Building works at the Old Grammar School

The Planning Enforcement Team have received a significant amount of contact from local residents concerned about the works being undertaken.

Officers from Planning Enforcement and Heritage have been working closely as part of the ongoing investigation and site visits have been undertaken.

Cheshire East Council has issued a Listed Building Temporary Stop Notice to prevent any further unauthorised works to the listed building and to protect this heritage asset.

The Listed Building Temporary Stop Notice (LBTSN) prohibits any further works to the listed building for a period of 56 days. It is served under the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

Notices placed on site have been removed but the notice will be in effect for 56 days during which time Cheshire East Council will consider the expediency of further enforcement action, whilst seeking to work with the owner regarding the submission of the necessary applications.

A brick wall is currently under construction within the curtilage of the listed building. However, this does not require consent under the above legislation and is therefore outside the scope of the LBTSN. This falls under the terms of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA) (as amended) and the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015. Because the wall is within the curtilage of a listed building it does not enjoy permitted development rights and as such ought to have the benefit of planning permission.

The investigation in relation to the removal of trees and hedgerow remains ongoing. Trees within a conservation area fall under the TCPA and are outside the scope of the LBTSN but six weeks prior notice of the intention to remove them possibly should have been given to the Local Planning Authority if they fall within the criteria. This element remains under investigation in parallel to other matters.