Local plan scoping consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 5698

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Liberty Land

Agent: Asteer Planning

Liberty supports that CEC have identified Affordable Housing as a principal issue for consideration through the new Local Plan. However, Liberty considers that this is intrinsically linked to the point above regarding meeting overall housing needs. Affordable housing is principally delivered through market-led residential development, so the Plan will need to allocate a sufficient number of viable housing sites capable of delivering affordable homes alongside market housing.

Comment

Representation ID: 5699

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Liberty Land

Agent: Asteer Planning

Liberty supports the opportunity identified by CEC to review and update the housing mix
policies within the emerging Local Plan. Liberty considers that a flexible approach should
be implemented, which enables development to respond to local needs rather than having a broad brush approach across the Borough. A flexible policy approach should reflect local circumstances across the borough, respond to market demands, and remain flexible to changes such as demographic change throughout the Plan period.

Comment

Representation ID: 5700

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Liberty Land

Agent: Asteer Planning

Liberty supports measures to ensure new development is resilient to climate change, including passive design, sustainable drainage, water efficiency, climate-resilient landscaping and renewable or low-carbon technologies. However, it argues that environmental requirements should be proportionate, evidence-based and sufficiently flexible to reflect site-specific circumstances and development viability. Liberty considers that a whole-plan viability assessment should inform these requirements. It also emphasises that allocating sufficient viable and deliverable sites is essential to achieving the Local Plan’s environmental objectives and enabling innovative, low-carbon homes to be delivered at scale.

Comment

Representation ID: 5701

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Liberty Land

Agent: Asteer Planning

Liberty supports the preparation of a comprehensive and up-to-date evidence base for the new Local Plan. It recommends including an updated Green Belt Assessment to inform the strategic review of Green Belt land and site selection against current national policy. It also calls for a comprehensive Open Space Assessment examining provision, quality, accessibility and deficiencies to guide protection and future requirements. In addition, Liberty recommends an updated Landscape Character Assessment or Appraisal covering landscape character, sensitivity and capacity for development, with findings applied consistently to site assessment and the emerging spatial strategy.