Local plan scoping consultation

The Crown Estate
Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan
Scoping Consultation 2026
September 2026The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Contents
1. Introduction 3
2. New Local Plan 5
3. Context for the new Local Plan 7
4. Baseline information and spatial portrait 12
5. Scope of the new Local Plan 14
6. Proposed Local Plan Engagement Strategy 23
7. Conclusion 24The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
1. Introduction
1.1. Deloitte LLP is instructed by The Crown Estate ("TCE") to submit representations to the
Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation (2026). TCE welcomes the opportunity to
engage at this early stage in the preparation of the new Cheshire East Local Plan. The
scoping consultation represents an important stage in establishing the matters that the
Local Plan should address, the evidence base required to support it, and the approach to
future engagement with stakeholders.
1.2. The new Local Plan will need to respond to a materially changed planning context,
including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s current housing
land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging Cheshire and
Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, and the publication of the August 2026
National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”) during the consultation period.
1.3. TCE welcomes the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan which meets identified housing and employment needs, supports sustainable
economic growth, and directs development to locations that are, or can be made,
sustainable through appropriate infrastructure provision, public transport accessibility,
active travel connections, environmental enhancement and long-term stewardship.
1.4. In summary, TCE considers that the new Local Plan should:
 meet identified housing and employment needs in full and test whether
additional growth is justified by economic, affordable housing or infrastructure
considerations;
 establish a clear and deliverable spatial strategy informed by a robust
assessment of reasonable alternatives;
 assess Green Belt, Grey Belt and safeguarded land through a transparent and
integrated methodology;
 give appropriate weight to well-connected locations, including Key Service
Centres and rail-connected settlements;
 identify a diverse portfolio of sites capable of contributing across different scales
and timescales; and
 integrate infrastructure, employment, sustainable transport and environmental
enhancement with decisions about the location of growth.
Background and Context
1.5. TCE is a long-term landowner within Cheshire East through its ownership of the Tabley
Estate, with landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley. Its interests include land
allocated for development within the adopted Local Plan, safeguarded land identified
through the adopted Local Plan process, and a wider portfolio of landholdings which
have been submitted through the Council’s recent Call for Sites process.
1.6. As a long-term landowner and steward of public assets, TCE is committed to working
positively with Cheshire East Council throughout preparation of the new Local Plan.
These representations seek to support the preparation of a robust and evidence-ledThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Local Plan and to ensure that a broad range of growth opportunities are appropriately
assessed through the emerging evidence base and site assessment process.
1.7. TCE’s land interests are relevant to the preparation of the emerging Local Plan in a
number of respects. These include:
 Land West of Manchester Road, Knutsford, which comprises land allocated for
residential and employment development within the adopted Local Plan (LPS 36).
A full planning application (ref. 26/1231/FUL) was submitted in March 2026 on
parcel B of the allocation, which is currently being determined. TCE remains
committed to delivering the remainder of the allocation in a timely fashion.
 Land North and South of Tabley Road, Knutsford, comprising safeguarded land
identified in adopted Local Plan policies LPS 39 and LPS 40 as land to meet
longer-term development needs.
 A wider portfolio of landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley, comprising
opportunities of differing scales and characteristics submitted through the
Council’s Call for Sites process. This includes land associated with the potential
future growth of Knutsford as a Key Service Centre, opportunities associated with
the rail-connected settlement of Plumley, and larger landholdings capable of
being considered as part of the Council's assessment of longer-term growth
options.
1.8. Collectively, these land interests comprise a diverse portfolio of opportunities of
different scales and locations within Cheshire East. The emerging Local Plan and
supporting evidence base should therefore assess these interests appropriately as part
of the Council’s consideration of future growth options and the preparation of a
sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy.
1.9. The range of options identified above is particularly relevant given the materially
increased housing requirement and the need for the Local Plan to identify a sufficient and
resilient supply of suitable, available and deliverable sites.
1.10. It is therefore critical that the new Local Plan is prepared positively, quickly and on the
basis of robust evidence. The plan must identify a sufficient supply of suitable, available
and deliverable sites to meet housing and employment needs in full, while providing a
clear framework for infrastructure, environmental enhancement and high-quality
placemaking.
