Local plan scoping consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 3458

Received: 30/08/2026

Respondent: Mr Peter Emery

Cheshire East should take a balanced, county-wide approach to housing delivery, ensuring development reflects where housing and employment needs are and the wide range of infrastructure are located or could be expanded as these will be more sustainable and deliverable than relying on locations requiring major new infrastructure.

Cheshire East’s housing requirement should be met from existing commitments, brownfield and regeneration opportunities and sites already safeguarded and identified through the call for sites. There is significant potential to meet the requirement through a range of sites across the borough which would help reduce pressure on already constrained transport networks.

Comment

Representation ID: 3460

Received: 30/08/2026

Respondent: Mr Peter Emery

Social and affordable housing should be delivered where the need is greatest and as speedily as possible.

Approximately 60% of Cheshire East’s social housing need is in the south, particularly around Crewe, with around 40% in the north. Housing allocations should therefore reflect this distribution of need.

The Council should prioritise sites capable of delivering social housing in the short term, rather than relying on schemes where delivery may be delayed by the need for major supporting infrastructure.

Dispersing affordable housing across existing communities can provide better access to employment, services and transport, while making better use of existing infrastructure.

Comment

Representation ID: 3462

Received: 30/08/2026

Respondent: Mr Peter Emery

The local plan should recognise the need to allocate sites for all forms and types of housing to meet local needs. To free up activity in the housing market and make better use of the existing housing stock, it should facilitate appropriate sized homes to enable older residents to resize e.g. downsize to larger flats with appropriate accommodation.

Comment

Representation ID: 3464

Received: 30/08/2026

Respondent: Mr Peter Emery

It is important that a portion of smaller housing sites are provided which will be attractive to local SME building companies and help support the local economy and employment. These sites will need to meet all the criteria for releasing land as set out in our representations above.

Comment

Representation ID: 3468

Received: 30/08/2026

Respondent: Mr Peter Emery

It is important that a portion of small and medium sized housing sites are provided which will be attractive to local SME building companies and help support the local economy and employment. These sites will need to meet all the criteria for releasing land as set out in our representations above.

Comment

Representation ID: 3482

Received: 30/08/2026

Respondent: Mr Peter Emery

The local plan should ensure that there are sufficient accessible refuse sites for any new development. Locally, the closure of three around the Poynton/Bollington Towns means that these basic public services are not provided in these locations. Travelling to the south side of Macclesfield to the Moss refuse site is not sustainable and contrary to the current government focus on eliminating illegal dumping of waste.
The closed refuse sites should be reopened prior to any development taking place in or in the vicinity of these towns.

Comment

Representation ID: 3487

Received: 30/08/2026

Respondent: Mr Peter Emery

Not releasing Green Belt land and open countryside for development where there are ancient and more recent woodland, and important groups of trees and important hedgerows, lakes, ponds and watercourses. These provide established valuable habitats supporting biodiversity and nature corridors. These must be retained and remain open. Biodiversity reports should be commissioned for any land considered and the findings assessed before land is considered for release.
Weight should be given to input from Cheshire Wildlife Trust and how land has been identified in the Cheshire and Warrington Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

Comment

Representation ID: 3489

Received: 30/08/2026

Respondent: Mr Peter Emery

The methodology to be used for site assessment and selection needs to be set out and published. It should be in line with guidance provided by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Local Government Association’s Planning Advisory Service.

Comment

Representation ID: 3490

Received: 30/08/2026

Respondent: Mr Peter Emery

The Cheshire and Warrington Local Nature Recovery Strategy should be cross referenced and included within the preparation of the local plan.

The Green Belt helps to protect agricultural land and farming activities and farm employment which is important in helping to ensure food security. The local plan should not release Green Belt farmland not already identified for longer-term development unless in sustainable and appropriate locations to meet identified local needs.

Comment

Representation ID: 3491

Received: 30/08/2026

Respondent: Mr Peter Emery

The local plan should continue to recognise the importance of Cheshire East's rural communities.
Development must not undermine the character, identity and sustainability of rural settlements. Development that fundamentally changes the nature of rural communities should only be considered where there is a genuine local area need for the development and compelling evidence produced to justify that all reasonable alternatives have been considered and exhausted.