Local plan scoping consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 6394

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Clowes Developments North West Limited

Agent: Asteer Planning

Clowes supports preparation of the new Local Plan and comments on its period, vision, growth, housing, heritage and evidence base. They highlight their development activity at Viking Way, Congleton, particularly Phase 5 of the Congleton Business Park Extension. Clowes considers the site’s significant gradient makes its previously consented employment use unfeasible and is undertaking a marketing exercise to assess demand. They suggest alternative employment-generating uses should be considered, including Extra Care housing operated by Plus Dane Housing, given identified need. Although recognising the consultation is not site-specific, Clowes wishes to demonstrate the deliverability of Phase 5 for Extra Care housing and continue engagement with the Council.

Comment

Representation ID: 6395

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Clowes Developments North West Limited

Agent: Asteer Planning

Clowes considers that the proposed Local Plan period to 2045 should be extended to at least 2050. They note that national planning policy establishes a minimum rather than maximum plan period and allows longer periods to support strategic development and infrastructure. Clowes argues that extending the timeframe would provide contingency for delays during plan preparation, examination or adoption and create a more resilient framework for long-term development. They consider a longer period would reflect the lead-in times associated with housing, infrastructure and strategic development, provide greater certainty for site and infrastructure delivery, maintain a robust pipeline of development land and reduce risks of insufficient housing and employment land.

Comment

Representation ID: 6396

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Clowes Developments North West Limited

Agent: Asteer Planning

Clowes considers the Local Plan vision should provide a clear, positive and ambitious framework for sustainable development across Cheshire East. They argue that the vision should prioritise meeting identified housing, employment and infrastructure needs and establish realistic objectives for change over the Plan period and beyond. Clowes highlights the importance of coordinating the Local Plan with the emerging Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy to provide a coherent framework for growth and investment. They also consider the vision should reflect national policy supporting suitably located development and emphasise directing growth towards well-connected sites within existing settlements to support sustainable patterns of development.

Comment

Representation ID: 6397

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Clowes Developments North West Limited

Agent: Asteer Planning

Clowes considers site identification and selection should use clear, transparent and consistently applied criteria while allowing flexibility for individual circumstances. Criteria should address accessibility, connectivity, services, relationships with settlements, sustainable development, deliverability, environmental constraints and wider social, environmental and economic benefits. They argue that urban capacity and existing allocated sites should be considered before edge-of-settlement or other sites, while recognising that additional land will be required to meet housing needs. Clowes considers Phase 5, Viking Way unsuitable for its allocated employment use due to site gradients and argues that, consistent with national policy, alternative uses such as Extra Care housing should therefore be considered.

Comment

Representation ID: 6398

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Clowes Developments North West Limited

Agent: Asteer Planning

Clowes supports Cheshire East Council’s intention to gather evidence to review the settlement hierarchy. They consider the hierarchy should reflect the current and future roles and functions of settlements, taking account of the availability and accessibility of services and facilities, proximity to employment, public transport connections, relationships with neighbouring settlements, housing and employment markets, and capacity for sustainable growth. Clowes specifically argues that Congleton should be designated as a Principal Town within the new Local Plan settlement hierarchy. They consider this status appropriate because of the wide range of services and facilities available within Congleton and the settlement’s high level of accessibility.

Comment

Representation ID: 6399

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Clowes Developments North West Limited

Agent: Asteer Planning

Clowes supports the recognition that the Local Plan will need to consider a range of locations and development forms in determining the most appropriate distribution of growth across the Borough.
Clowes considers that the spatial strategy should focus on directing a considerable proportion of growth to the settlements within the top tiers of the settlement hierarchy, within which Congleton should be identified, owing to these locations being the most sustainable for accommodating growth given their scale, range of services and facilities, employment opportunities, transport connections and existing infrastructure.
Clowes is also supportive of the Council’s intention to include opportunities for densification and further development within existing settlements.

Comment

Representation ID: 6400

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Clowes Developments North West Limited

Agent: Asteer Planning

Clowes notes that the Council does not intend to duplicate national decision-making policies within the Local Plan but may introduce additional local policies where justified. They highlight NPPF Policy S4, which supports development within settlements unless its benefits would be substantially outweighed by adverse effects when assessed against national policies. Clowes considers that any additional Local Plan policies governing development within settlements must be consistent with this national policy approach. They argue that locally developed policies should not impose restrictions that would prevent or constrain development that would otherwise be considered acceptable under the NPPF, ensuring consistency between local and national planning policy.

Comment

Representation ID: 6401

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Clowes Developments North West Limited

Agent: Asteer Planning

Clowes highlights the increased Local Housing Need and the Council’s reported housing land supply shortfall, arguing that sufficient deliverable sites must be allocated to maintain housing delivery. They consider development outside settlement boundaries will be necessary but recommend reviewing urban capacity first. Particular consideration should be given to specialist housing for older and disabled people, which should be located where residents can safely and conveniently access services by walking, wheeling and public or on-site transport. Clowes emphasises the need to address demand for specialist accommodation, including Extra Care housing, and supports an updated Housing Needs Assessment to inform positive planning for these requirements.

Comment

Representation ID: 6402

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Clowes Developments North West Limited

Agent: Asteer Planning

Clowes is supportive of CEC’s intention to review and update the housing mix policies within the emerging Local Plan. Clowes considers that a flexible, rather than ‘one-size fits-all’, approach should be implemented, which enables development to respond to local needs, including those relating to specialist forms of accommodation (such as Extra Care housing).
Further to the above, Clowes recommends that the new Local Plan should supersede and update the Cheshire East Borough Residential Design Guide SPD which was adopted in 2017.

Comment

Representation ID: 6403

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Clowes Developments North West Limited

Agent: Asteer Planning

Clowes agrees with CEC in that (Asteer’s emphasis in bold), “the new Local Plan will need to balance the conservation and enhancement of the historic environment with the delivery of housing, employment and infrastructure” (Paragraph 5.127 of the Scoping document). However, in undertaking this balancing exercise, it is important that the social, economic and environmental benefits that could be delivered by development are given appropriate weight (and accord with the relevant weightings in the NPPF) when the Council is identifying allocations for development in the new Local Plan.