AN APPLICATION to build six apartments inside the walled garden site in Byron Walk, Nantwich, rocked Nantwich Walled Garden Society members.

    They had believed that all applications by the owners of the walled garden site had either lapsed or been rejected.

   In their Summer 2018 Newsletter, they said: "We are awaiting further news from Cheshire East Council or the developer."

   But the news that emerged was not what they were expecting.

   The planning application was for six two-bedroom dwellings, the restoration of listed structures (the walls), and the creation of new vehicle and pedestrian accesses.

   A plan in the application submitted to the council shows the six dwellings with a garden taking up about half of the half-acre site. Plans show the other half laid out as a garden.

   In fact, two planning applications were submitted to Cheshire East Council, the second one being for Listed Building consent. (Building? See this page).

  The applications can be found on the council's website, http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/planning under Planning. To see them enter these application reference numbers in the appropriate box: 19/0015N and 19/0016N.

   The last date for submitting comments on the original plans was Wednesday, February 6, 2019.

lVisitors to the relevant planning page on Cheshire East Council's website got a message saying "the last date for comments has expired" but there was no mention of what was decided by the Council.

The north wall of the garden as seen from Byron Walk looking towards Red Lion Lane

IN an item posted on their website on August 10, 2017, the society said: "Following further unsuccessful

appeals, the NWGS understands from the High Court

that the Planning Appeal Inspector's decision to refuse the planning application now stands."

    It added: "A further matter to be resolved before any development could take place is determination of the ownership of the walls.

    "It is NWGS's view that, even if suitable planning permission were obtained in future, the cost of restoring the walls in a manner commensurate with their Grade 2 listing would exceed the value of the site, so the

listing would exceed the value of the site, so the land effectively has no value."

   In August 2016, the website said the NWGS had received "potentially good news" for the future of the walled garden. A hearing in July 2016 "led to refusal of the 2008 planning application for building on the site".

   The Walled Garden Society website at that time added: "The NWGS is looking forward to working with Cheshire East Council and other local organisations to explore the full implications and possible opportunities which may arise from the decision."