1.11. These representations have been prepared having regard to the NPPF published in
August 2026, which applies to relevant plan-making from 17 August 2026. The Council
should therefore review the consultation responses, evidence base and next stages of
Plan preparation against the final Framework, particularly in relation to Green Belt, Grey
Belt, station-related development, strategic sites, housing delivery, economic growth
and national decision-making policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
2. New Local Plan
Matters addressed in the new Local Plan
2.1. TCE supports the broad range of matters identified by the Council for inclusion within the
new Local Plan. These appropriately cover housing, employment, transport,
infrastructure, climate change, environmental matters, design and placemaking, health
and wellbeing and sustainable economic growth.
2.2. However, TCE considers that the Local Plan should be framed first and foremost around
the need to respond positively to the significant increase in development requirements
now facing Cheshire East. The revised standard method housing need figure, changes to
national policy and the Council's current housing land supply position collectively
indicate that the new Local Plan will require the Council to reconsider the scale and
distribution of growth that informed the adopted Local Plan Strategy.
2.3. In this context, the Local Plan should prioritise the following matters, which will be
central to establishing a positive and deliverable growth strategy:
 meeting housing and employment needs in full;
 establishing a clear and deliverable spatial strategy;
 undertaking an evidence-led review of Green Belt and Grey Belt land where
necessary to meet identified needs;
 identifying a sufficient supply of deliverable and developable sites;
 planning infrastructure alongside growth;
 promoting sustainable transport and well-connected locations; and
 supporting long-term economic competitiveness.
2.4. TCE considers that these issues are intrinsically linked and should not be considered
through separate strategic policy workstreams. Housing, employment, infrastructure,
transport and environmental enhancement should instead form part of a single
integrated growth strategy.
Why prepare a new Local Plan
2.5. TCE strongly supports the preparation of a new Local Plan. The adopted Local Plan was
prepared within a materially different policy and housing context. The increased housing
requirement, national policy changes, the Council’s housing land supply position and the
emerging Cheshire and Warrington strategic context require a new and deliverable
spatial strategy.
2.6. An up-to-date Plan will provide the framework needed to coordinate housing,
employment, infrastructure and environmental improvements. Without it, there is a
greater risk that development will be determined through individual applications and
appeals rather than through a planned spatial strategy.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Developing the new Local Plan
2.7. TCE supports the Council's intention to progress the Local Plan in accordance with the
new plan-making system.
2.8. The emerging Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy (‘SDS’) will form an
important part of the wider strategic planning context, including in relation to broad
growth locations, infrastructure and economic priorities. The Cheshire East Local Plan
should continue without delay while retaining sufficient flexibility to respond to relevant
strategic priorities as the SDS emerges. The NPPF and PPG emphasise the importance of
effective cooperation on strategic planning matters. Given the Combined Authority's role
in coordinating growth, infrastructure and transport priorities across the city region, the
Council should continue to engage closely with the Combined Authority throughout plan
preparation to ensure alignment with wider strategic objectives.
2.9. The Council should ensure that decisions regarding the spatial strategy are informed by a
robust and proportionate evidence base. In particular, the following studies will have a
critical role in shaping future growth options:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan; and
 Viability Assessment.
2.10. TCE considers it important that these documents are prepared and published sufficiently
early to enable meaningful engagement before key strategic decisions become fixed.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3. Context for the new Local
Plan
Increase in housing requirements
3.1. The materially increased housing requirement represents a fundamental change in the
planning context for the new Local Plan. It will require the Council to reconsider the
distribution of growth, the role of different settlements, realistic brownfield capacity, the
need for Green Belt release, and safeguarded land, settlement extensions and strategicscale opportunities.
3.2. Policies HO1 and HO2 of the August 2026 NPPF require the Plan to establish a housing
requirement based on local housing need as a minimum and to consider a higher figure
where justified as necessary to reflect economic growth and infrastructure investment.
TCE considers that the Plan should meet the revised standard method figure as a
minimum and test whether a higher requirement is justified by economic growth,
infrastructure investment, affordable housing need and emerging Cheshire and
Warrington SDS priorities.
