Local plan scoping consultation

The period should extend beyond the proposed 15 years, taking account of several key strategic considerations that will shape growth across Cheshire East over the coming decades. A scenario would be welcomed where the plan period covers at least a 25 years and prepared on an evidence base that takes account of the 30 year investment programme for Cheshire and Warrington.

National policy requires the Local Plan to identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet or exceed the housing requirement figure.

The Council anticipate that further information about the land availability assessment methodology, including the identification of sites and initial assessments will be published as part of the subsequent ‘plan content and evidence’ consultation next year. In the meantime, it is expected that this process would follow the draft Government guidance which identifies the following stages:
• Stage 1: Identifying sites
• Stage 2: Assessing sites
• Stage 3: Determining your draft allocations
• Stage 4: Confirming your draft allocations and recording your decisions

The Council have undertaken Stage 1, running call for sites exercises in 2024 and 2026. Those sites put forward have been published on an online map with basic information. The map includes Land North of Newcastle Road, Shavington which was submitted to both the 2024 and 2026 call for sites exercises.

At Stage 2, the Council will be required to categorise the sites, for example different potential land uses, scales of development, likely lead-in times and policy designations. What is clear from the draft Government guidance is that one purpose of this stage of the site selection process is to help inform the emerging spatial strategy and not the other way around.

The Council will then be required to undertake an initial sift of sites, first filtering out any obviously unsuitable sites, with the examples given in the draft Government guidance being sites which could include Detailed Emergency Planning Zones, Flood Zones 3a and 3b, Health & Safety Executive Consultation Zones and Public Safety Zones (such as airports).

That said, such matters should not automatically result in a site being discounted. Rather it necessitates consideration of whether such matters could be mitigated through, for example, only using part of the site for development. This is precisely what is proposed for this Site, since whilst the northern extent of the Site falls within Flood Zone 2/3 associated with Swill Brook, that part of the Site would not be used for development and is proposed to be enhanced as a wet woodland. As such and given there are no other reasons why the Site would be sifted out at this stage, it is expected to be considered at the next stage of the process.

Once the sites have been sifted, the Council will be required to undertake a full assessment of the sites and identify a set of suitable, available and achievable sites to take forward to the next stage. As set out in the call for sites submission, this Site is wholly suitable, available and achievable and should therefore be taken forward to the next stage.

At Stage 3, the Council will be required to determine draft allocations and seek to meet development needs in full. In doing so the Council will need to draw on the relevant evidence they have developed and in particular, for instance, the type and category of the sites determined in Stage 2, settlement hierarchy and function, accessibility to services and facilities, timescales for delivery to ensure new development can be provided throughout the plan period etc. Comments on the settlement hierarchy and spatial distribution are provided under separate headings below, with a focus on Shavington where this Site is located.

At Stage 4, the Council will need to provide a list of draft allocations, a list of sites that are rejected, and the rationale for each selected and rejected site, and the evidence to support those decisions.

Whilst there is no specific requirement in national policy to set a hierarchy of settlements through the Local Plan it is noted that the Council will establish a settlement hierarchy as part of the future planning strategy with the intention of informing the spatial distribution of development, the approach to site allocations and the definition of settlement boundaries.

It is noted and welcomed that the Council are currently collating evidence to inform a review of the settlement hierarchy, considering provision of services and facilities, population, jobs, sustainable transport, retail provision and settlement form. Comments may be made on that evidence in due course as it is expected to be published as part of the subsequent ‘plan content and evidence’ consultation next year.

Alongside the review of the settlement hierarchy, it is expected that the infrastructure required to support growth in settlements will be explored though the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP). It will be necessary to get a handle on how future development may be able to enhance the role, function and sustainability of settlements through improved infrastructure provision and helping to underpin and attract new services and facilities in specific settlements.

Highgrove welcome discussions with the Council as land North of Newcastle Road, Shavington is of such a scale that it can provide supporting infrastructure to assist in accommodating growth in Shavington, which is currently at the tier of Local Service Centre. For example, alongside new homes, open space and landscaping, this Site has the potential to deliver sports pitches, and a potential one form entry primary school and/or medical centre, if required, for the benefit of new residents and the existing community.

Highgrove support the preparation of new evidence to underpin the new Local Plan, including a report on the spatial distribution of development. It would also be useful if the spatial distribution of development was disaggregated for the current Local Service Centres, rather than just the Principal Towns and Key Service Centres, as was the case for the LPS.

Whilst that evidence is awaited it is expected that Shavington, as a current Local Service Centre would be found to be well placed to address a substantial proportion of the housing requirement since:

• It is positioned close to Crewe which is a Principal Town and provides ready access to shops, services, amenities, major employment hubs, transport links, and regional infrastructure;
• Shavington is not constrained by Green Belt – indeed, it is one of only three current Local Service Centres in the borough which are not constrained by Green Belt;
• Whilst the northern and western edges of Shavington are covered by the Strategic Green Gap designation, the eastern and southern edges of Shavington are not (including where Land North of Newcastle Road, Shavington is located) meaning those areas can retain the designation intact and making them an obvious choice for housing growth in Shavington;
• There has been success of recent developments and a good track record of allocations coming forward in line with the adopted LPS, for example, at Shavington / Wybunbury Triangle which was allocated for 400 homes and developed by Persimmon and Anwyl and at East Shavington which was allocated for 275 homes and developed by Taylor Wimpley;
• Housing delivery in Shavington has been good over recent years, which demonstrates there is a very strong demand for new housing in this area;
• Shavington is not constrained by the Peak District National Park Fringe which includes land to the east of Macclesfield, north, east and south of Bollington, and south east of Congleton; and,
• Shavington is not constrained by Local Landscape Designations which include land to the north of Knutsford, north of Wilmslow, west of Handforth, east of Alderley Edge, north and west of Macclesfield.

