Local plan scoping consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 4898

Received: 28/08/2026

Respondent: Knutsford Town Council

Climate Change Adaptation
Paras 5.114-5.117
The new local plan should ensure that new development is designed to adapt to a changing
environment, and to mitigate the impact of development on the climate. Policy should ensure that all
new houses and employment development is designed to minimise emissions and resource usage, for
example by requiring all homes to have solar panels, requiring large developments to incorporate
ground source heat pumps or district energy networks and including grey water recycling systems.
Measures to promote reuse of construction materials should be strongly supported, particularly
where this can lead to more unique design in construction.
New development should be planned in accordance with passive solar design principles to minimise
energy demand and policy should require every house to be fitted with one or more water butts to
collect rainwater and reduce freshwater usage. This will also support the ability of SUDs to cope with
excessive rainfall. Hardstanding on new development should be limited and permeable surfaces
should be required to prevent excessive water runoff.
All development should prioritise measures to promote active travel and public transport; this should
include ensuring bicycle parking facilities are planned within developments and active travel routes
to/through sites are created/enhanced.
Consideration should be given to the safeguarding of sites for wind/solar farms where this does not
conflict with the needs to allocate housing development and protect agricultural land.

Comment

Representation ID: 4899

Received: 28/08/2026

Respondent: Knutsford Town Council

Recreation and Community Facilities
Paras 5.118-5.124
Development presents an opportunity for the establishment of new community assets and public
open space.
There should be a cascade approach to vesting the ownership of new public open space in the
appropriate body, with community assets vested in the ownership of management companies as a
matter of last resort. Sites should firstly be offered to the borough council, then to the relevant parish
or town council and lastly vested in a management company. This should enable, for example, a
community to take ownership of a new park to ensure that as a public asset it is funded by all users
and not just the residents of a new development site.
As part of the evidence base, there should be an assessment of required community facilities /
required investment in community facilities. Development should be required to address these needs
through planning obligations or by the provision of new facilities (e.g. community meeting spaces,
scout halls etc).
All development should create leisure walking/cycling routes within sites and connecting to existing
footpaths.

Comment

Representation ID: 4900

Received: 28/08/2026

Respondent: Knutsford Town Council

Heritage
Paras 5.125-5.130
To support the development of the Knutsford Neighbourhood Plan, Knutsford Town Council prepared
the Knutsford Character Assessment (2018). It provides a detailed analysis of the character of the
Town, defining the distinctive character of thirteen areas by recording their landmarks, topography,
landscape, layout, streetscape, architectural style, materials, views/vistas, origins and land use over
time. An understanding of the key features of these character areas encourages development which
enhances the area and Knutsford’s historic legacy sense of place. The new local plan should promote
the preparation of Character Area Assessments for implementation across the area which should be
delivered through neighbourhood planning.
Policy should require that applications within conservation area are accompanied by a clear statement
setting out how it supports/enhances/addresses issues within the conservation area appraisal and
management plan. The policy should aim to strengthen the status of the appraisal documents and
management plans to secure enhancement of the conservation areas.
Town and Parish Councils should be invited to submit proposals for “exceptional townscapes”. The
effective protection of such townscapes should be included in local plan policy as assessment of how
a development impacts on townscapes is important, just as development impacts on the landscape
are informed by the 2018 Cheshire East Landscape Character Assessment.

Comment

Representation ID: 4901

Received: 28/08/2026

Respondent: Knutsford Town Council

Design
Paras 5.131-5.138
There is no uniform design/vernacular for the entirety of the borough and every settlement has its
own unique sense of place. It is therefore imperative that design is looked at on a settlement-by
settlement basis.
The Knutsford Design Guide was developed as part of the Knutsford Neighbourhood Plan. This should
be the Design Code for Knutsford. Should it require amendment to comply with National Model Design
Code guidance, the Town Council would undertake a review an update to create a compliant
document.
Where practicable, design codes should be locally led, the borough council should either work directly
(or through a commissioned third party) with localities to develop design codes or set out that
Neighbourhood Plans should develop design codes as part of the plan.

Comment

Representation ID: 4902

Received: 28/08/2026

Respondent: Knutsford Town Council

Engagement Strategy
The development of a new local plan will have a major impact on communities for generations. It is a
complex and multifaceted project within a government-mandated scheme where the council has
discretion in some areas and not in others. The plan making system is not well understood by the
general populus which is part of what leads to frustration and a lack of faith in local government. The
council has an opportunity to address this through its engagement strategy.
This process will be controversial, with residents having a range of views on each topic the plan will
address. It should be an aim of the engagement strategy not just to have “engaged” residents on the
plan, but to have educated and informed residents on the process and planning. Engagement should
be designed to leave residents feeling meaningfully engaged, having had opportunity to question,
challenge and understand.
To maximise engagement, the council should:
• Ensure that all documents and consultations are available in all libraries – it is not sufficient,
proportionate, nor defendable to only provide these in Macclesfield and Crewe when the
borough council has a base in each town.
• Deliver a local plan roadshow in each town. This should involve local members and the local
town council to help coordinate and promote the activity. It should present an opportunity
for the borough council to explain the process and current stage and facilitate meaningful
discussion. This would be particularly pertinent for the site selection process, where time can
be taken to discuss sites properly with residents rather than relying on a one-sided
engagement method such as the current consultation. Whilst this will require additional
time/resource, it presents an opportunity to better engage residents and develop public
understanding of the process and the limitations within which the borough council must
operate.
• Work closely with Town and Parish Councils, holding specific in person and virtual briefings to
ensure local councillors are well informed and can help lead planning engagement in their
areas. This should include ensuring that queries from Town and Parish councils concerning the
local plan are responded to quickly. Town and Parish councils should be closely involved with
the site selection process to provide their local intelligence and shape their communities.
Again, this presents an opportunity to develop local planning knowledge for the long-term
benefit of communities.
• The borough council should develop a number of videos to support the process, which could
simply be in the form of a recorded slideshow with audio. This would provide residents with
a resource to learn more about the process in an engaging medium, can enable the council to
convey that there are humans behind the plan development, and it offers an opportunity to
explain aspects of the plan making process in more detail.
The proposal to hold citizen assemblies is commendable. However, they are extremely small and will
not be representative. The council should consider larger assemblies.
It was regrettable that this consultation was undertaken during the school holiday period and with
little advance notification. This has led to criticism. The council should endeavour to ensure that it
undertakes consultations with greater notice (which it should be able to do through setting out a clear
programme) and wherever possible avoid consultation periods during the school and Christmas
holidays.