3.3. The Council’s current five-year housing land supply position reinforces the need for a
positive and deliverable plan-led strategy. Cheshire East Council’s latest published
Housing Monitoring Update (March 2025) concludes that the Council has 3.3 years’
supply of deliverable housing sites against the required five years. In the absence of a
demonstrable five-year supply, housing delivery is increasingly influenced by
applications and appeals rather than a coordinated spatial strategy. Strong recent
delivery identified through the Housing Delivery Test (August 2026) is welcomed, but it is
not a substitute for a positively prepared Local Plan capable of maintaining housing
delivery through the plan period.
3.4. This shortfall demonstrates that the Local Plan must identify a larger and more resilient
portfolio of deliverable and developable sites. It should not rely on any single source of
supply or any single settlement tier. Instead, it should identify strategic allocations,
urban extensions, station-related opportunities, and smaller and medium-sized sites
capable of supporting delivery across the plan period, whilst also helping to maintain and
enhance the vitality of settlements across the Borough by supporting local services,
facilities, infrastructure and sustainable communities.
3.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate the breadth of opportunities that may be available to
support this approach and should be assessed through the emerging evidence base
alongside other reasonable alternatives.
Changes to Green Belt policy
3.6. TCE supports the Council’s intention to undertake a borough-wide Green Belt
Assessment as part of the Local Plan evidence base. This will be a critical component of
the emerging Plan given the significant extent of Green Belt within Cheshire East and the
scale of development now required.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3.7. The Green Belt is an important planning designation and its purposes should be properly
assessed. However, it should not be treated as a fixed constraint that prevents
consideration of sustainable growth options where development needs cannot otherwise
be met. The August 2026 NPPF provides a clear framework for Green Belt review through
plan-making where exceptional circumstances are evidenced and justified.
3.8. Policy GB3 of the NPPF confirms that exceptional circumstances include situations
where a local planning authority is unable to meet its identified need for homes,
commercial or other development in full, having examined all other reasonable options.
That position is directly relevant to Cheshire East, given the significant increase in
housing need and the Council’s current housing land supply position.
3.9. Policy GB4 requires Green Belt boundary alterations to promote sustainable patterns of
development, giving priority to previously developed land in sustainable locations, then
Grey Belt land in sustainable locations, and then other Green Belt locations where this
would promote a sustainable pattern of development overall. The assessment should
therefore consider not only the Green Belt function of land, but also the sustainability of
the location and the ability of development to support infrastructure, services and
sustainable movement patterns.
3.10. TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be sufficiently detailed to identify
variations in how land performs against Green Belt purposes. Broad-brush assessment
parcels risk obscuring opportunities where land performs a limited Green Belt function,
where defensible boundaries exist, or where development could be planned
comprehensively without undermining the wider function of the Green Belt.
3.11. The assessment should pay particular attention to opportunities around Knutsford. As a
Key Service Centre with a strong range of services, facilities, employment opportunities
and transport connections, the settlement is capable of accommodating growth. The
Green Belt Assessment should therefore consider the extent to which opportunities
around the settlement could contribute towards the Borough’s development
requirements.
3.12. Plumley should be assessed positively in light of its railway station. Its role should not be
judged solely by population size or current settlement classification, but also by its
public transport accessibility and its potential to support sustainable travel, local
services and proportionate housing growth. Opportunities around Plumley should
therefore be assessed through the Settlement Hierarchy Review and Spatial Distribution
Strategy, having regard to their ability to support sustainable travel patterns, local
services and proportionate growth.
3.13. The safeguarded land north and south of Tabley Road (LPS 39 and LPS 40) is an example
of land that has already been identified through the adopted Local Plan as land which
may be required to meet longer-term development needs, and which remains available
to be considered as part of the emerging Local Plan. In the context of the revised housing
requirement and the lack of a five-year housing land supply, the Council should consider
a more general, positive approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals on
safeguarded land in advance of and separate from the completion of the Local Plan
process.
