FRESH plans to expand MA6NITUDE, including a new site for much-loved confectioner Swizzels Matlow, have been lodged with the council.

Swizzels – the firm behind classic sweets like Love Hearts, Parma Violets and Drumsticks – signed up to open a new site at the Middlewich business park last month.

Now, a full planning application has been submitted to Cheshire East Council for a 458,000sq ft industrial unit, of which Swizzels would take up one-third.

The scheme also includes an ‘outline’ application for a smaller 45,000sq ft development, which if approved would be built out following a second planning application with design details.

In its planning statement, Avison Young, the firm representing MA6NITUDE and Swizzels, said: “The application site extends to 13.08 hectares and currently comprises agricultural land.

“The site is situated in an accessible location in close proximity to services and infrastructure in Middlewich town centre and is well connected to the strategic road network making it a very appropriate and suitable location for employment development.

Northwich Guardian:

“The site is also easily accessible by a range of non-car modes, such as walking, cycling and public transport.

“There is an extensive planning history at the wider Midpoint 18 employment allocation which establishes the principle of [industrial] uses in this location.”

The new Swizzels site would be an addition to the company’s current base in New Mills, Derbyshire, and is expected to create 65 new jobs.

That facility would be built up in the first phase, and it is expected that more than 150 people in total could be employed across the new building once it is fully developed in three phases.

Access to the new site would be from Erf Way, while there will be parking spaces for 263 cars and 73 lorries, with the potential to expand for a further 51 lorries in future.

Major development in the wider Midpoint 18 area is expected by 2030 in CEC’s local plan – with financial contributions from such schemes likely to be spent on the Middlewich eastern bypass.

Planning permission has been secured on four new buildings at MA6NITUDE in the last five years, while Total Developments NW has the go-ahead for eight new units to make up Pioneer Park.

CEC also expects to make a decision on plans for a new warehouse at MA6NITUDE, which were first submitted in 2017, by the end of next month.

To view or comment on the latest application, search for ‘20/0901C’ on CEC’s planning website.