Royal Quarter housing scheme on former nurses’ home site heads into planning

A former nurses’ accommodation block, which has sat derelict and in a state of disrepair for more than a quarter of a century, is set to be demolished to make way for 27 new homes.

The block, which is on brownfield land in Cheadle, Stockport, was built in 1937 and served the nearby Cheadle Royal Hospital until the mid-1980s.

Development proposals identify demolition of the existing block to make way for the new private housing development, to be known as the Royal Quarter.

The plot of new build homes will range from three to five bedrooms with parking, landscaping and open spaces incorporated to provide a new thriving area for individuals, couples, and families to live. Pozzoni Architecture has designed the high-quality scheme on behalf of AM7 Group, with NJL Consulting acting as planning consultant.

The new homes will complement nearby residential properties that already characterise the immediate surroundings, with the site itself being a key part of the designated Cheadle Royal Hospital conservation area. It is anticipated the development will bring to an end, instances of anti-social behaviour on the site, which have proven a nuisance for local residents and for the emergency services.

The new homes have been designed to represent the rich history and character of the Cheadle nurses’ home, with unique features to include arched windows with feature stone surrounds, front facing gables, juliette balconies, and traditional brick details.

Vehicles and pedestrians will be able to access the new housing development via a new road which will link the site to St Ann’s Road North and is to be delivered as part of the plans underway to develop a modernised and purpose-built facility for St Ann’s Hospice which sits directly adjacent to the site on its western side.

Jamie Wood, director at Pozzoni, said “The Royal Quarter sits within a pleasant, leafy location, and these much-needed new homes will greatly enhance a site that has remained dormant for far too long.

“While the former nurses’ home structure must be demolished to make the site safe, we’ve taken care to incorporate many of its unique features into the design of the new homes. We’ve also listened carefully to the feedback we’ve received during the pre-application stages. As a result, we’ve introduced several features that will enhance the site design including shared open space and play areas at the heart of the proposal, a wildlife corridor, and a landscaping strategy to include enhanced tree planting.”

“It’s been a pleasure to design something special for future generations living in Cheadle and our team is looking forward to seeing these new homes come to life over the coming months.”

Anique Chohan, director of AM7 Group, commented "I'm truly excited to see our vision for the former nurses home come to fruition in what will now be known as Royal Quarter, a scheme of 27 new homes which will benefit from numerous features with inspiration taken from the existing, and local buildings within the conservation area with a focus on providing a practical space that meets the local community's requirements.

“Together with our team of well-regarded consultants, we have worked diligently to produce a scheme which not only is sensitive to its former state but is in line with what the local residents and councillors hope to see; and in turn we anticipate seeing a reduction in anti-social behaviour; easing the strain caused to emergency services over the years.

“Cheadle is home to a thriving and vibrant community, and we hope this development will fulfil the rising demand of the housing shortage Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council are faced with."

Rachel White, senior consultant at NJL Consulting, stated, “We’re excited to see this project brought forwards and feel strongly that the scheme will deliver much needed development in Stockport. The development will utilise a brownfield site which has been in need of regeneration for many years and will deliver 27 high quality new homes in an area, and at a time, of marked housing need within Stockport.

“The consultant team has worked hard to respond to the site constraints and create a scheme that genuinely responds to the locality, presents high quality design, incorporates landscaping features to allow the proposals to assimilate into the local environment and responds positively to the surrounding heritage assets. We look forward to working with officers at Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council through the determination of this planning application and seeing the development proposals brought to fruition in the future.”