3.14. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council should consider preparing an
interim housing position statement setting out a positive and transparent approach to the
determination of housing proposals on safeguarded land. Such an approach would not
alter the formal designation of the land, which would remain a matter for the Local PlanThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
review, nor displace the statutory priority afforded to the development plan. It would,
however, recognise that policies restricting housing development on safeguarded land
should be applied in light of the Council’s current housing land supply position, the
materially increased housing requirement and the presumption in favour of sustainable
development.
3.15. The approach adopted by Kirklees Council provides a relevant precedent. Its Interim
Housing Position Statement retains the adopted safeguarded-land designation but
recognises that, in the absence of a five-year housing land supply, safeguarded sites may
provide opportunities for early housing development where constraints can be
overcome. Cheshire East should adopt a similarly positive approach, giving substantial
weight to sustainable and deliverable proposals on safeguarded land, particularly where
sites are well related to existing settlements, can be supported by appropriate
infrastructure and are capable of contributing to housing supply within the short term.
Such an approach would provide an appropriate framework for the early consideration of
the safeguarded land relating to LPS 39 and LPS 40, both of which are well related to
Knutsford and capable of contributing to housing delivery in the short term.
3.16. TCE supports a robust Green Belt and Grey Belt assessment but considers that it must
be applied in a manner that enables genuinely sustainable and deliverable sites to be
considered through the plan-making process. Given the central role that Green Belt and
Grey Belt considerations are likely to play in accommodating Cheshire East's future
development needs, TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be treated as
a priority evidence base document and prepared sufficiently early to inform key decisions
regarding the spatial strategy and distribution of growth. This will be essential if the Local
Plan is to meet development needs in full while promoting a sustainable spatial strategy.
Brownfield Development
3.17. TCE supports the effective use of previously developed land where such land is suitable,
available and deliverable. A brownfield-first approach is appropriate and consistent with
national policy.
3.18. However, the scale of housing and employment growth now facing Cheshire East means
that brownfield land alone will not provide a sufficient solution. The Council's own
monitoring evidence demonstrates that a substantial proportion of development has
historically been delivered on greenfield sites, with previously developed land accounting
for only around one-third of housing completions in recent monitoring years. Brownfield
sites can also face constraints relating to ownership, viability, contamination,
infrastructure, market demand and delivery timescales. The Local Plan should therefore
avoid placing undue reliance on brownfield capacity where there is no clear evidence
that it can meet the Borough’s needs in full.
3.19. The Council’s own scoping material identifies that the new Local Plan may need to
consider a range of options, including densification, further development within existing
settlements, edge-of-settlement growth, large-scale urban extensions and new
settlements. TCE supports that broad approach.
3.20. The Local Plan should therefore maximise brownfield opportunities while also identifying
sustainable greenfield and Green Belt locations where these are necessary to meet
housing and employment needs. TCE’s landholdings across the Tabley Estate provide
examples of greenfield and Green Belt opportunities that could deliver new homes,
employment land, infrastructure, open space and environmental benefits in sustainable
locations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Economic Growth
3.21. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that Cheshire East has an important economic
role and that the new Local Plan must plan positively for employment growth, investment
and long-term competitiveness. The emerging Plan should ensure that housing,
employment and infrastructure are planned in a coordinated manner so that growth is
capable of supporting sustainable economic outcomes across the Borough.
3.22. Policy E1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to establish a clear
economic vision and strategy, support business investment, and allocate sites to meet
anticipated employment needs over the plan period. The policy recognises the
importance of providing flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances and
supporting a diverse range of sectors and business activities.
3.23. Housing and employment growth should not be considered separately. A sustainable
spatial strategy should seek to align new homes with employment opportunities,
services, infrastructure and sustainable transport. This will help reduce commuting
distances, support inclusive economic growth and ensure that housing delivery supports
the labour force required by the local economy.
3.24. Given Knutsford's role as a Key Service Centre and its proximity to strategic transport
infrastructure, opportunities around the settlement should be assessed not only in terms
of housing delivery but also in terms of their ability to support employment growth,
investment and wider economic objectives across Cheshire East and the sub-region.
Knutsford benefits from strong connectivity to the strategic highway network,
Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider Cheshire and Warrington
economy. The Council's assessment of growth options around the settlement should
therefore take account of their potential contribution to both housing and employment
needs.
