Local Plan to go for approval by Full Council this month then to consultation

Cheshire East Council's Local Plan Strategy to shape development across the Borough up to 2030 has moved a step closer to being put in place.

Following the resumption of the Local Plan examination in August and the holding of seven days of hearings in October, Local Plan Inspector Stephen Pratt issued his 'further interim views' on the submitted Plan in December (2015).

These broadly supported the further evidential work carried out by the Council over the past 12 months in relation to the Local Plan.

The inspector noted that: "There is no doubt that Cheshire East Council has produced an impressive and comprehensive set of additional evidence within a relatively limited amount of time during the suspension of the examination."

Now the revised Local Plan Strategy is set to go before strategic planning board, Cabinet and for approval by Full Council in February, before further extensive public consultation. This will include additional and amended strategic site allocations.

The Council is due to submit the Local Plan Strategy, with any amendments, to the Planning Inspector in June 2016.

Councillor Rachel Bailey, Cheshire East Council Cabinet member in charge of the Local Plan, said: "The positive views expressed by the Inspector have enabled the Council to make amendments to our Local Plan with confidence and publish these for consultation.

"We therefore propose to take a report to a full meeting of the Council at the end of February, setting out proposed amendments to the plan.

"This will include a comprehensive suite of development sites to accommodate the larger scale of growth now planned for the Borough. Following a period of full consultation, during March and April, further examination hearings are expected to be held in early autumn.

"We are doing everything possible to progress the Local Plan and to speed up its completion. We are mindful that we have to work within the processes and timescales set out in legislation.

"However, with every stage we are working hard to bring the final adoption of the Local Plan a step closer."

The updated evidence completed during the suspension of the Inspector's examination necessitated revisions to the main strategic policies relating to housing, economic growth, development and green belt. The wording of policies was amended to reflect the outcome of the new evidence. The key points included:

● Revisions to reflect a revised housing requirement of 36,000 homes (up from 29,000);

● Increased employment land requirement, up from 300 hectares to 380ha, to reflect the stronger anticipated jobs growth rate of 0.7 per cent per annum (up from the original anticipated rate of 0.4 per cent);

● Revised spatial distribution of development, incorporating both the uplift in overall development and the need for additional growth in the northern towns;

● Increase in the amount of safeguarded land within green belt areas to 200ha;

● Replacement of the new green belt between Crewe and Nantwich with a revised strategic green-gap policy.

These revisions were endorsed by Cabinet on July 21, 2015.

Click here to see the Local Plan Strategy documents suite.

Tags:
Cheshire East Council, Local Plan
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

DELETED ACCOUNT
Wednesday 10th February 2016 at 1:16 pm
I sometimes think that I live in a parallel universe to Cheshire East. Having read the Inspector's Interim views it is quite clear that he went out of his way to be neutral on the proposals, since it is for Cheshire East to submit a "finished" plan, - on which he then comments, rather than give piecemeal views as to the efficacy of the plan.
Clive Cooksey
Wednesday 10th February 2016 at 2:07 pm
The so called experts are still at it. 36000 new homes up from 29000. They must be joking. Take a drive from Wilmslow to Poynton and see the mass building going on along there. Marvel at how the idiot planners are going to get all this new traffic moving along ancient roads? Tear up the plans that these so called sages, whizz kids, do gooders, and possibly Greens, along with Council "planners" have produced for our "well being". JUST LEAVE WILMSLOW ALONE. We are ok thanks.
Christopher Baker
Wednesday 10th February 2016 at 2:32 pm
Cheshire East claims that it is following "instructions" from the Inspector. However the role of the Inspector is more that of a referee than a player -- though if a referee awards a penalty it can affect the outcome (and he might even abandon the match!).

Such a parallel is clearly not complete, since the manner in which Cheshire East is proceeding to Consultation appears to differ from, and suffer in comparison with, the Inspector's recommendation.

The extent to which the opinions of the electorate affect the outcome will be a test of democracy; subsequent elections may well be a demonstration of democracy. Councillors, who were elected democratically as our representatives, should recognize the risks inherent in ignoring public opinion and should endeavour to retain our confidence.
Mark Goldsmith
Wednesday 10th February 2016 at 9:07 pm
So the deliberately obtuse process to let our council build what they want, where they want for government and developer kick backs continues. All so they can pretend it is a democratic "consultative" process.

And we get a 3.2% rise in council tax to pay for all this hogwash to boot.

A plague on all their houses.
Pete Taylor
Wednesday 10th February 2016 at 11:20 pm
How different from Cheshire West, who actively encouraged Neighbourhood Plans from 2011/12 as the building-blocks of a Local Plan. Here we are all these years later, with no sign of meaningful resident/electorate consultation and still the CEC steam-roller lumbers on.
Rachel Bailey's summary of the Inspector's comments show an incredible degree of tunnel-vision. Can the electorate's views really be collected, reviewed, collated and fairly be presented in a period of six weeks?
At least Michael Jones will be formally resigning at the full Council meeting at the end of February... or will he?