A derelict gasworks in Nantwich used as a town car park will be built on after ministers waived a £400,000 bill owed by Cheshire East Council.
The St Anne’s Lane Gasworks, off Welsh Row, has stood derelict for a quarter of a century, and used by many residents and local employees as a car park.
But today Housing Minister Brandon Lewis has confirmed he is waiving repayment of a £400,000 Derelict Land Grant to enable Cheshire East to put forward a scheme creating new homes, leisure facilities and jobs.
The site at St Anne’s Lane was the town gasworks from around 1877 until the 1970s.
Initial works to improve the site were completed in 1988 thanks to the £409,042 Government grant and the council at the time attempted to dispose of it.
But further remediation work was needed and the additional costs to bring the land to a desirable state were too much.
It means any potential has stalled since 1989, as a condition of the original grant meant Cheshire East Council faced having to pay it back to Government.
However, Mr Lewis has confirmed he is waiving this bill so work at St Anne’s Lane could start as early as 2016.
Cheshire East Council will now start to work with developers on plans to use the site to build new homes and leisure facilities as well as improve access to the river bank.
Mr Lewis said: “St Anne’s Lane should be a real draw for local people, offering places to live and meet.
“Instead, it’s stood derelict for a quarter of a century, offering nothing more than somewhere to park.
“So I’m pleased to make this common sense decision and waive a £400,000 bill, so Cheshire East Council can get on and start work on the site, delivering homes and other leisure facilities.”
Caroline Simpson, executive director of economic development at Cheshire East Council, said: “This is excellent news and rewards the hard work put in by the council’s wholly-owned company Engine of the North to see the issues surrounding this brownfield site resolved and a scheme developed which is acceptable to all.
“This is a very prominent and sustainable site close to the town centre and clearly any development will need to complement the town centre of Nantwich and address the parking needs of residents and shoppers, it needs to be the best fit for the town.
“We look forward to getting plans in place so that work can begin at the earliest opportunity.”
We live in Shrewbridge Rd and we can’t park during the week because of inconsiderate people who work in the town, while there is a half-hour car park up the road.
People complain that there is nowhere to park. The only way to stop people parking in a particular road all day, whilst at work, is to introduce parking charges. But when the council introduces parking charges, people complain that parking should be free.
Whatever the council does they are going to get moaned at.
Last week the council was looking into new parking due to a lack of spaces.This week they are going to close one.Do they really know what they are doing,I think not.
Its about time this council reakised its a small market town not a suburbia,they wonder why people don’t vote are they really that stupid not to realise after decisions like this,the same applies to their timing of major roadworks in town over Easter,they couldn’t plan their way out of a,wet paper bag
It’s not really a car park though, just some wasteland that people have been parking on. More importantly, it is brownfield and so very valuable for building houses on.
Strange how we object to new housing developments, yet the very mention of limited car parking carries folk off with the fairies. What about park and ride from the stadium, or using a bike or walking!!? You can’t have everything.
That’s the only place in Nantwich you can park for free! I bet the new car park they’re proposing won’t be free. And will the new car park be open before this one is shut? Bet you it won’t.
What nonsense. There’s plenty of places to park for free in Nantwich. Morrisons or by the station immediately spring to mind. I also never have any difficulty parking in Queen’s Drive if I want to go shopping.
Should you be parking in Queen’s Drive? What about the residents? I live in another street in Nantwich where I have to park on the road and I frequently have problems with people trying to park for free rather than using the available car parks.
It’s a public highway – anyone is entitled to park there. There are also very few cars parked there most days, especially as you get further up by the park.
Another car park gone do you people not think we need more parking the town is packed enough. Come on wake up :-/
So that will be one less car park in the town. Pushing all those cars on to the existing car parks and side streets. Instead of building more houses Nantwich needs some more parking especially for visitors to the Jazz festival or Food festival.