joined Fisher German in 2005 and is a member of the company’s commercial property management team. Platt, who joined the firm in 2016, is a member of the rural property management team.

Their appointments to partner are part of a larger swath of promotions across the company’s 28 UK offices. Companywide, 54 employees went up the ranks, including 10 in the North West.

Geary and Platt are obviously two of those 10. The others include Rebecca Hannah and Jonathan Young, who have been named associate partners in the Knutsford and Liverpool offices, respectively.

In the Chester office, Nia Borsey was promoted to associate and Katherine Lewis to senior surveyor.

In addition to Young, other Liverpool office promotions included Rebecca Rouse to associate, Tom Parry to senior associate, and Gabriel Davies to senior surveyor.

Libby Clarke was the lone promotion in Fisher German’s Manchester home and was promoted to the role of associate.

“We have a fantastic team across the North West, and these promotions highlight the hard work and expertise demonstrated by colleagues,” Geary said.

“It also shows the range of training and career progression opportunities within Fisher German, and that it is a good firm to both work for and do business with,” he continued.

Reflecting on his own promotion to partner alongside Platt, Geary said: “Hugh and I are extremely pleased to join the partnership and look forward to supporting the firm’s strategic growth plans, working with the wider team to continue to drive the business forward.”

Platt added: “We are both delighted to be joining the partnership of such a forward-thinking and diverse firm with colleagues who are at the forefront of their property specialisms.”

The promotions come less than a year after Fisher German merged with fellow surveyor Matthews & Goodman, which provided Fisher German with a Liverpool and Manchester office. Since then, the company has been able to boast a turnover approaching £60m.

The company is in a good place post-merger, according to Duncan Bedhall, senior partner at Fisher German.

Bedhall said: “The business continues to go from strength to strength following the merger, and we continue to capitalise on collaborative opportunities within the firm which benefit both the business and our clients”.

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]]> https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/fisher-german-appoints-two-north-west-partners/feed/ 1