Planners at Macclesfield Borough Council (MBC) have asked for more information from the developers behind proposals for Macclesfield's £200 million Town Centre scheme.

Wilson Bowden submitted an outline application in November 2008 for a department store, cinema, shop units, a multi-storey car park, housing, community hall and town square covering an area from Castle Street to Park Green.

Since then, MBC has been consulting on the plans and has received hundreds of comments from the public, businesses and statutory consultees. The Planning Department has asked for more detail to enable the application to be considered.


Councillor Jamie Macrae, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Development, said: "It was hoped that Macclesfield Borough Council's Planning Committee would be able to consider the outline proposals before the end of March, but it is imperative that we have all the necessary information available for such a major scheme. It is unlikely that MBC will be able to consider the planning application given the timescale, and the responsibility will therefore fall to the new Cheshire East Council."

John Knight, MBC's Corporate Manager for Planning and Development, added: "It is not unusual for planners to ask for more information for a development of this size and scale which may include amended or additional plans. We must ensure that the Planning Committee are in receipt of all the relevant details but unfortunately there will be insufficient time for these to be submitted and properly considered prior to the end of March."

(CD/JM)