Having recently published the submission version of the Local Plan Strategy, previously known as the Core Strategy, the Council has identified what infrastructure is needed to support the scale of development proposed.
Cheshire East Council have prepared their Infrastructure Delivery Plan, which is a supporting document for the Local Plan Strategy and covers the period from 2014 to 2030.
It details what infrastructure of strategic significance is required, defined as that which is over and above the normal provision that is part and parcel of developing a site.
Infrastructure covers the range of services and facilities needed for the proper functioning of local communities, including physical assets such as roads, power lines and sewerage systems; community services such as health centres, recreational facilities and schools; and environmental assets such as public open spaces.
This Plan outlines in broad terms what infrastructure is needed when, who is responsible for providing it, about how much it will cost (presented as one-off capital provision costs) and how it could be funded.
It also shows shortfalls in currently identified funding which total between £210,480,000 and £260,352,000.
This is broken down to a funding gap of £117,790,000 to £173,452,000 for transport; £930,000 to £1,140,000 for energy; £15,000 for water; £50,190,000 for education; £14,455,000 for health facilities and £27,100,000 for recreation and sporting facilities.
Covering the Wilmslow and Handforth area the Infrastructure Delivery Plan includes improvements to junctions along the A34 Wilmslow- Handforth bypass; improved disabled access and the provision of parking and drop off facilities at Handforth Railway Station and the creation of a multi-user route connecting Wilmslow with Manchester Airport cycle route at an estimated cost £250,000.
The Plan identifies shortfalls in school places in lots of areas including a shortfall of primary school places in Handforth and Wilmslow and the need for additional health facilities, especially in Handforth.
Particular schemes, aimed to address the capacity issues include the expansion of Wilmslow schools to provide two extra classrooms, a new one and half form entry school for the North Cheshire Growth Village at Handforth East and expansion of Wilmslow High School at an estimated cost of £5m.
Speaking about the funding gap of £210,480,000 to £260,352,000 the Plan concludes that "There are very few schemes in the various Infrastructure Delivery Schedules that are fully funded, therefore there are significant funding gaps for the different infrastructure types.
"The funding gap is the difference between the cost of the infrastructure and the amount of funding received for it. It should be borne in mind that the costings of several projects are yet to be confirmed and therefore the funding gap is likely to be greater than that indicated."
Comments
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I also have loads of plans which have funding shortfalls. The upshot is that the plans are abandoned.
In respect of roads it sets out 3 problem areas in Wilmslow, A538, Stanley Green junction with A34, and Adlington Road junction near Wilmslow Park. The first two it proposes to do something about, but it aims to make the Adlington Road situation worse by granting permission to build additional houses along it. This will not only makes transport worse, but as the document points out it will require £400.000 spent on school provision in the first instance and £215.000 on health provision.