Monday 17 December 2012

ASDA - Extraordinary Area Committee Meeting

An extraordinary meeting is being arranged for the ASDA planning application to go before Marple Area Committee.  The meeting will take place sometime between 16th January and 27th February 2013.  SMBC will notify respondees to the planning application by post.  We will post further details as they become available.

Government Support for Street Pride

Patrick McLoughlin MP, Secretary of State at the Department for Transport has replied to our letter of 16th November regarding Street Clutter.  His letter offers welcome support to our campaign to rid Marple of Street Clutter.  He will shortly be providing a guidance leaflet for councils setting out new guidance in which the starting point will be to ask traffic engineers to start from a position of having no signs and introduce them only where they serve a clear function.
We look forward to working with Stockport MBC in the light of the new guidance.

The full text of Patrick McLoughlin's letter can be seen here  


An audit by Marple Civic Society identified approaching 100 items of street clutter.





Civic Society Response to ASDA/CAMSFC Planning Application

The Civic Society has sent a letter of objection to Stockport MBC Planning Services objecting to the ASDA planning application for a supermarket and petrol filling station on the site of the CAMSFC Hibbert Lane campus.

Our objections are associated with specific planning matters although as a civic society we are concerned with protecting our Public Realm, Heritage Assets and Streetscape.

Our objections centre on the planning sequentiality test and impact that the proposed supermarket would have on the town.

To view our response in full please see here

Tuesday 11 December 2012

Planning Application DC/050947 – 61a Cote Green Road, Marple

The society's honorary architect has made the following response to this planning application on behalf of the society:

This is an infill development which we believe may be in green belt.
Although the presumption in green belt is against development the society accepts this site could be an exception.

We do not believe that the property proposed though is appropriate to the site. The street drawing is very sketchy of the adjacent properties and the proposed seems to be out of scale from these buildings.
The design is interesting and modern in its concepts but it neither contrasts from of reflects the scale and detail of the traditional buildings adjacent to it.
Although the society on this occasion does not object to the principle of a house on this site we feel that this design is inappropriate. 

Planning Application DC/050673 – Higher Bank Cottage, Cobden Edge

The society's honorary architect has made the following response to this planning application on behalf of the society:

This property is sited on a single track road/bridleway at considerable distance from any major roads or public transport.
The site consists of old farm buildings that have been split to create dwellings.
This application is to add a major development on the site that will have considerable impact on the green belt countryside.
The application has three elements: The porch and plant room, the old stable block to become a café and the extension of the stable block to give stabling lost with the conversion of stabling to café with a further plant room.

Although this property is on a popular walking route we question the validity of a café at all, never mind one of significant size.
The highway is not suitable for customers to arrive by car and anyway no parking is shown.

The society feels that this is inappropriate development of the green belt and if allowed the café could fail and then what other use could it be put to that would comply with green belt policy? 

Planning Application DC/051071 – 60 Hibbert Lane, Marple

The society's honorary architect has made the following response to this planning application on behalf of the society:

The extent of this extension, its relationship with boundary and the adjacent properties is difficult to understand from this submission.
It would though appear that the extension will be right up to the south west boundary and increase the front elevation so it spans most of the site.
With the drawings submitted we believe this proposal will over develop the site and change the scale and character of the street scene (of which there is not a drawing) and we therefore think the scheme as submitted should be seriously questioned. 

Monday 10 December 2012

Chadwick Street Car Park Foodstore Planning Application DC/051408 (Kirkland)

A planning application for a foodstore on Chadwick Street Care Park, was submitted by Kirkland Developments Ltd to Stockport MBC on Friday 7th December 2012. The application has been validated by the council today and will be on their website within the next 24 hours.

The application is now open for consultation. The expected timescale for the application is:
  • Consultation Period - 10th December 2012 - 3rd January 2013
  • Application before Marple Area Committee - 16th January 2013
Marple Civic Society supports this application in principle because it conforms with the SMBC Core Strategy (Local Plan) for retail development within Marple District Centre and the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Friday 7 December 2012

PlaceCheck Workshop - Report on Findings

In October Ian Harvey from Civic Voice and David Chapman from Urban Design Skills came to Marple to run a "PlaceCheck" workshop.  A summary report of the workshop's findings can now be viewed on the "PlaceCheck" website here











Ian Harvey from Civic Voice and Society members taking part in the PlaceCheck survey


Thursday 6 December 2012

St Martins Christmas Tree Festival

Once again we are pleased to take part in the St Martins Christmas Tree Festival.
Many thanks to members Dave and Marion Swindells for doing a splendid job in decorating the tree.



Tuesday 4 December 2012

ASDA/CAMSFC Planning Application Consultation

The CAMSFC planning application for an ASDA supermarket and petrol filling station on the Hibbert Lane College Campus and refurbishment of the Buxton Lane Campus is now open for consultation.

The expected time scale for the  planning process is as follows:

  • Consultation period - 30th November 2012 - 24th December 2012
  • Application before Marple Area Committee - 16th January 2013
  • Application will be decided by Planning and Highways Committee - 31st January 2013
Marple Civic Society is opposed to this planning application which, in our view, is contrary to local and national planning policy. We will publish our formal response in a few days.

If you object to an ASDA supermarket on Hibbert Lane College Campus it is very important that you write or email your objections to Stockport Council.

You should write to:   Planning Services,
                                    Place Directorate,
                                    Stopford House,
                                    Piccadilly,
                                    Stockport.
                                    SK1 3XE

or email to: planning.dc@stockport.gov.uk

If you need help to compile your response please see here for a list of planning grounds for objection, and here for a template letter.

You can also respond online at the Stockport MBC planning website by clicking here