3.25. TCE’s land interests associated with the wider Tabley Estate also provide an opportunity
for the Council to consider how larger-scale growth options could contribute towards
economic objectives over the longer term. In addition to supporting housing delivery,
such opportunities may have the potential to support employment provision,
infrastructure investment, sustainable transport improvements and enhanced
connectivity between homes, jobs and services. The precise scale and form of any such
contribution should be determined through the evidence base and site assessment
process.
3.26. Opportunities around Knutsford, together with other opportunities within the wider
Tabley Estate, should therefore be assessed through the Economic Development Needs
Assessment, Employment Land Review and Spatial Distribution Strategy. This
assessment should consider not only their ability to contribute towards housing delivery,
but also their potential role in supporting labour market accessibility, business growth,
infrastructure investment and wider economic competitiveness.
3.27. More generally, the Local Plan should assess a broad range of growth options and
determine the most appropriate scale and distribution of development having regard to
housing need, employment requirements, infrastructure capacity, sustainability
considerations and long-term economic objectives. The Plan should provide sufficient
flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances whilst ensuring that future
growth contributes positively to Cheshire East's economic success and competitiveness.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Spatial Development Strategy
3.28. TCE notes that Cheshire East is now part of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined
Authority area and that a Spatial Development Strategy will be prepared for Cheshire and
Warrington. TCE supports strategic planning at the sub-regional level, particularly where
it helps align housing, employment, infrastructure, transport and environmental priorities
across administrative boundaries.
3.29. However, preparation of the Cheshire East Local Plan should not be delayed pending the
Spatial Development Strategy. The Local Plan should continue to progress, identify
sufficient land to meet development needs and establish an appropriate spatial strategy,
while retaining flexibility to respond to any relevant strategic priorities that emerge
through the SDS process.
3.30. Policy PM1 of the August 2026 NPPF confirms that Spatial Development Strategies
should identify broad locations for growth and regeneration, including new settlements,
major urban extensions and major cross-boundary development where appropriate. TCE
supports this approach, recognising that large-scale strategic development requires
coordinated planning across administrative boundaries, particularly in relation to
transport, utilities and wider infrastructure capacity and delivery. The Cheshire East
Local Plan should therefore align with any broad growth locations identified through the
forthcoming Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, while retaining
sufficient flexibility to respond to the SDS as it emerges. This alignment will be important
to ensure that strategic sites are planned comprehensively and supported by the
infrastructure necessary for their delivery.
3.31. Opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are of sufficient scale
to warrant assessment through the Local Plan process and, where relevant, the emerging
spatial development strategy. Their potential role should be informed through the
Council's evidence base and considered alongside other reasonable alternatives in
establishing the most appropriate spatial strategy.
National Decision-Making Policies
3.32. TCE supports the Council's recognition that the introduction of National Decision-Making
Policies provides an opportunity for local plans to focus on genuinely local matters.
3.33. The Local Plan should avoid unnecessary duplication of national policy and instead
focus on the issues that are specific to Cheshire East, including the spatial strategy, site
allocations, settlement hierarchy, Green Belt review, affordable housing requirements
and infrastructure planning.
3.34. However, this should not result in an overly narrow plan. The Local Plan remains the
primary mechanism through which Cheshire East will determine how and where future
growth is accommodated and therefore should provide a strategic vision that aligns with
national and regional policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
4. Baseline information and
spatial portrait
Connectivity
4.1. TCE supports the Council's recognition of Cheshire East's strong connectivity and
strategic location. The Borough benefits from excellent connections to regional and
national transport networks, including the M6 and M56 motorways, Manchester Airport
and an extensive rail network.
4.2. Connectivity should form a central part of the future spatial strategy. The Local Plan
should direct growth towards locations which are well connected by public transport or
which have the ability to support improvements to sustainable transport infrastructure.
4.3. The August 2026 NPPF places increased emphasis on locating development where it can
make effective use of existing and proposed transport infrastructure, including through
its support for residential and mixed-use development within reasonable walking
distance of qualifying well-connected railway stations. In this regard, opportunities
around Knutsford, including land associated with the Tabley Estate, should be assessed
in the context of the settlement's role as a Key Service Centre, its relationship with the
strategic highway network and its accessibility to employment and services. Future
growth in this part of the Borough has the potential to support sustainable travel patterns
and infrastructure investment where planned comprehensively.
