Storage plan for arson-hit site set for approval

The blaze in Crewe in August 2024 forced hundreds out of their homes

An arson-hit site looks set to be used for a self-storage business, despite concerns around noise, traffic and impact on air quality.

The fire at the former printworks on Frances Street, Crewe in August 2024 led to hundreds of people being forced to evacuate their homes, with two men later jailed.

Lock Stock Self Storage Limited wants to use the vacant land as a storage facility, but some residents and Crewe Town Council have concerns as it could be in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The application is recommended for approval, subject to conditions, with a Cheshire East Council planning committee set to consider it on 30 July.

A report from a planning officer states that, while it is not ideal to have commercial uses next to residential properties, the site was formerly industrial.

Objectors had asked why it could not be used for housing, a community garden, playground or residents' parking it said, but the land was privately owned and not in the council's control.

The issues to be assessed were whether the storage use and containers were acceptable in terms of the design, amenity and highways implications, it stated.

The containers would be bottle green, and up to 2.6m in height, which would be "significantly lower" than the former buildings.

The ruins of the former printworks following the fire

Lighting would be directed down into the site, and not towards neighbouring properties, stated the report, and 24-hour operation was the applicant's business model.

There were no opening hours restrictions when it was a printworks, and the proposed use would not generate as much noise, it added.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.