ROYAL London has been given the all clear to transform its Wilmslow campus into four smaller office units with parking for up to 1,100 cars.

Cheshire East Council granted Royal London planning permission for new offices at its Alderley Road campus in July 2016, with the intention of using those facilities for its own employees.

But in October 2017, Royal London announced it would move to Alderley Park, and that move is set to be made next year.

Royal London then submitted fresh office plans in August to make sure new offices on the site are suitable for new businesses to open their doors.

“This is an important proposal,” said Gary Halman, representing Royal London.

“When Royal London does vacate next year the site will have to have a new repurposing – this is very much a part of that.”

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The development for up to 17,000sq m of office space, car parking, improved footpaths and cycleways, and enhanced landscaping surrounding the site.

Royal London’s last proposal included the same amount of office space, but just in one building, and Mr Halman insisted that would not be suitable for the market.

“[Businesses] tend to look for smaller buildings and either let on a floor by floor basis,” he added.

The move had been supported by East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce, but it attracted 14 letters of objection to CEC.

Among the objectors were The Emerson Group – which owns office space in Wilmslow town centre –  and Cllr Mark Goldsmith told councillors that he feared the scheme would lead to an ‘oversupply of office space’ in town.

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Speaking on behalf of Residents of Wilmslow and Wilmslow Civic Trust, he said: “Today’s application is for a mixed-space business park for multiple companies that will directly compete with Wilmslow town centre.

“Next door to it is a mixed-site office development in the form of the proposed Wilmslow Business Park.

“Wilmslow does not need, nor does it want, two identical business parks.”

Town councillor Jon Newell warned the committee that it is a ‘completely speculative development’ and raised concerns over the scheme’s impact on traffic in Alderley Road.

Opening the debate, Cllr David Jefferay, Residents of Wilmslow member for Wilmslow East, said: “I went down there this morning. I was queueing to get across that roundabout.

“Dumping another 1,000 cars on that small stretch of road – coincidentally at peak times – is not going to be good.

“This is going to attract businesses away from the centre of town and therefore it would have an adverse economic impact on the centre of Wilmslow.”

But the land, which is included in Royal London’s masterplan for a ‘living campus’, is allocated for employment use in CEC’s local plan – and officers insisted the development is appropriate.

Cllr Steve Hogben, Labour, said: “We should actually welcome that there are four small buildings rather than one big one.

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“It might be speculative, but speculative developments can take decades – certainly years – to come to fruition. There might not be anyone lined up.”

Members approved the scheme by nine votes to one, with one abstention.

Up to 180 homes will also be built as part of the wider Royal London masterplan, after CEC granted planning permission for two developments at the site last March.