Stretton Airfield, Appleton, Warrington

Private Client

Royal Naval Air Station Stretton began life in 1942 as an RAF Night Fighter station and was known as HMS Blackcap. At this particular time in World War II both Manchester and Liverpool were suffering from “The Blitz” inflicted by the German Luftwaffe, and so initially 465 acres of agricultural land around the villages of Appleton and High Legh were set aside by the War Ministry for the construction of an airfield to protect both Manchester and Liverpool.

The last “Operational” Squadron based at Blackcap was 728B Squadron F.A.A. who were formed in January 1958 and flew out of Blackcap on the 15th February 1958 en route to RNAS Hal Far, Malta. RNAS Stretton, HMS Blackcap was “Paid Off “on the 4th November 1958. Shell Oil acquired the southern section of the airfield and used the site for testing of fuels and additives. This use continued on site until 2004 after which testing ceased and the site was used for some arable farming.

Construction of the M56 motorway, which took place between 1968 and 1974 effectively split the site into two sections; the northernmost section was developed for commercial uses following the granting of Planning Permission in 2002.

The site is located to the immediate south of M56 close to junction 20 of the M6 motorway and its intersection with junction 9 of the M56 motorway; it extends to approximately 71.63 hectares 177 acres and comprises of the former runway (5,000ft by 100ft) and ancillary taxi-ways and paved areas. The areas between the runway and taxi-ways being used as agricultural land.

The site is located in Green Belt and is split approximately 60/40 between two local authorities.

In 2012 the site was sold to a private individual with the insertion of housing a collection of classic cars. The brief involved the creation of a private subterranean vehicle storage and display facility that would accommodate approximately 100 cars along with an above-ground private office. Below-ground accommodation would be entered by a vehicle ramp from ground level. Pedestrian access will be provided by lift and stairs. The development is for the sole use of the owner.

A masterplan evolved addressing issues of brief, context and policy. The key issue was sustainable regeneration and the re-use of a semi-derelict site within the Green Belt. The agreed strategy locates the development centrally within the site; as far away from the accessible site perimeter as practical and against a backdrop of the heavily planted boundary with the M56. The route to the accommodation is via existing hard-standing taxiways and the runway towards the north central edge of the site to a small car park beside which sits the building and adjacent, the ramp down providing vehicular access to the below-ground accommodation.

The proposal comprises of two primary components; a private subterranean car storage and display facility and an above-ground ancillary private office building. The car storage and display is divided into two separate zones; a generally orthogonal car parking area which provides longer-term storage and an area that provides a facility for the display of a lesser number of vehicles in a gallery environment. The office building provides private office facilities for the owner. A ramp adjacent the office building provides access for vehicles to the subterranean space. The development appears as a grouping of low-rise, pitched roof buildings; an allusion to a grouping of agricultural buildings set within enhanced screening landscape and water features that assist in significantly reducing the visual impact of the proposals.