Hillcrest Homes acquires historic King’s School Cumberland Street site

James Payne

Luxury Altrincham house builder Hillcrest Homes has agreed to purchase a landmark site on Cumberland Street in Macclesfield town centre from The King’s School, for an undisclosed sum.

The site currently occupies the oldest of the 500-year-old independent school’s buildings, a 19th century Grade II-listed building, formerly the main school and now a library, and an early 20th century main school building built in the same style.

Hillcrest was founded in 1985 and has established a reputation for delivering high quality residential design that is in keeping with a development’s location.

Hillcrest will submit plans to Cheshire East Council later this year proposing the restoration and conversion of the period buildings for sensitive redevelopment into attractive luxury apartments.

In addition, Hillcrest will propose crafting a number of high quality new build homes designed specifically for the site and sensitively positioned around the existing cricket green. If planning is successful, the site’s ornate iron gates and a large part of the green will be preserved.

The new scheme is being delivered in partnership with The King’s School and is the result of months of close negotiations led by Hillcrest’s new managing director, James Payne.

He said: “It’s a privilege to have been entrusted with such an important site.

“The buildings are steeped in history and are held in high esteem by local residents and current and former staff and pupils.

“It is not in our nature, as a business or individuals, to disregard this heritage.

“By giving them a new lease of life as prestigious and comfortable homes, we aim to prolong their history, King’s legacy, and our own, whilst creating an inspirational place for people to live and thrive.”

Cumberland Street is one of three sites being sold by The King’s School to help fund the development of a pioneering new 80-acre educational facility near Prestbury for children aged from pre-school to sixth form.

Referred to as King’s ‘2020 Vision’, work on the new state-of-the-art King’s school is expected to start this Summer with completion scheduled for late Spring 2020. The current school sites will be released for housing once the new school is complete.

Dr Simon Hyde, headmaster of The King’s School, said: “It was very important to us that our chosen development partner for the historic Cumberland Street site would approach it with sensitivity and respect.

“Hillcrest has demonstrated its ability to deliver residential schemes that serve the requirements of residents whilst protecting the aesthetics of their location to benefit the wider community – both now and in the future. Their plans for the site are very exciting.”

Public consultation events on the proposed scheme will be staged in the Autumn with Hillcrest hoping to submit a full planning application by the end of the year.

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