Macclesfield: Council want to get rid of 'essential' vegetable stall in Sutton
A Sutton man is fighting to keep his veg stall open, which he claims is crucial to the community and his business.
Life-long Sutton resident Alan Bolshaw, who has ran Sutton General Stores and Post Office for almost five years, started up a vegetable shed in the pandemic to help out vulnerable people and locked-down locals get their everyday essentials.
Now, Cheshire East Council are refusing to grant planning permission for the black timber veg shed, situated next to the carpark of Sutton General Stores, on 1 Tunnicliffe Road.
The council has rejected permission, alleging the structure it is 'visually jarring' for the Macclesfield village.
Objections to the reduction of parking spaces and greenbelt development terms were also cited as reasons to not grant retrospective planning permission.
This is despite a report on the Cheshire East planning website calling it an 'essential community service'.
"I'm not giving up," said Alan.
"The success of the veg stall is so integral to the shop [and Post Office], that without the stall, the shop will also have to go.
"The support from the community has been incredible.
"I work here from 5am to 7pm every day, and we get people coming in saying they're on our side. I went for a walk at the weekend, and a farmer stopped me in his big tractor to say how he was against the store closing."
Objector Laura Hayes said in a document "The proposals are considered to represent inappropriate and unsustainable development within the greenbelt."
This is despite the fact that the black timber shed was previously seven carparking spaces on tarmac. (The store still has six parking spaces next to the shed).
"The garden-shed like aesthetic is uncharacteristic, visually jarring and overly prominent at an open corner junction.
"As a result it is detrimental to the local village character."
But support online has been unanimously against the plans, with Alan encouraging customers and anyone in support of the 'Save our Shed' campaign to email [email protected].
One female resident called the fresh fruit and vegetable stall a 'lifeline to many'.
The Macclesfield business owner plans to appeal before the end of the year, with the help of a customer.
The shop, which won an award the year before the veg stall opened, has been ran by Alan for five years.
"I bought the shop here to give my family a job, it is theirs as much as it is ours," he added.
"And the other people that work here, we're like family as well.
"The idea of a village shop for me should always be a hub of the village, and for me I feel I'm giving something back to the village that I love to live in. That's how I see it. And that's what the council is trying to take away from people, in my view.
"I love it round here. I've lived here in all my live, my dad did too and my grandad, and his dad lived in Sutton all his life as well.
"I ran a fruit and veg market stall in Knutsford before, so it was great to open the stall on my doorstep.
"Now it is going to be taken away."
Alan noted that Sutton Parish Council had been supportive, which led Macclesfield Nub News to contact the Sutton's Cheshire East Council ward representative for comment.
New Independent Group Councillor Andrew Gregory, who has represented Sutton since May 2019, had this to say on the matter.
"I noted with concern that officers with Cheshire East Planning Department resolved to refuse the application made by the owner of Sutton General Store for permission for a Fruit and Vegetable Store outside the store in Sutton village," he said.
"This is despite the application receiving support from Sutton Parish Council, many local people, the former ward councillor and myself.
"Cheshire East has placed the need to challenge climate change at the centre of its council strategy. I am sure that there is plenty of evidence available which demonstrates that the large number of local vehicle journeys is a major contributor to poor air quality. Sutton Stores is rare in providing a local amenity for people.
"As we all know all over the UK, local village shops have closed due to the inability to compete with the major supermarket chains. It is therefore not at all surprising that the store has been nationally recognised and is an award winner.
"The owners provided fantastic local support to residents during the lockdown period, demonstrating innovation in the way they delivered their services with a real focus on local produce. The store is an absolute gem."
"The council also wants to encourage us all to cycle and walk rather than use our cars. Therefore the fruit and veg stall gives local people the opportunity to leave their cars at home and do their shopping on foot or by bike. If the owners are not able to continue to sell fruit and veg then local residents will have to use their cars or get the bus into Macclesfield. How can this be in line with the council's policies?"
"I understand that owners are going to lodge an appeal against the decision and this will get my support. In the interim I am pleased to hear that the council will not take action to stop the owners from continuing to sell fruit and veg while the appeal is pending."
The decision-makers behind the stall's fate - and indeed Cheshire East Council - did not respond to comment.
As well as being seen as a community service, the good-natured family business has recently donated prizes to a raffle for Ukraine.
You can find more about the 'Save our shed' campaign by following Sutton General Stores on Facebook.
The stall - and Sutton General Stores - is located on 1 Tunnicliffe Rd, Sutton, Macclesfield SK11 0EB.
Macclesfield: You can read more about the opposition here and here.
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