The Council acknowledge that growth on the edge of settlements may need to be considered given the scale of development that is likely to be required through the new Local Plan.

This will evidently be required to accommodate growth at Shavington, considering that all the submitted sites during the call for sites exercises in 2024 and 2026 are on the edge of the settlement within the open countryside (with some also being within the Strategic Green Gap albeit not Land North of Newcastle Road, Shavington).

Indeed, no brownfield and urban land at Shavington has been identified during those exercises. Furthermore, there is only a single site in Shavington on the Council’s brownfield land register at 1 Rope Lane which has already been consented for 7 residential units for supported living.

It is noted and welcomed that the Council are to prepare a housing needs assessment to identify the key housing issues that the Local Plan will need to address, including the need for affordable housing, housing for older people, specialist accommodation, self-build and custom housebuilding, and the mix of dwelling sizes and tenures across the borough.

The Council already note that there are geographical variations in affordability across the borough, and that more evidence will be needed to understand these differences and how they could be addressed. This evidence is welcomed, as is the Council’s commitment to consider evidence on development viability. Comments may be made on that evidence in due course as it is expected to be published as part of the subsequent ‘plan content and evidence’ consultation next year.

In terms of affordability, the affordability ratio of the borough on adoption of the current LPS in 2017 was 7.65. Since adoption the affordable ratio has risen to an average of 8.25, only dropping below 7.65 most recently in 2025. This would suggest that the LPS was ineffective in lowering affordability ratios or has taken some time to take effect in lowering the ratios.

Moving forwards, there will need to be clear evidence on the extent of the affordable housing needs within the borough, to what extent those needs should be addressed, and how this informs the ultimate housing requirement in the new Local Plan. An increase in the total housing figures included in the Local Plan should also be considered where it could help deliver the required number of affordable homes.

National policy encourages an integrated approach to planning community facilities alongside housing development. What is clear about Land North of Newcastle Road, Shavington is that its scale means that it has the ability to deliver significant recreation and community facilities. Not only does the Site have the ability to deliver a minimum of 400 dwellings and generous open space and landscaping, it can also provide sports pitches for the benefit of the local community, and a potential one form entry primary school and/or medical centre. The detail of the substantial community facilities that could be provided at the Site could be informed by the pending evidence underpinning the new Local Plan, including an IDP.

Highgrove support the preparation of new evidence to underpin the new Local Plan, including but not limited to:
• A complete and transparent land availability assessment and site selection process;
• A housing needs assessment which considers geographical variations within the borough and development viability;
• An IDP which identifies borough-wide infrastructure and local infrastructure required at specific settlements;
• Settlement hierarchy review;
• Spatial distribution of development report;
• Viability assessment; and,
• An indoor built facilities study, playing pitch strategy update, and open space assessment and strategy.

It is encouraging that the Council seeks to work positively and proactively with the development industry to assess, select and refine development opportunities. A transparent, proportionate and plan-led approach is endorsed but this need not be at the expense of individual discussions.

That said, it is acknowledged that to ensure fairness and avoid any perception of preferential treatment, the Council will only enter into discussions on the merits of individual sites at appropriate stages within the process. Engagement will be focused on clarifying process, evidence requirements, timescales and informing the development of site-specific policies in order securing the best outcomes for communities.

Highgrove are committed to providing as much information as possible on Land North of Newcastle Road, Shavington, particularly how it can provide facilities for the community.

The new Local Plan should be based on a housing need assessment that establishes the overall number of homes needed in the area as a minimum over the plan period, using the standard method. This is currently 2,530 dwellings per annum (dpa) but will need to be kept under review as the new Local Plan progresses to consider changes in housing stock and affordability data. Whilst 2,530 dpa is a step-up on the adopted housing requirement of 1,800 dpa in the Local Plan Strategy (LPS), it is wholly achievable with due consideration being given to the land available within Cheshire East which is not restricted.

Furthermore, the Council have a good track record of housing delivery. The net delivery of homes since the LPS was adopted in 2017, averages 2,524 dwellings per annum which substantially exceeds the adopted housing requirement. This demonstrates that the borough contains a very strong housing market area, that can positively contribute to the Government’s overall objectives to significantly boost the supply of homes and is consistent with the current local housing need of the area.

The housing requirement could also be higher than the figure identified in the local housing needs assessment, where appropriate, for instance where it is necessary to meet the needs of neighbouring areas. The housing requirement could also be higher where it reflects growth ambitions linked to economic development or infrastructure investment4. The Council will be required to examine whether there is a need for an uplift to the minimum local housing need that should align with the emerging SDS for Cheshire and Warrington, which will act as a framework for investment across the sub region, setting out a high-level strategy for long-term growth and the major infrastructure required to support that growth.

It is expected that all these matters will be thoroughly explored by the Council in their evidence base of the new Local Plan.

The Local Plan should seek to meet the development needs of the borough as a minimum. This means providing for objectively assessed need for housing, business and other uses (including supporting infrastructure) as well as needs that cannot be met within neighbouring areas.

National policy sets a high bar for Local Plans which do not seek to meet those needs. That is, unless policies in the NPPF which protect areas or assets of particular importance provide a strong reason for restricting development or the adverse impacts of doing so would substantially outweigh the benefits. Given the extent of land available in Cheshire East which is not restricted by areas or assets of particular importance, it is expected that the new Local Plan will be able to meet the development needs of the borough as a minimum.