Local plan scoping consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 1835

Received: 18/08/2026

Respondent: Holmes Chapel Parish Council

The aims and objectives identified in Section 2.1 should be incorporated into this section.

For Holmes Chapel, we would support proportionate, infrastructure-led development and growth which recognises the village’s existing role and function within the settlement hierarchy.

The provision and capacity of infrastructure should be a key priority, particularly in areas such as Holmes Chapel where existing infrastructure is already under pressure.

Measurable outcomes should be assessed at the local settlement level as well as borough-wide, so that the impact of development on individual settlements is properly understood.

Comment

Representation ID: 1836

Received: 18/08/2026

Respondent: Holmes Chapel Parish Council

The approach to monitoring should not be a one-off exercise undertaken at the start of the plan period. It needs to be a dynamic and ongoing mechanism for assessing and responding to growth and infrastructure requirements throughout the plan period.

Comment

Representation ID: 1837

Received: 18/08/2026

Respondent: Holmes Chapel Parish Council

The assessment should consider objectively assessed housing need at a local neighbourhood level, rather than relying primarily on borough-wide housing requirements or the five-year housing land supply.

The suitability of a site for development should not, in itself, determine whether that development is appropriate for the locality. There is an important distinction between site suitability and local housing need and capacity.

Comment

Representation ID: 1838

Received: 18/08/2026

Respondent: Holmes Chapel Parish Council

Further clarification is required as to how the settlement hierarchy will be applied in determining the scale and distribution of development.
• When will the evidence informing the settlement hierarchy be collected and published?
• To what extent will the assessment take account of the level of development that individual settlements have already accommodated?
• How will existing and committed development be factored into future housing requirements?

Comment

Representation ID: 1839

Received: 18/08/2026

Respondent: Holmes Chapel Parish Council

All development that has taken place during the current Local Plan period should be taken into account when determining future development requirements for the new Plan period.

Holmes Chapel should not be expected to accommodate disproportionate additional growth without robust evidence that the necessary infrastructure has the capacity to support it.

Given Holmes Chapel’s proximity to the Jodrell Bank World Heritage Site and its location within the Jodrell Bank Consultation Zone, this should also be a material consideration in determining the appropriate scale and location of development.

Comment

Representation ID: 1840

Received: 18/08/2026

Respondent: Holmes Chapel Parish Council

Additional local neighbourhood policies may be required to protect the setting and operation of Jodrell Bank.

We would also expect made Neighbourhood Plans and their policies to carry significant weight when considering future development within neighbourhood areas.

Comment

Representation ID: 1841

Received: 18/08/2026

Respondent: Holmes Chapel Parish Council

We would expect Local Plan policies to provide appropriate protection against the destruction of good farming land to housing or commercial development.

Comment

Representation ID: 1842

Received: 18/08/2026

Respondent: Holmes Chapel Parish Council

The housing needs assessment needs to be assessed at a town/village level not a borough level. The Local Plan should avoid treating borough-wide housing numbers as the only measure of success.

Comment

Representation ID: 1843

Received: 18/08/2026

Respondent: Holmes Chapel Parish Council

Affordable housing requirements should be informed by an assessment of local neighbourhood-level need alongside borough-wide need, rather than relying solely on borough-wide figures.

Comment

Representation ID: 1844

Received: 18/08/2026

Respondent: Holmes Chapel Parish Council

The consultation does not appear to specifically address the provision of bungalows, which can provide an important form of suitable housing for older residents and should be considered within the diversification of housing provision.