JW Lees moves Woodford pub scheme forward

Brewer and hospitality group JW Lees is lining up its latest South Manchester venture, with plans for a 7,000 sq ft pub at the former Woodford aerodrome site earmarked for approval.

The application, put forward by Lichfields on behalf of Lees, goes before Stockport Council’s main planning and highways committee on Thursday with a recommendation for approval, with members at January’s Bramhall & Cheadle Hulme South area committee in agreement with officers’ recommendations.

Place North West understands that with JW Lees having established itself with successful family dining pubs such as the Plough & Flail in Mobberley, the area committee meeting was largely positive on the group’s intentions at Woodford. Bower Design’s proposals describe a “traditional Cheshire village pub” that will have three dining areas on the ground floor.

Consent for a 145-home first phase of housing at the 500-acre former BAE aerodrome site was secured in 2014, with Redrow starting work in 2016. In total, around 950 homes will be built out at the site. A pub, along with other uses including etail, is included within the outline consent granted for the scheme.

The pub will have 79 parking spaces, 42 immediaely to the rear, with a further 37 beyond the beer garden. The site is located mainly within the Woodford Garden Village boundary, immediately off the main access from Chester Road.

The JW Lees site abuts a commercial parade and, following the demolition of buildings on the former Bodycote site, the proposal is for the pub’s parking area to extend beyond the Woodford Garden Village site’s original red line to take up some of this site.