Local plan scoping consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 6695

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh agrees that transport and infrastructure are essential to sustainable growth and supports a vision-led approach to transport planning. They consider the Infrastructure Delivery Plan should clearly identify existing capacity issues and assess the impacts of proposed development. It should establish necessary mitigation, costs, deliverability, funding sources and the organisations responsible for infrastructure delivery. Development contributions should be reasonably related to proposals and should not undermine viability. Cheshire Fresh considers infrastructure requirements must be sufficiently clear to provide certainty over delivery and funding, with the findings of the Infrastructure Delivery Plan informing the whole-plan viability assessment.

Comment

Representation ID: 6696

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh agrees that evidence on flood risk, climate change and renewable energy will be required and welcomes opportunities to engage in its preparation. They highlight that the 2026 Framework already contains national decision-making policies addressing climate change and the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment. Cheshire Fresh therefore considers that the Council should review these national requirements when developing the Local Plan and avoid introducing local policies that duplicate or restate existing national policy. They support an evidence-led approach, including preparation of a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment and Climate Change and Renewable Energy Study, to inform the Plan’s approach to environmental matters.

Comment

Representation ID: 6697

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh welcomes the acknowledgement at paragraph 5.105 that key health determinants include access to suitable housing, and employment opportunities. Cheshire Fresh support the role of the Local Plan in ‘encouraging’ active travel within new developments. Policies should not mandate active travel measures on all sites, as the ability, and suitability of sites to accommodate active travel measures will vary on a site by site basis, having regard to the scale of development proposed and the location.

Comment

Representation ID: 6698

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh supports evidence on climate change and renewable energy but considers enhanced local standards, including energy-efficiency requirements, should only be introduced where robustly justified and viability tested. They highlight the Future Homes and Buildings Standards and consider the Local Plan should have regard to existing Building Regulations and national standards when setting requirements for energy efficiency or vehicle charging. Cheshire Fresh notes that national policy restricts quantitative local standards covering matters already addressed by Building Regulations, except in limited circumstances. They consider any additional requirements should be clearly evidenced, justified and demonstrated not to adversely affect development viability.

Comment

Representation ID: 6699

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh agree that evidence relating to Sports and Recreation facilities is required and supports the inclusion of evidence on indoor built facilities, playing pitch strategy, and open space assessments. It will be important to consider the implications of outputs on viability, with resultant standards assessed through whole plan viability. Cheshire Fresh welcome the opportunity to engage with the Council and its consultants on the preparation of the evidence and reserve the rights to make comments following the publication of evidence.

Comment

Representation ID: 6700

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh considers design policies should reflect Cheshire East’s diversity and avoid overly prescriptive requirements or duplication of national policy. They favour a broad local design framework identifying when design guides, codes or masterplans are required, with requirements clearly and unambiguously expressed. They oppose a single borough-wide design code, arguing this would be unable to respond adequately to differing site and area characteristics. Design approaches should also consider economic context and implementation. Cheshire Fresh considers locally prepared design codes should therefore be developed collaboratively, with appropriate engagement involving relevant stakeholders including landowners, developers and site promoters.

Comment

Representation ID: 6701

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh supports preparation of comprehensive evidence including sustainability assessment, employment and housing needs, open space, flood risk, landscape, green infrastructure, transport and infrastructure studies. They emphasise aligning employment and housing evidence so housing supply does not constrain economic growth. Cheshire Fresh particularly supports a robust Whole Plan Viability Assessment examining the cumulative impact of affordable housing, infrastructure, design, environmental and other policy requirements across different site types. They consider viability work should involve developers, landowners and infrastructure and affordable housing providers, ensuring policies and allocations remain realistic and deliverable and do not undermine housing, employment or infrastructure delivery.

Comment

Representation ID: 6702

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Cheshire Fresh Ltd

Agent: Spawforths

Cheshire Fresh promotes Land at Red Hall Farm/west of Middlewich Road, Crewe, as a strategic mixed-use allocation. The 113-hectare site is proposed for up to 2,100 homes alongside employment, retail, health and primary school provision. They consider the site available, suitable and achievable, with a planning application submitted to support early phased delivery. Cheshire Fresh highlights access to employment, services, public transport and the strategic road network, alongside proposed active travel, green space and biodiversity improvements. Technical work is stated to identify no constraints that cannot be mitigated. They consider the site capable of making a significant contribution to Cheshire East’s housing needs.