The Council's Strategic Planning Board are meeting this week to discuss a report which considers the next stage of the Cheshire East Local Plan.
A draft Development Strategy will be discussed on Thursday, 6th December, which sets out the overall number of homes and jobs that will be needed in Cheshire East over the next 20 years and suggests levels of development for each of the main towns. It also sets out the overall level of development which is expected within the smaller towns and villages.
The document identifies proposed strategic development sites which are large sites critical to the delivery of the overall strategy, two of which are located in Wilmslow.
The Development Strategy identifies land for development and states that "where a Town Strategy has already been approved by the relevant town council the Development Strategy wherever possible reflects the preferred sites or options set out in that strategy".
Cheshire East Council's recommendations for Wilmslow do differ from those in the Wilmslow Town Strategy which was re-written by Wilmslow Town Council and published last month.
The draft Wilmslow Vision proposed to deliver in the order of 1500 new homes and additional employment land in the town by 2030. A two month consultation on the draft Vision revealed significant concerns that the figure of 1500 was too high and the Wilmslow Town Strategy advocates that in the region of 400 new homes will be built by 2030.
The Development Strategy also proposes a reduced housing requirement of 400 new dwellings as well as 10 hectares of new employment land.
The Wilmslow Town Strategy does not identify any future sites for development but the draft Development Strategy has identified two strategic sites to accommodate some of the development requirement to 2030.
The first site is land to the north of Adlington Road (identified as Area Bc in the draft Wilmslow Vision) where 225 new homes could be built along with provision for a place of worship, a public house or restaurant and sports and leisure facilities.
This is largely a greenfield site, outside the Green Belt, but safeguarded land which the Wilmslow Town Strategy states should retain its status as 'safeguarded land' in the Cheshire East Local Plan until at least 2025.
The draft Development strategy says "The Wilmslow Vision consultation did not reveal support for development on any of the alternative options identified, and this is the only strategic site in Wilmslow outside of the Green Belt which is available for development."
In addition to the Adlington Road site, it is considered that another site is required to help meet the development requirement. Wilmslow Town Council's Wilmslow Town Strategy identifies that whilst all Green Belt land is highly valued, the "least worst" option for employment development is considered to be the Royal London site.
To help meet the overall development requirement, the draft Development Strategy proposes that this is allocated for mixed-use development including employment.
This site is currently within the Green Belt. The document also proposes to remove land to the west of Royal London from the Green Belt and designate it as safeguarded land that may be required to serve development needs in the longer term.
The proposed use is for the Royal London site is for new offices to create 1000 new jobs, a hotel and 75 new homes, whilst land to the west of Alderley Road would be safeguarded for future development.
At last week's meeting of Wilmslow Town Council this site was identified as the least worst option for employment development but not for housing.
Cllr Christopher Dodson said "Royal London also wanted to build houses on that site and we're saying categorically no to the building of houses on Green Belt but on the southern part of the site in principle if the need is shown in the next few years there should be scope for employment related development."
Whilst the bulk of new development in Cheshire East will be within, or on the edge of existing towns it is recognised that there is a limit to the scale of new development that can be provided in this way without impacting on the character of these towns and without imposing unacceptable impacts on their community and physical infrastructure.
Therefore three new settlements are planned – at Handforth, Bartholmley and Stowford, near Crewe Hall. Together the three new settlements could accommodate in the region of 120 hectares of new employment land and 3,800 new homes as well as new transport infrastructure, community facilities, open space and new local centres.
The proposed settlement at Handforth will take some of the growth that otherwise might have had to have been accommodated in Wilmslow and other nearby towns - seeking to minimize the take up of Green Belt land in a single sustainable location.
The draft Development Strategy identifies a site in Handforth East for a new sustainable development on largely unused green belt land to the east of the A34 Handforth bypass.
The proposed new settlement would comprise of 5ha of employment land, 1800 homes, a local retail centre, new secondary and primary schools, leisure facilities, a country park, open space and sports pitches. Additional land would be safeguarded for further development of 500 homes beyond 2030.
Referring to proposals for Handforth, the document states "to ensure the future regeneration of the town, suitable brownfield sites will be identified for development. To enable the town to continue to grow and provide future employment and investment opportunities a new settlement on land to the east of Handforth Bypass is proposed.
"This would ensure that residents are provided with employment opportunities, community facilities and new housing. This reflects the consultation on the draft Town Strategy for Handforth, as this location for future growth attracted more support than other alternatives."
The draft Development Strategy will be considered by the Strategic Planning Board on Thursday, 6th December, at Macclesfield Town Hall, starting at 10.30am.
The complete draft document can be viewed here on the Cheshire East Council website and the consultation period is expected to run from January 2013 to February 2013.
The report for the Strategic Planning Board meeting can be viewed here.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
I do not believe WTC are expecting Handforth to provide homes for Wilmslow on greenbelt, without Handforth Council approval. This would equally benefit Gtr Mcr residents.
Wilmslow, Styal & Handforth should robustly oppose development of intervening green belt development
It is only a few weeks ago that WTC made public its revised Vision and already it appears to have been proved to be ill-conceived and rejected by Cheshire East Council. I find it inconceivable that our Town Council should waste time and money producing a document that did nothing other than demonstrate a lack of understanding of basic Government procedures. It beggars belief that WTC thought that it could fulfil 60% of Wilmslow’s target for new housing from “windfall”. Wake up WTC!
I too am highly opposed to the loss of any greenbelt land in Cheshire as a whole.
perhaps it might be a good idea to listen to he voice of the people .... who LIVE here , RL say they are the largest employer in the area and that they need to provide housing and workplaces for the up and coming future ....... and sell off the Green belt ...... for the love and benefit of the town! i don't think thinks so..... i am sure a healthy bank balance has something to do with it..... and also with Waters moving into the area I think we have already fulfilled the employment expansion in the area without even touching GREEN BELT
A very very unhappy resident of Wilmslow