TWO prominent commercial buildings in Crewe look set to be extended and converted to provide 117 town centre apartments.
Packwood Ventures Ltd has applied to Cheshire East Council for permission for the remodelling, extension and part change of use of Breeden House and Regency Court for the new residential development, together with associated access, private and communal amenity space, refuse and cycle storage.
The proposal is to retain 882m² of commercial use at ground floor level and create 82 one-bedroom and 35 two-bed apartments in the refurbished and re-used parts of the existing buildings with an additional two to five storeys of new build structure, using the TopHuis system, across both Breeden House and Regency Court.
A planning statement submitted by Mialex on behalf of the applicant states: “The scheme essentially proposes to extend and reconfigure Breeden House to the south west above ground floor level to create a landmark entrance into the town centre via the southern gateway with existing commercial units retained and enhanced at ground floor level and new residential accommodation delivered above.
“To the north east, the largely vacant Regency Court will be comprehensively redeveloped to provide new residential floorspace centred around a communal landscaped courtyard.”
Regency Court, Crewe (Image: Google)
It adds: “A fundamental principle of the scheme is to create a sustainable landmark development.
“Accordingly, the proposals re-use as much of the existing building fabric as possible – with the addition of new floorspace via extensions and new buildings where appropriate – alongside the installation of roof top photovoltaic panels and green roofs throughout.
“This approach will help to ensure that the scheme will generate very little CO2, with electricity being generated on site and embodied carbon within the existing building structure being re-purposed wherever possible.
“The scheme will also be highly sustainable with residents benefiting from generous private and communal amenity space within this town centre site.”
The proposal includes an upwards extension on part of Breeden House – above 245-261 Edleston Road – which will ‘gradually rise in height from two up to four additional storeys towards the southern corner of the site at the junction of Edleston Road, Oak Street and Wistaston Road’.
The planning document states: “Regency Court – from 36-48 High Street, will be redeveloped for residential use.”
A new three-storey block will be provided at the back of Regency Court, following demolition of existing floorspace, to create a courtyard environment for occupiers, enclosing landscaped communal amenity space with a communal walkway linking to the main building.
Regency Court will accommodate 60 apartments in total and the remaining 57 will be in Breeden House.
The planning statement says the new residential development will have 24 parking spaces including four mobility spaces, and 154 internal secure cycle spaces.
It says it is close to the bus station, bus routes and the train station.
The application, number 24/4968, can be viewed on the planning portal on Cheshire East Council’s website.