Aircraft noise fear grounds £100m scheme
LPC Living’s £100m plans for 360 homes and a new headquarters for Harman Technology in Mobberley have been thrown out by Cheshire East Council.
The authority’s planning officers had marked the scheme for approval but councillors voted against, citing the impact of aircraft noise, the scale of the development and the level of affordable housing.
The developer said it will now go back to the drawing board to see how it can amend the masterplan.
The site is a mile from Manchester Airport’s second runway and LPC Living had incorporated “noise canopies” and an “acoustic shelter” into the garden designs to help mitigate noise.
LPC Living, owned by the Pervaiz Naviede Family Trust, said the development would have guaranteed 200 jobs at Harman which makes and sells traditional black and white film used by photographers. The company is keen to downsize to a new factory to cut operating costs.
Multi-million pound proposals which would have safeguarded up to 200 jobs in Cheshire have been set back after being turned down by council planners.
Simon Ashdown, director at LPC Living, said: “This scheme would have acted as a catalyst for Cheshire East to deliver a significant number of much-needed homes on a brownfield site and retain a prestigious manufacturing business within the borough.
“While we’re disappointed by this decision we will take on board the planning committee’s feedback and look at how the masterplan can be amended to better meet the needs of Mobberley whilst still addressing the requirement of our tenant to save on costs, modernise and become more sustainable for the future.”
Peter Elton, managing director at Harman Technology, said: “The Ilford Way site has been our home for over a century but in recent years has become too large for us. This opportunity to reshape our facilities would have helped us to continue as Mobberley’s largest employer as well as creating a contemporary headquarters more suited to our needs.”
