Royal London's bid to expand its Wilmslow campus on land in the greenbelt, which could pave the way for the creation of up to 600 jobs, has been given the go-ahead by councillors.
Cheshire East Council's planning committee has approved an outline application by the Royal London Mutual Insurance Society and Property Alliance Group for a new office development to the east of its existing site and south of the town centre, subject to referral to communities secretary Greg Clark. HOW Planning is the agent on the scheme.
An illustrative masterplan (pictured) accompanying the AHR Architects-designed proposal shows how the site could incorporate an office with an internal floor area of 182,986 sq ft alongside up to 1,100 parking spaces.
Gary Halman, managing partner of HOW Planning who advised Royal London/Property Alliance Group on the application, said: "This is a brilliant result and a clear recognition that Cheshire East values highly Royal London's major economic contribution to the borough - it presently accounts for one in ten jobs in Wilmslow.
"The scheme is a very high-quality one, sensitive to its greenbelt setting, and would provide a superb addition to the existing campus."
According to a report prepared by planning officers ahead of the meeting, Royal London currently employs approximately 960 staff at the site. But its existing building operates at full capacity and is no longer fit for purpose, and a major refurbishment programme is neither practicable or economically viable.
As part of its expansion plans, Royal London is seeking to employ a further 500-600 staff in Wilmslow but claimed that it would be unable to do this without the proposed development.
Wilmslow Town Council and Alderley Edge Parish Council both objected to the proposal on the grounds that it represents inappropriate development in the greenbelt. And 58 objections were lodged, raising concerns about issues such as that it would erode the gap between Wilmslow and Alderley Edge, set a precedent for releasing other greenbelt areas, and have an irreversible impact on the environment.
In March 2015, Royal London announced that Wilmslow was its preferred choice for expansion. Then in January 2016, Royal London revealed that it was looking at a range of development sites near Wilmslow, with a view to supporting the company's growth ambitions amid ongoing uncertainty about its leading location option.
Besides Wilmslow, Royal London also has offices in Bath, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Reading.
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