Cheshire West and Chester Council members have adopted the Cheshire West and Chester Local Plan (Part Two) presented to full Council
The Local Plan (Part One) was adopted by the Council on January 2015. The document sets out the vision, objectives, spatial strategy and strategic planning policies for the borough to 2030. The Part One plan identifies the level and distribution of new housing and employment development and established the extent of Green Belt boundaries.
The Local Plan (Part Two) identifies land to meet strategic development requirements, it identifies areas and assets that should be safeguarded and provides additional detail to the Part One policies.
The Plan (Part Two) was submitted to the Secretary of State in March 2018. Following a public hearing in September 2018 some modifications were required to the plan and further consultation before it could be adopted.
It is a legal requirement to have an up-to-date plan, which is the starting point for the determination of planning applications.
The Plan (Part Two), in combination with the Plan (Part One) will replace all of the retained policies from the former district local plans: Chester District Local Plan, Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Local Plan, Vale Royal Borough Local Plan, Cheshire Replacement Minerals Local Plan and Cheshire Replacement Waste Local Plan.
Councillor Richard Beacham, cabinet member for housing, regeneration and growth said: “Part Two of the Plan will better reflect council priorities, including measures to address climate change, protect the health of our residents and improve wellbeing through access to open spaces and protecting our natural environment.
“A considerable amount of work has been undertaken to reach this point, including three major public consultation exercises and two weeks of public hearing sessions. I want to offer my gratitude to everyone who has taken part in this process, including residents, council staff and local councillors from the past and present.
“This is a significant piece of work and it will now replace nearly 300 retained policies from the former local authority. The Plan will also provide greater certainty to communities and investors about the planning decisions they can expect from the council.”
