FIRM plans to kickstart a new business park in Wilmslow have been lodged with Cheshire East Council.

The local authority set aside a strip of land between the A34 and the railway line, south of the Wilmslow High School roundabout, for employment development in its local plan.

Now, developer R. Wain and Sons has submitted a planning application to build more than 17,000sq m of office space in the first phase of the development.

In the application, AEW Architects, working on behalf of R. Wain and Sons, said: “The proposed development will deliver a high quality, employment-led redevelopment that will deliver infrastructural, environmental and economic benefits to the local area.

“It is considered that the planning application reflects an appropriate and viable illustrative scheme that will comprehensively benefit Wilmslow and the surrounding area.

“It will provide a catalyst to the further growth objectives as stated in the Cheshire East local plan.”

The scheme, called Wilmslow Business Park, would include up to 17,162sq m of office space, plus new infrastructure including landscaping, a cycle hub and car parking.

The office space would be built in five plots, with buildings up to four storeys in height, and a park for workers to enjoy would be included in the middle of the site.

There are no details of how many staff could be accommodated at the site in the planning application, but the development would include space for 572 cars.

Access to the site would be from a junction on the northbound side of the A34 which was given planning permission in October 2017.

A road would run through the site from north to south, and a possible new access to the north could be included once later phases of the business park are built.

An underpass to the south of the site is expected to provide pedestrian and cyclist access from the business park to the Royal London campus and the town centre on the other side of the railway line.

The scheme is an ‘outline’ planning application, meaning CEC will consider giving the green light to the principal of building the business park.

More concrete proposals on design would have to go back to the council in a ‘reserved matters’ application before the site can be built.

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Residents can comment on the plans until Thursday, November 14.

To view the planning application, search for ‘19/4759M’ on CEC’s planning website.