Local plan scoping consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 3672

Received: 31/08/2026

Respondent: Mrs Sally Allmond Hadley

Objection to the allocation of Land East and West of Slaughter Hill. I recognise the Council’s housing requirements but this does not justify allocating an unsuitable site, override environmental and agricultural constraints. The site comprises Grade 2 Best and Most Versatile agricultural land and lies within the Strategic Green Gap and Open Countryside, within the Shropshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire Plain LCA. Development would result in permanent loss of high-quality agricultural soil, harm landscape character, and adversely affect biodiversity and ecological networks. NPPF p187 requires these natural assets are protected and enhanced. Less harmful and more sustainable sites should be prioritised.

Comment

Representation ID: 3680

Received: 31/08/2026

Respondent: Mrs Sally Allmond Hadley

I object to the proposed allocation of Land East and West of Slaughter Hill. The site lies within the Strategic Green Gap. Cheshire East’s Strategic Green Gap Boundary Review specifically identifies the area from Crewe Green east to Slaughter Hill and north to Crewe Road, concluding that the area helps to retain the openness of the land and fulfils the purposes of the Strategic Green Gap by protecting the setting and separate identity of the settlement and maintaining the existing settlement pattern. Policy PG 5 provides long-term protection against coalescence and seeks to maintain openness. The allocation should be rejected.

Comment

Representation ID: 3683

Received: 31/08/2026

Respondent: Mrs Sally Allmond Hadley

I support prioritising previously developed (brownfield) land and the regeneration of existing urban areas. This approach should be applied rigorously before valuable greenfield and agricultural land is released for development. Policy SD 1 requires development to make efficient use of land, protect the BMV agricultural land and make best use of previously developed land The emerging Local Plan also states that it will maximise the use of brownfield and underused land. I support a brownfield-first approach and this should reduce requirements to develop the Grade 2 agricultural land at Slaughter Hill, within the Strategic Green Gap and Open Countryside.

Comment

Representation ID: 3711

Received: 31/08/2026

Respondent: Mrs Sally Allmond Hadley

I support the preparation of a Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy and believe it provides an important opportunity to consider housing growth and infrastructure strategically across the sub-region, rather than determining housing sites in isolation. The Spatial Development Strategy should identify the most sustainable locations for new housing by considering infrastructure capacity, transport connectivity, access to services, environmental constraints, landscape character, biodiversity and agricultural land quality. Previously developed and underused land should be prioritised before valuable greenfield land. Housing sites should be selected through a transparent, evidence-led process and should not be allocated solely because land is available.

Comment

Representation ID: 3717

Received: 31/08/2026

Respondent: Mrs Sally Allmond Hadley

I support the intention to review and retain, where appropriate, the existing supplementary planning guidance and to incorporate important requirements into the new Local Plan or future Supplementary Plans. Particular importance should be given to ecology and biodiversity, sustainable drainage, environmental protection, design and developer contributions. The new Local Plan should provide strong and clear protection for biodiversity, ecological networks, landscape character, agricultural soils and natural drainage, rather than relying on these matters being addressed only at planning application stage. The Council should ensure these protections carry appropriate weight and are fully considered when selecting housing sites.

Comment

Representation ID: 3725

Received: 31/08/2026

Respondent: Mrs Sally Allmond Hadley

I welcome the Council’s commitment to undertaking a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Equality Impact Assessment and Habitats Regulations Assessment. As someone with experience undertaking SEAs, I consider it essential that the SEA is an integral part of plan preparation and genuinely informs the selection and distribution of housing sites, rather than being used for assessment after key decisions have been made. The SEA must establish a robust environmental baseline, identify sensitive and constrained areas, assess cumulative and in-combination effects, and properly compare reasonable alternative development strategies and sites. The reasons for selecting or rejecting alternatives should be transparent and evidence-based.

Comment

Representation ID: 3734

Received: 31/08/2026

Respondent: Mrs Sally Allmond Hadley

I support the recognition of the importance of Cheshire East’s landscapes, wildlife, heritage and agricultural land. The fact that approximately 70% of the borough is farmed land demonstrates the importance of protecting this finite resource from unnecessary development. Agricultural land at Slaughter Hill should therefore be afforded particular protection. The site also forms part of the Strategic Green Gap and Shropshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire Plain landscape, contributing to openness, landscape character, biodiversity and ecological connectivity. Development would permanently remove productive agricultural land and adversely affect important natural assets. The Council should prioritise previously developed land and protect high-quality countryside.

Comment

Representation ID: 3739

Received: 31/08/2026

Respondent: Mrs Sally Allmond Hadley

Haslington has its own distinct identity and community, and its important that this is protected from gradual coalescence with Crewe. The open land between Haslington, Crewe and surrounding settlements provides an important physical and visual separation and contributes to the rural character of the area. The proposed development Land East and West of Slaughter Hill would erode this separation. This conflicts with the purpose of Cheshire East’s Strategic Green Gap, particularly Policy PG 5, which seeks to prevent coalescence, protect the setting and separate identity of settlements and maintain openness. The land should therefore remain protected from development.

Comment

Representation ID: 3744

Received: 31/08/2026

Respondent: Mrs Sally Allmond Hadley

I support the principle that the new Local Plan should identify land for development in locations that can deliver sustainable growth. However, the Council rightly states that development must be informed by infrastructure capacity, environmental constraints and opportunities for regeneration, alongside the need for housing and employment.

Comment

Representation ID: 3769

Received: 31/08/2026

Respondent: Mrs Sally Allmond Hadley

The Land East and West of Slaughter Hill has significant constraints: it is within a Strategic Green Gap, Open Countryside and the Shropshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire Plain LCA, and contains Grade 2 Best and Most Versatile agricultural land with biodiversity and ecological value. Development would conflict with the Council’s stated objective of protecting and enhancing the natural environment. The Plan should direct development towards previously developed and less environmentally constrained sites and reject the allocation of the Land East and West of Slaughter Hill.