Sandbach development set for refusal over impact concerns

Plans to build a huge mixed-scheme in Sandbach – which would comprise a retail development, a restaurant, homes and a farm shop – look set to be refused.Muller Property Group is behind the application, which is earmarked for land south of Old Mill Road.It is hybrid and therefore made up of two parts.The first – which is a full proposal – is for a 21,000 sq ft food store, a petrol filling station and convenience store operated by BP and M&S respectively, a drive-thru restaurant, a coffee shop, a farm shop and two retail units occupied by a national bakery chain operator and a national sandwich chain operator.The outline element is for a 78-bed extra care facility, 92 homes – including two apartment blocks – and the conversion of an existing barn building and farmhouse into a further four properties.The applicant has stated that the likely number of jobs sustained by the operational phase of the commercial part of the development could be up to 242, the majority of which would be in the food store.Concerns have been raised about the impact the development would have on the Waitrose and Aldi anchor stores in Sandbach town centre, which is one of the reasons why the application has been recommended for refusal.A decision will be made next week.