Last autumn, there was talk of a £21 million pound plan to develop housing, a marina and a new railway station in Leek. Any idea who was behind that proposal and what is the current state of play. Are Moorlands & City Railway still totally financially secure?
Before the 108 direct bus service from Macclesfield to Ashbourne via Leek was split into two, my good lady wife and I made the main part of that journey to Ashbourne on that bus, parking either of the 4x4 in Macclesfield, and there was one stretch south of Leek that we saw what looked like an early diesel class locomotive across the fields on an embankment.
Regarding housing etc. developments.
There were two proposed development sites. One at Barnfields Industrial Estate, which is close to the original Leek Station, and which included provision (passive provision?) for a new station and associated facilities. The second was in the triangle of former lines at Leekbrook, also including a small rail halt. The latter was submitted by Moorland and City Railways.
SMD/2014/0048
Applicant: Barnfield Hughes Ltd
LAND AT BARNFIELD ROAD AND SUNNYHILLS ROAD, CORNHILL, LEEK
Demolition of former industrial buildings and re-development of site comprising: residential (Use Class C3 up to 175 dwellings) with associated open space, play areas and cycle links; employment (Use Class B1c and B2 up to 1195 gross sqm); tourism and leisure uses including a marina / basin (up to 20 berths); railway station with associated heritage / railway activities building, including tourist / local needs retail unit (Use Class D2 / A1 up to 394 gross sqm); public house / restaurant (Use Class A3 / A4 up to 340 sqm) with associated car parking and servicing and reserve land for future highway including associated landscaping.
Refused
SMD/2014/0750
Applicant: Barnfield Hughes Ltd
Land at Barnfields Road and Sunnyhills Road, Cornhill, Leek
DEMOLITION OF FORMER INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS AND REDEVELOPMENT OF SITE COMPRISING: RESIDENTIAL (USE CLASS C3 UP TO 175 DWELLINGS) WITH ASSOCIATED OPEN SPACE, PLAY AREAS AND CYCLE LINKS; LIVE/WORK UNITS 2000SQM, EMPLOYMENT (USE CLASS B1C AND B2 UP TO 1847 GROSS SQM INCLUDING MEZZANINE); TOURISM AND LEISURE USES INCLUDING A MARINA / BASIN AND ASSOCIATED BOATING FACILITIES (UP TO 20 BERTHS), RAILWAY STATION WITH ASSOCIATED HERITAGE/RAILWAY ACTIVITIES BUILDING INCLUDING TOURIST/LOCAL NEEDS RETAIL UNIT (USE CLASS D2/A1 UP TO 394 GROSS SQM); PUBLIC HOUSE / RESTAURANT (USE CLASS A3 / A4 UP TO 340 SQM) AND ASSOCIATED CAR PARKING AND SERVICING; RESERVE LAND FOR FUTURE HIGHWAY INCLUDING ASSOCIATED LANDSCAPING AT LAND AT BARNFIELDS ROAD AND SUNNYHILLS ROAD, CORNHILL, LEEK FOR BARNFIELD HUGHES LTD
Awaiting Decision
SMD/2014/0090
Applicant: Moorland & City Railways Ltd
LAND NORTH WEST OF LEEKBROOK IND ESTATE, CHEDDLETON ROAD, LEEKBROOK
Outline application (with all matters reserved) for residential development of 89 units comprising 27 apartments, 49 town houses, 10 villas and 2 detached houses; A small station facility with integral convenience retail store (creating total gross external floorspace of 131.5sqm of which retail occupies 49.3sqm)
Withdrawn
Details, including site layouts, can be had via Staffordshire Moorlands District Council planning pages using the reference numbers given above e.g. 2014/0090.
Churnet Valley Railway offer 'driver experience' courses over the section of track that you refer to, from their own line (Oakamoor - Froghall - Cheddleton - Leekbrook) onto Moorland and City Railways metals (Leekbrook to Ipstones). I would guess you saw the loco in the vicinity of Bradnop, where the road and railway run close together. I have seen a '33' on these activities in the past. Having crossed the line by public footpath, and noticed the loco coming up the hill, I waited to give the driver a wave!
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The line, as mentioned by previous posts, is that from Stoke-on-Trent to Leekbrook Junction, where a reversal would be made to the former BIS sand quarry at Moneystone (near Oakamoor). The last sand train ran on 30 August 1988, following which there were some 'civil defence' (SAS) specials in 1990 and 1991 (Basil Jeuda: The Churnet Valley Railway, Lightmoor Press 1999).
Continuing on from Leekbrook Junction the line climbs steeply to Ipstones and on to Cauldon where there is a large limestone quarry and cement works. The quarry previously sent stone out by rail until about 1992 (source lost). Then the railtours previously mentioned in 1994.
The section from Stoke to Endon is seriously overgrown, and probably impassable on foot for large stretches (and still illegal regardless). First bus 18 serves Endon.
The section from Endon to Leekbrook was cleared a while back. New gates were installed at Endon, together with nice shiny 'no trespassing' notices. The section is unused at present. D & G bus 16 will get you to Leekbrook.
Southwards from Leekbrook to Froghall is the Churnet Valley Railway, in regular use at weekends and some weekdays. D & G 31 will get you to Froghall.
Eastwards from Leekbrook to Ipstones the line was cleared and the track improved, re-opening in November 2010 with a number of specials through from the CVR all the way to Cauldon. This now sees regular (monthly) services through from the CVR as far as Ipstones. I understand that the track from Ipstones to Cauldon has been lifted and sold for scrap. Aimees / Taxico 108 will get you from Leek to Waterhouses and Cauldon, or D & G 31 to the 'bus stop in the middle of nowhere' just past Whiston and walk over the hill.