Planning and Related Information

When the Nantwich, Kingsley Farm, Planning Brief was drawn up in 1996 the Crewe & Nantwich Borough Council recognised the historical significance of the Nantwich Walled Garden and included the following wording:

‘The walled garden on the plan is of archaeological interest as well as the wall itself being listed for its historic interest.’

‘The listed wall around the garden must be repaired before the main development commences and incorporated into the housing development.’

If the Borough Council Planning Authority had implemented this planning condition then the cost of restoring the Walled Garden could have been easily spread across the profits from the sale of the 420+ houses that had been approved for the site. This would have enabled this exceptional and potentially very beautiful piece of Nantwich’s heritage to be retained for the benefit of Nantwich residents and visitors to the area.

Sadly however, the Planning Authority failed to implement this clear and simple planning condition and inexplicably replaced it with the following inadequate wording in the Planning Approval document:

“Kingsley Fields Planning Condition 11. The reserved matters application which relates to the part of the site containing the walled garden at the rear of Townsend House, shall include a programme for its restoration, and a design statement to justify the means by which he area it encloses will be developed.
Reason:- To ensure that the walled garden which is a Listed Building, is preserved and incorporated within the development adequately.”

The Crewe & Nantwich Borough Council Planning Department (now renamed as the Cheshire East Planning Department) was later forced to admit that this revised planning condition was unenforceable because it did not include a trigger point (i.e. a specific point or date by which the preservation or restoration of the listed walls was to be completed).

Condensed Walled Garden Land Ownership and Planning History

Cheshire East Planning Application

To view Cheshire East planning permission documents pertaining to the Nantwich Walled Garden:

Access the Cheshire East Viewing Planning Applications, input the Planning Reference number P08/0917 to the ‘Quick search on planning application reference number’ box, and then click on the search button.
Planning Reference number for the 2008 planning application for the NWG site is P08/0917.
Planning Reference number for the 2015 planning application for the repair of the walls is 15/5353N.

Nantwich Conservation Area

The Garden is located within the Welsh Row Conservation Area. The coverage of the Nantwich Conservation Area, including the Welsh Row area and the Nantwich Walled Garden, can be accessed via the following links on Cheshire East’s web site:

Alphabetical list of conservation areas in Cheshire East
Direct link to map of Nantwich Conservation Area

Land Registry Information

The NWG title is dealt with by Land Registry, Birkenhead Office. Land Registry Title Deeds and Plans can be found here‎.
Basic information from the Land Registry is as follows:

Address of Property : The Walled Garden on the east side of 17 Kings Court, Welsh Row, Nantwich (CW5 5DY)
Title Number : CH540872. This extract shows information current on 30 APR 2012 at 14:24:28 and so does not take account of any application made after that time even if pending in the Land Registry when this extract was issued.
Price Stated : £170,000
Registered Owner(s): 4 REAL DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED (Co. Regn. No. 7998517) of Cherry Tree Farm, Cherry Tree Lane, Rostherne, Altrincham, WA14 3RZ.