4.4. Opportunities around Plumley are also relevant in this context. As a rail-connected
settlement, Plumley provides a distinctive opportunity to consider how proportionate
growth can support sustainable travel patterns, reinforce the role of the railway station
and contribute to the long-term vitality of local services and facilities.
4.5. Larger-scale opportunities within TCE's land portfolio may provide scope for transport
and infrastructure requirements to be considered comprehensively alongside
development. The Council should assess not only current accessibility but also the
extent to which growth may support improvements to transport, active travel,
infrastructure and service provision.
Economic contribution
4.6. Cheshire East plays a significant role within the wider North West economy and benefits
from a diverse economic base, strong transport connections and a number of nationally
and regionally important employment centres. The Borough's economic success has
historically been supported by its ability to attract and retain a skilled workforce, provide
a high-quality environment for investment and deliver a range of housing opportunities
across its settlements.
4.7. TCE supports the Council's recognition that economic growth should remain a central
component of the emerging Local Plan. The Local Plan should not treat housing delivery
and economic development as separate policy objectives. Instead, it should recognise
that the two are fundamentally linked and that a sufficient supply of homes is essential toThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
support labour market growth, improve affordability and maintain the competitiveness of
the Borough's economy.
4.8. The emerging evidence base should therefore consider how housing need, employment
growth and infrastructure provision interact. This is particularly important given the
significant increase in housing requirements and the potential implications this may have
for labour supply, commuting patterns and business investment. The Local Plan should
ensure that growth is distributed in a manner that supports both existing employment
centres and future economic opportunities.
4.9. TCE considers that strategic and mixed-use development opportunities can play an
important role in delivering this objective. Larger sites are often capable of supporting
housing, employment, community infrastructure and sustainable transport
improvements through a coordinated and masterplanned approach. Such opportunities
can help create balanced communities, reduce the need to travel and provide greater
certainty regarding infrastructure delivery.
4.10. The Local Plan should therefore positively assess a range of growth options capable of
supporting both housing and economic objectives. This should include consideration of
strategic urban extensions, mixed-use sites and potential longer-term growth
opportunities where these can contribute towards the Borough's economic resilience,
competitiveness and productivity.
4.11. Overall, the Local Plan should seek to establish a clear relationship between housing
growth, employment growth and infrastructure investment, ensuring that future
development supports Cheshire East's role as a sustainable and economically
successful location within the wider region.
4.12. Strategic growth opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are
particularly relevant because they can integrate homes, employment land, transport
improvements, digital infrastructure, utilities and sustainable travel connections through
comprehensive masterplanning. Their relationship with the M6 corridor, Knutsford
railway station and the Mid-Cheshire rail corridor should be assessed as part of the
evidence base, particularly where this could support labour market accessibility,
business connectivity and investment in high-value sectors.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5. Scope of the new Local
Plan
Local Plan Period
5.1. TCE supports the proposed plan period to 2045. However, the Local Plan should also
consider longer-term growth requirements beyond the end of the plan period, particularly
where strategic urban extensions or new settlement opportunities are being assessed.
Larger sites may require delivery across multiple phases and potentially beyond a single
plan period. This should not prevent such opportunities from being considered through
the plan-making process, although their delivery may extend beyond a single plan period.
Vision and Objectives
5.2. TCE supports the preparation of a clear, locally distinctive and deliverable vision for
Cheshire East. The vision should respond directly to the changed planning context,
including the higher housing requirement, current housing land supply shortfall,
economic growth ambitions, the need for Green Belt review and the publication of the
August 2026 NPPF.
5.3. The vision should not simply seek to manage growth. It should explain how Cheshire East
will accommodate growth positively and sustainably, while delivering homes,
employment, infrastructure, environmental enhancement and healthy communities.
