Progress on employment element of Congleton’s Viking Way project

Further plans have been submitted to Cheshire East Council over plans to develop 93,538 sq ft of employment space in Congleton.

Asteer Planning has submitted a reserved matters planning application, on behalf of Clowes Developments, as part of the Viking Way project.

The employment space forms part of the wider scheme and is expected to create a significant number of new jobs for the area.

The move follows the granting of outline planning approval in February 2022, for a mixed use scheme comprising residential, employment, commercial floorspace and local centre, with all associated landscaping and infrastructure works.

The site forms part of the Congleton Business Park Expansion scheme outlined in the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy and lies to the west of Viking Way.

The reserved planning application for the employment floorspace is the second phase of the wider scheme and has been submitted in conjunction with an additional full application proposing site enabling works to speed up delivery.

Marc Freeman, director at Clowes Developments, the company leading the commercial element of the project, said: “This is a really exciting development for the Viking Way project and approval of these applications will mark a major step forward for the wider scheme.

“Viking Way is a landmark development for the town and it will help promote Congleton, creating new jobs and boosting the local economy.”

Alice Routledge, partner at Asteer Planning, said: “The Viking Way scheme will be a huge contribution to the successful delivery of the Congleton Business Park Extension which is a key element of the Local Plan Strategy.

“Approval of these applications will not only provide the go ahead for crucial infrastructure work to progress, but will significantly increase the scheme’s attractiveness to the market and help in securing end users.”