Local plan scoping consultation

New Development, the town already has new housing developments planned on the route of our new Eastern Bypass (1,500+ New homes). To support the expansion of our town and give employment to our growing population, there are also plans to build additional Industrial Areas along the same route.
We request that brown field sites are placed as a priority for any additional new housing construction going forwards, with the potential sites being highlighted in the local plan. These sites are assessed and used before any consideration of greenfield sites, especially located at the Southern end of our town.
As part of any new Housing Development the CEC needs to ensure that there are adequate Children’s Play Areas and Park facilities. The benefit of both children and families playing and enjoying green space is paramount for healthy living. If a site is located near a forest area this must be protected and enhanced so that residents can both utilise and enjoy the space as part of a new development, hedgerows need to be included which will protect local wildlife.;
Road Network, with both the additional housing and Industrial development we need to access and monitor the traffic leaving the M6 motorway at Junction 18, we currently have traffic travelling through the town onwards to Winsford Industrial Estate and beyond. Winsford Industrial Estate is planning to expand and traffic leaving the M6 from the South always leaves at Junction 18 and not Junction 19 (A556). An additional bypass may be required to facilitate both the expanded developments in Middlewich and Winsford. Planners may need to take this into consideration.
Local Infrastructure, as with the current plan a Railway Station must be a priority especially with the focus on both Net Zero and ensuring that Middlewich had a more integrated public transport network. An ideal scenario would be a Rail / Bus Interchange located in the vicinity of Brooks Lane (not too far from the Town Centre) with ample parking available for commuters.
Middlewich has the CEC Waste Management Facility located on Cledford Lane, I propose that the facility needs to also include a Recycling Centre for local Cheshire East Residents to use. Managed on a booking only basis the location within our town will reduce both the level of traffic to Crewe including traffic emissions and the ongoing issues with capacity / traffic congestion on site.
Social & Community Requirements, with an increasing population and through traffic Cheshire Police must consider either a manned Police Station or a High-Street drop-in centre and increase the current level of limited resource available to our residents. As our population increases there must be a formula that can be applied about residents’ population vs Police resource. Especially when our town already facilitates on of the forces three Custody Suites.
Health, with the new Leighton Hospital having limited bed capacity and the NHS having a “Healthy Futures” plan where patients are treated at home in the community and not on a ward Middlewich will require a Neighbourhood /Treatment Centre. This would be managed by the NHS and not connected with either of the two existing Doctors Practices. Neighbouring towns around Middlewich already have Treatment Centres, one located near our Town Centre and accessible to all residents is ideal. A direct consultation link to the Mid-Cheshire NHS Foundation Trust Healthier Futures planning team will be crucial for this, to ensure that Middlewich & District is not left wanting.
School & SEND Centre, with the planned increase to our town’s population and the over subscribed Middlewich High School there needs to be a plan to either expand the capacity of that site or build / repurpose an existing Cheshire East Council building located in Middlewich. This needs to be included in the Middlewich neighbourhood plans to ensure that children’s educational requirements are future proofed. As part of any current site expansion or a new site allocated to children’s education, I propose that a SEND faculty is also included, this benefits local children with complex requirements.
Leisure & Exercise, Middlewich currently has no leisure facilities which is already impacting on both our residents physical and mental health. We have young adults already showing prediabetes and other age-related health conditions and this need to be a priority. As part of the wider plan in increasing both the Housing stock and Industrial Areas S106 monies needs to be allocated and protected for this very purpose. This item is also connected to the NHS “Healthy Futures” plan above.
Since 2000 our town has accepted a very large increase in both New Housing and Industrial Areas without any significant increase in either Social or Community Infrastructure. The fact is that our facilities have been reduced with the loss of both our Recycling Centre and the Leisure Centre in recent years. Our road network is struggling with the increases in both commuter and Commercial Traffic and the new Eastern Bypass will go some way in improving the current situation, however there is an issue potentially with road capacity and onward traffic into Winsford.

Best regards,


Cllr David Evans
Middlewich Town Council