Local plan scoping consultation

Dear Local Plan Officer
Tabley Parish Council wishes to submit the following observations and concerns in response to the current Cheshire East Local Plan consultation in reference to the Parish Council meeting held on Monday 17th August.
The Parish Council recognises the need for Cheshire East Council to plan appropriately for future housing, employment and infrastructure. However, Members have significant concerns regarding the potential impact of future development upon Tabley, its historic landscape and the surrounding rural area.
The Council's principal concerns are:
Scale of Development
The Council is concerned about the potential scale of development being considered within and around Tabley and the cumulative impact this could have upon what is presently a predominantly rural area.
Development should be appropriately distributed across the borough and take full account of existing infrastructure and the ability of local services to accommodate additional growth. This should include highways, schools, medical services, drainage, public transport, sport and leisure facilities and other community infrastructure. The supporting assessment document similarly identifies the need for infrastructure requirements and any existing deficits to be considered alongside future development.
Loss of Agricultural and Rural Land
Members are particularly concerned about the potential loss of productive agricultural land.
The Council believes that agricultural land, countryside and the rural character of Tabley should be afforded appropriate protection and that previously developed or less environmentally sensitive sites should be fully considered before significant areas of rural land are allocated for development.
Tabley Estate / Crown Estate Land
The Council has particular concerns regarding the inclusion of land forming part of the Tabley Estate. The Council understands that the surrounding estate land is owned by the Crown Estate, whilst Tabley House is separately owned.
The Council considers that the historic parkland surrounding Tabley House should be afforded particular protection and should not be allocated for development without a comprehensive assessment of its historic, heritage, landscape and environmental significance.
The presence of historic monuments and structures within the estate, together with Tabley House, its historic setting and scheduled ancient monument, must be fully considered as part of any assessment of the suitability of this land for future development.
Heritage and Historic Environment
Tabley has an important historic character, and the Local Plan must ensure that heritage assets and their settings are properly protected when potential development sites are identified and assessed.
The supporting assessment document specifically identifies Tabley House, its historic setting and scheduled ancient monument and states that it should not be included within the Plan without strict adherence to all relevant policies.
The Parish Council considers that the protection of Tabley's historic landscape should therefore be an important consideration throughout the site-selection process.
Green Belt and Separation of Communities
The Council considers it particularly important that the Local Plan protects Tabley's rural identity and prevents inappropriate development resulting in the gradual merging of Tabley with neighbouring settlements.
Appropriate Green Belt protection and, where necessary, strong Strategic Green Gap policies should be maintained to preserve the separate identity and historic setting of Tabley.
The supporting assessment document specifically identifies the importance of maintaining a strong Green Belt boundary between Tabley and surrounding villages and preserving the setting of historic parishes such as Tabley.
Infrastructure and Environmental Impact
Any significant development must be supported by appropriate infrastructure.
The cumulative effects upon highways, traffic, drainage, public transport, schools, medical services, the environment, landscape, local services and surrounding communities must be fully assessed rather than individual sites being considered in isolation.
Where existing infrastructure is already under pressure, Cheshire East Council should clearly establish how any additional infrastructure requirements arising from development would be provided and funded.
Biodiversity and Ecology
The ecological value of land being considered for allocation should be properly assessed before sites are selected.
Particular consideration should be given to wildlife corridors, existing habitats, hedgerows, biodiversity and environmentally sensitive land.
The supporting assessment document suggests that Cheshire Wildlife Trust should be commissioned to assess the biodiversity and ecological value of land to help ensure that environmentally sensitive sites are not allocated for development.
The Local Plan should also seek to protect and enhance wildlife corridors and existing natural features rather than simply mitigating their loss after development has been allocated.
Site Selection and Parish Council Involvement
Tabley Parish Council strongly believes that parish councils should be meaningfully involved at an early stage of the site-selection process.
Parish councils possess detailed local knowledge which should form part of the evidence used when assessing the suitability of potential development sites.
The methodology used to identify and assess sites should therefore be transparent and shared with affected parish councils, enabling them to make a meaningful contribution before decisions regarding potential allocations are made.
This approach is also identified within the supporting assessment document, which calls for parish councils to be involved in the assessment of sites and future growth within their areas.
Cross-Boundary Working
Development of the scale potentially being considered will affect more than one parish.
Tabley Parish Council believes Cheshire East Council should facilitate meaningful engagement between affected parish and town councils so that the wider and cumulative impact of development across parish boundaries can be properly considered.
The Parish Council will also seek to engage directly with neighbouring councils where proposals have implications extending beyond Tabley's boundaries.
Community Involvement
Local residents and parish councils must be given a genuine opportunity to influence proposals affecting their communities before decisions regarding future land allocations are made.
Engagement should enable communities to understand, question and challenge proposals rather than simply being informed once options have already been developed.
The supporting assessment document similarly emphasises meaningful engagement and recommends close working between Cheshire East Council and town and parish councils, including briefings and involvement in the site-selection process.
Consultation Period
Tabley Parish Council is also concerned about the limited consultation period, particularly with the consultation taking place predominantly during July and August and closing on 1 September 2026.
The timing coincides with the principal summer holiday period and does not provide sufficient opportunity for parish councils, which operate through scheduled public meetings, to properly consider extensive Local Plan documentation, engage with residents and neighbouring councils and determine a considered corporate response.
Indeed, Tabley Parish Council has had to convene an Extraordinary Meeting specifically to consider these matters before the consultation deadline.
Given the significance of the Local Plan and the fact that the decisions ultimately made will affect communities for generations, the Council considers that parish councils and residents should be afforded sufficient time to properly understand, consider and respond to the proposals.
The Council therefore asks Cheshire East Council to consider an extension to the consultation period to provide parish councils and their communities with a meaningful opportunity to participate.
Conclusion
Tabley Parish Council is not opposed to appropriate and sustainable development, but strongly believes that development must be proportionate, appropriately located and supported by the necessary infrastructure.
The Council is particularly concerned that the rural and historic character of Tabley, productive agricultural land, Green Belt, the Tabley Estate and historic parkland surrounding Tabley House, together with the wider environmental and landscape value of the area, could be adversely affected by development of an inappropriate scale.
The Council therefore asks Cheshire East Council to ensure that heritage, landscape, agricultural value, biodiversity, infrastructure capacity and the cumulative impact of development are fully assessed before any land within Tabley is considered for allocation.
Tabley Parish Council also requests that it is directly and meaningfully involved in the identification and assessment of any potential development sites within the parish, rather than being consulted only after sites have been identified.
The Parish Council considers that the Local Plan process should protect the distinct identity, historic environment and rural character of Tabley, whilst ensuring that any future development demonstrated to be necessary is sustainable, appropriately located and supported by adequate infrastructure.
Tabley Parish Council asks Cheshire East Council to take these representations fully into account as the Local Plan progresses and to ensure that the Parish Council and its residents continue to be directly and meaningfully engaged in any proposals or potential land allocations affecting Tabley.
Tabley Parish Council
August 2026