Local plan scoping consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 6685

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh considers the spatial strategy should meet development needs and consider a broader range of factors when distributing growth, including economic opportunities, sector-specific requirements, market signals, investment, regeneration needs and national and sub-regional strategies. They argue that environmental and planning constraints should be distinguished and Green Belt and Strategic Gap designations reviewed appropriately. Growth should also reflect strategic and sustainable transport connections and opportunities for infrastructure improvements. Cheshire Fresh supports considering urban extensions and new settlements and identifies Crewe as a focus for growth due to its connectivity and economic strengths, promoting Red Hall Farm for housing and employment development.

Comment

Representation ID: 6686

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh considers the Local Plan should avoid duplicating national policies governing development within and outside settlements. If settlement boundaries are retained, they should provide sufficient flexibility and not be drawn too tightly, as this could unnecessarily constrain sustainable growth. Cheshire Fresh highlights the national definition of settlements and supports consideration of a criteria-based approach to identifying settlement extents rather than relying solely on rigid boundaries. They consider this would provide greater flexibility when assessing development opportunities while remaining consistent with national policy. Cheshire Fresh would welcome further engagement with the Council to develop appropriately worded criteria for determining settlement boundaries and considering development proposals.

Comment

Representation ID: 6687

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh welcomes the ambition to unlock economic prosperity but considers housing provision should address homes of all types, sizes and tenures, supporting the labour force needed for economic growth. They argue the Local Plan should meet housing needs as a minimum and consider higher provision where justified by neighbouring authorities’ unmet needs, economic growth or infrastructure investment. Cheshire Fresh supports preparing a Housing Needs Assessment and considers the evidence should assess the standard-method figure, unmet needs, economic and infrastructure ambitions, affordable housing requirements, housing mix and tenure, and the needs of different groups, including older people.

Comment

Representation ID: 6688

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh supports assessing affordable housing needs across different housing market areas within Cheshire East, including the scale and type of need. They consider the evidence should inform appropriate affordable housing contributions from development. Policy requirements should specify the level and type of affordable housing sought while ensuring planned sites and development remain viable and deliverable, providing certainty for developers and land promoters. Cheshire Fresh also considers affordable housing policies should be clear and unambiguous but sufficiently flexible to respond to changing circumstances. In particular, requirements relating to affordable housing type and tenure should be capable of adapting as needs change throughout the Plan period.

Comment

Representation ID: 6689

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh supports the use of the Housing Needs Assessment to identify the need for different size, type and tenure of homes across the Plan Area. Cheshire Fresh note that the policy should allow for some flexibility, given the propensity for housing needs to change over time. This will enable developments to respond positively to changing needs. This need for flexibility and ability to respond to changing circumstances is reflected in the 2026 Framework Policy HO13, which in relation to proposals on strategic sites requires the consenting framework to be “flexible enough to respond positively to changing circumstances as phases are brought forward, including changes to housing need, infrastructure requirements, viability, and design”.

Comment

Representation ID: 6690

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh considers specialist housing needs for older people should be established through robust evidence and reflected in Local Plan policies. Where an identified need exists, they recognise that specific sites may need to be identified and appropriate expectations established for housing tenure. Cheshire Fresh emphasises that older persons’ accommodation is generally delivered by specialist operators with particular site and operational requirements. They therefore consider the Council should engage with relevant operators when identifying potential sites for specialist housing. This would help ensure that allocated sites are suitable for the intended accommodation, respond to identified needs and are realistically capable of being delivered.

Comment

Representation ID: 6691

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh considers the need for self and custom-build housing should be robustly evidenced and addressed through the Local Plan. They note that identifying specific sites is not the only way to meet these needs, particularly given national policies that provide opportunities for self and custom-build development through the decision-making process. Cheshire Fresh suggests that, rather than relying solely on site allocations, a locally specific and flexible policy could support or encourage self and custom-build housing where sufficient demand is demonstrated. They consider this approach could respond appropriately to identified needs while remaining consistent with the positive framework for development established through national planning policy.

Comment

Representation ID: 6692

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh supports providing a diverse mix of housing sites, including smaller sites, strategic urban extensions and potentially new settlements, to meet Cheshire East’s significant housing needs. They consider larger strategic sites will have an important role in delivering sufficient housing alongside supporting infrastructure and facilities. Cheshire Fresh promotes Land at Red Hall Farm/west of Middlewich Road as a suitable strategic opportunity, arguing that development could provide necessary infrastructure and new facilities, support a sustainable community and offer access to services and employment. They also highlight the site’s sustainable transport connections to the wider services and facilities available within Crewe.

Comment

Representation ID: 6693

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh does not support the adoption of enhanced housing standards in relation to accessible and adaptable dwellings, water efficiency, or NDSS, in the absence of clear and robust evidence to support any increase in standards, including evidence that assesses the impact on viability. This is consistent with Policy PM13, which is clear that quantitative standards must not cover matters already addressed by building standards, with limited exceptions, and in all circumstances requires appropriate justification, and should not have an adverse impact on viability.

Cheshire Fresh reserves the right to review any forthcoming evidence and comment further.

Comment

Representation ID: 6694

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh welcomes the Council’s ambition to support a strong and resilient economy and promote prosperity. They support recognising relevant national and sub-regional economic and industrial strategies when assessing future employment needs. Cheshire Fresh considers the evidence base should establish economic development requirements and recognise the specific locational needs of different sectors when identifying employment sites. They also emphasise the relationship between economic and housing growth, arguing that housing evidence should align with the economic strategy and take account of significant economic growth or infrastructure investment. This would help ensure sufficient housing supports future employment growth and wider economic ambitions across Cheshire East.