Dismay over plans for former Chinese restaurant

If proposals are approved, Chinese Delight on Preston Road in Standish could be flattened and 16 new homes erected in its place.

The plans have been hotly opposed by Standish residents as tensions fray over mass expansion within the already saturated township.

Neighbourhood forum, Standish Voice, has formally opposed the plans which would see the construction of 10 two-bedroom apartments and six three-bedroom houses.

A spokesperson for the group said: “The designs for the homes, which include a three-storey apartment block and semi-detached houses are overbearing, ugly and not in keeping with the area.

“In line with the policy on the site in the draft Neighbourhood Plan, Standish Voice would like to see any housing on this site being for older people or all affordable housing.”

In the planning documents, the developer has outlined access points to the sites from Preston Road and Moores Lane.

However, the design and access statement, which is one of many supporting documents currently under consideration by Wigan Council, reveals plans to make the site more attractive.

It reads: “The existing large two storey restaurant is unattractive and in a state of poor repair.

“It is situated on the northern portion of the site with the remaining area fully tarmacked for 45 parking spaces and a servicing area.”

It is the developer’s plan to keep hold of the top floor apartments in order to rent them out, with the bottom floor properties going up for sale.

At the same time as Standish could be set to lose one restaurant site, it has officially gained another.

Owners of the Beeches site off School Lane, Elle R Leisure, have revealed plans to transform the eatery into a popular bar chain. A spokesperson for Elle R Leisure has finally spoken out, saying: “We have purchased The Beeches and are really excited to become a part of the Standish

community.

“We hope that we will bring a really vibrant restaurant to your village and also provide great job opportunities for a lot of the locals.

“We are still very much in the planning stages but what we are proposing to do is keep the magnificent house and turn the downstairs into private dining rooms/function spaces.

“We will also build a single story extension to create the Albert’s Standish restaurant on part of the existing car park.

“Currently, we’re not sure what the upstairs of the house will become, however, it’s unlikely we will continue to run it as a hotel.

“Of course, all of the above is subject to getting planning but we will cross that bridge if we have to.

“We’re making good progress with our architect so hopefully, the ball will get rolling in early 2018.”

Despite previously remaining tight lipped over ownership of the site, the business spoke out after travellers set up camp at the site at the end of last month.