KNUTSFORD Town Council has restated its opposition to plans to demolish the Knutsford War Memorial Cottage Hospital to make way for retirement housing.

The council voted to continue to oppose the McCarthy and Stone scheme after being told the developers would not object to section 106 funding being used to improve local health care facilities.

Under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act contributions can be sought from developers towards the costs of providing community and social infrastructure.

McCarthy and Stone applied to Cheshire East Council in January for retirement living housing, together with a memorial garden, in Northwich Road, Knutsford.

The application would see the demolition of Knutsford War Memorial Cottage Hospital, and was considered by the town council’s planning committee twice.

Initially no objection was raised, but following comments by Cheshire East’s Conservation Officer the application was reconsidered and an objection lodged.

The council agreed other uses for the building should be explored by the developers, and should the scheme be approved section 106 money from the development should provide a major sum towards improving health services.

This would recognise the former use of the site, the way in which the former hospital was originally funded and the need for a new health centre in the town.

“Representatives of the town council’s war memorial cottage hospital working group met with McCarthy and Stone in July,” said town clerk Adam Keppel-Green.

“McCarthy and Stone said they would be unable to reuse the existing building in their application, and would support a proportion of their section 106 contribution going to healthcare.”

Following the meeting six councillors asked for the application to be reconsidered.

McCarthy and Stone representative Chris Butt told councillors at Monday’s meeting: “It has become clear to McCarthy and Stone during the consultation that the potential and previous loss of the health care use of the site is something that is of significant local concern.

“The viability of the scheme has been subject to very vigorous review by Cheshire East Council, and that has identified there is a pot of money that is available for planning contributions.

“While McCarthy and Stone don’t necessarily agree there is a planning requirement to offset the health care use they would have no objections should Cheshire East wish to seek a contribution from that pot of money towards local health care facilities.”

Cllr Tony Dean said the McCarthy and Stone plan was a good use for the site, and the war memorial would still be in that part of the town.

Cllr Christopher Gray said the application represented the best use of the land, and there was nothing in the plan which should lead the town council to object to the scheme, which would benefit the community.

Cllr Elizabeth Beswick said flats for the elderly were needed, but this was the wrong site as it was ‘too dear’ to the hearts of many residents.

Cllr Andrew Malloy said ‘we are here to pass on the thoughts of the people we represent in this town,’ and proposed the objection to the application stood, a proposal which was passed.

Resident Debbie Jamison said any money would go to Cheshire East not Knutsford Town Council, and a section 106 sum to mitigate the harm done by demolishing a heritage asset would be required anyway.

The planning application – reference 18/0089M – can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council planning portal, and the target date for a decision on the scheme is November 30.