The plan to convert part of CPS Shopping Centre into 14 apartments has been given the green light, despite being controversial. Around Culcheth, that sort of news travels faster than a rumour in the Co-op queue.
On the positive side, new homes are not automatically a bad thing. If part of the centre is underused, then turning empty or tired space into places for people to live is better than leaving it to gather dust and mystery stains. More residents can also mean more custom for nearby shops, cafes and services, which is no small thing when local high streets are already being asked to perform miracles with one hand tied behind their back.
But let us not pretend everyone will be popping corks over this. Shopping centres are meant to serve the community, not slowly morph into blocks of flats while everyone politely calls it regeneration. Culcheth needs useful retail, accessible services and proper consideration for parking, traffic and the everyday rhythm of village life. Fourteen apartments may sound modest on paper, but paper does not have to find a parking space on a wet Tuesday.
The word controversial is doing a fair bit of heavy lifting here, and rightly so. People are not being awkward for sport, although admittedly Culcheth can raise an eyebrow at Olympic standard. Residents care because changes like this shape what the village feels like, not just what it looks like on a planning document.
So yes, the approval is now in place, and CPS Shopping Centre is set for a notable change. It could bring fresh life and much-needed housing, or it could chip away at the practical heart of the area. As ever with planning, the devil will be in the details, and possibly in the car park.