Cheshire East Council is bidding to ditch some housing allocations from its Local Plan Strategy to prevent them swallowing up more green belt.
The move comes as the authority takes next steps to finalising the second part of its Local Plan Strategy.
The Local Plan was approved in 2017, but the second part – known as the site allocations and development policies document (SADPD) – is now progressing.
The latest draft contains up-to-date planning policies and new small-scale potential sites for housing and employment development.
It comes as Government proposes major changes to current planning legislation which could make it easier and quicker for developers to gain permission to build.
And just weeks after the authority lost an appeal to prevent Muller Properties building phase one of a controversial “Nantwich South” development in Stapeley.
Cheshire East’s proposed revisions include:
● Removal of housing allocations around designated local service centres, most of which would have involved taking more land out of the green belt
● Revised policies for retail development and town centres, reflecting reduced demand for new retail floorspace and a need for diversified uses in town centres to support their vitality
● Higher environmental standards for new homes to help tackle climate change
The revised document will go before the council’s strategic planning board on September 23 followed by cabinet on October 6.
If approved the updated SADPD will be re-published to allow further representations.
The SADPD will require approval by full council, scheduled for spring 2021.
The representations will then be submitted to the government, alongside the supporting evidence, and will be considered by a planning inspector during an examination.
Cllr Toni Fox, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for planning, said: “We promised during the public consultation last year that we would carefully consider all the comments that were made.
“These revisions demonstrate that we have fully considered and reviewed the 2,700 responses submitted alongside the latest evidence and information.
“Planning always involves balancing a range of issues – facilitating new homes, jobs and other investments that are needed, whilst protecting our local environment and the health and wellbeing of our residents.
“The revisions we have made reflect all of these considerations.
“We are conscious that central government is consulting on proposals to radically reform the planning system, including the way in which councils prepare their local plans.
“This inevitably raises some uncertainty for councils currently preparing plans, and residents.
“However, until we have more detail it is impossible to gauge how these may affect the emerging SADPD.
“At this time therefore it is important to progress this document to its next stage.”
(Image courtesy of Jonathan White)
Would it be an idea for the Council to ensure better Parking on New Housing. The current 2 Car Parking ( that includes a Garage who few use , due to the small confined area ) along with no actual Visitor Parking , makes for Parking
problems that are experienced
in these New Build Estates ?