Local plan scoping consultation

Whilst the plan outlines ambitious housing targets, new developments should enhance and align rather than be at a cost to the character and value of existing communities. Well-designed, appropriately located sites that respond to the character and capacity of the place as opposed to building because there is land available.
The Local Plan should demonstrate that existing buildings, vacant properties and suitable brownfield opportunities have been properly assessed as part of meeting future housing requirements.

A brownfield-first approach makes eminent sense. Equally, refurbishing existing existing properties and structures delivers on sustainability, reducing the carbon footprint whilst protecting the character of our region.
Latest available figures suggest that 1,672 homes have been vacant for more than six months across Cheshire East. In research carried out by Historic England, a typical Victorian terrace, refurbishment generated 1.2 tonnes of construction-related embodied carbon compared with 16.35 tonnes for demolition and new construction equating to around 13 times as much.
Having worked in the new build housing sector for 11 years, I know that this approach doesn’t suit the large domestic developers. The economics and commercial incentives of large-scale housebuilding can favour demolition, standardised housetypes and maximising development yield, which may not always produce the most appropriate outcome for an individual place. S106 contributions may not always address the full cumulative impact of major development on existing infrastructure.
Land acquisition for larger developments mean that only the nationals with deeper pockets are able to bid on it. Could the plan explore opportunities for a greater diversity of housebuilders and delivery models, including smaller local developers and, where appropriate, collaborative approaches to larger sites that contribute to the economy of the region?
Don't waste the buildings, materials and character we already have by defaulting to demolition and new construction. The Local Plan should encourage solutions that respond to local need and the character of individual places, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

With growth comes the need to ensure that the transport infrastructure is robust enough to sustain it. Simply demonstrating in The Infrastructure Delivery Plan that developments can technically be accessed is insufficient. Capacity, construction traffic, cumulative traffic generation and the condition of the road network for the connecting routes should be given equal priority.
We live in an area where cycle lanes are impractical and impossible, many roads have no footpaths at all, the car is the main mode of transport for many. Having lived on one of the main roads through Prestbury for nearly 30 years we have experienced the impact of development both locally and further afield. During that time the road condition has never been addressed sufficiently to sustain the volume and nature of the traffic, and this certainly isn’t the only thoroughfare to suffer. Across the region, Cheshire East have a responsibility to ensure inhabitants and their vehicles can travel in safety not just in the future outlined in the Local Plan but in real time, right now.

Heritage isn't only listed buildings and conservation areas. It's also the landscape, setting, views, historic environment and distinctive places that give Cheshire East its identity. In my 40 year career in marketing I’ve worked with Clients up and down the UK and when you say “I’ve live in Cheshire” the response is “how lovely”. Protecting this reaction should be at the forefront of all planning and growth, don’t lose what makes the region great, it’s why we all choose to live here. Protecting the countryside, doesn't necessarily mean freezing Cheshire East in aspic, it is at the core of what makes us Cheshire.
To flag one item, Cheshire East’s support of Jodrell Bank is admirable and should continue to be a priority to ensure that we don’t lose this famous landmark, it’s an amazing and significant asset that puts the region on the world map.