5.4. TCE considers that the vision and objectives should include the following priorities:
 meeting housing need in full, as a minimum;
 testing whether a higher housing requirement is justified by economic growth,
affordable housing need or infrastructure investment;
 supporting sustainable economic growth and employment delivery;
 ensuring a sufficient supply of affordable homes and a broad housing mix;
 reviewing Green Belt boundaries where necessary to meet needs;
 testing strategic urban extensions and new settlement options;
 supporting growth at sustainable settlements and rail-connected locations;
 integrating infrastructure planning with site allocation decisions;
 delivering multifunctional green infrastructure, biodiversity net gain and climate
resilience; and
 maintaining a deliverable supply of sites throughout the plan period.
Identifying and assessing sites
5.5. TCE supports the Council’s intention to prepare a robust and evidence-led assessment
of potential development sites. The assessment process will be critical to ensuring thatThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
the Local Plan identifies a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet the Borough’s
development needs.
5.6. Policy PM9 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to be informed by an
assessment of land available to meet development needs, including consideration of
availability, suitability, achievability, likely viability, site capacity and delivery timescales.
5.7. TCE considers that the site assessment methodology should be transparent,
proportionate and capable of assessing different categories of site. It should not be
designed in a way that favours only one type or scale of development. Smaller sites,
safeguarded land, settlement-edge opportunities, strategic urban extensions and new
settlements will all need to be assessed through an appropriate methodology.
5.8. The assessment process should give appropriate weight to:
 land ownership and availability;
 deliverability and likely delivery timescales;
 ability to contribute to five-year housing land supply;
 relationship to existing settlements and services;
 relationship to railway stations and strategic transport corridors;
 potential to deliver housing, employment and community facilities together;
 ability to support affordable housing and housing choice;
 infrastructure requirements and opportunities;
 ability to deliver green infrastructure and biodiversity net gain;
 Green Belt performance, where relevant;
 landscape, heritage, ecology and flood risk considerations; and
 long-term flexibility and phasing.
5.9. The assessment should avoid applying overly restrictive criteria at an early stage. In
particular, strategic sites and new settlement options should not be discounted simply
because they require comprehensive masterplanning or longer delivery periods. Such
sites may be important to maintaining supply over the middle and later parts of the plan
period and may provide opportunities to deliver infrastructure and environmental
benefits at scale.
5.10. TCE’s landholdings are relevant to this assessment because they include sites capable
of contributing across a range of timescales. The allocated land West of Manchester
Road, the safeguarded land at Tabley Road and smaller sites around Knutsford and
Plumley could contribute early in the plan period. Larger scale opportunities within the
wider Tabley Estate provide longer-term strategic options capable of supporting
comprehensive infrastructure-led growth.
5.11. TCE therefore requests that the Council’s site assessment methodology expressly
recognises the different roles that sites can play across the plan period, including early
delivery, settlement-edge growth, rail-connected growth, and strategic urban extensions
and new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Green Belt
5.12. TCE notes the approach set out at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 of the scoping consultation
for determining whether Green Belt boundary changes are required. This exercise should
be integrated with, rather than undertaken separately from, the assessment of sites,
settlement hierarchy and spatial distribution. The Council’s own consultation identifies
site selection, Green Belt, settlement hierarchy and spatial strategy as interrelated
considerations in planning for growth.
5.13. TCE supports the assessment of future development needs and the effective use of
suitable brownfield and underused land. However, the sequential considerations listed
at paragraph 5.17 should not operate as a series of rigid filters through which otherwise
sustainable Green Belt sites are excluded before their comparative merits have been
assessed. In particular, the existence of theoretical capacity outside the Green Belt
should not be treated as sufficient unless that capacity is demonstrated to be suitable,
available, deliverable and capable of supporting a sustainable spatial strategy.
5.14. All reasonable growth options should therefore be assessed through a consistent and
transparent framework. For Green Belt sites, this should bring together:
 the contribution of the land to Green Belt purposes, including whether it
comprises Grey Belt;
 the site’s relationship with the settlement hierarchy and existing settlement form;
 accessibility to services, employment and public transport, including railway
stations;
 infrastructure capacity and the opportunity for development to deliver
improvements;
 availability, deliverability, viability, capacity and likely phasing;
 environmental, landscape, heritage and flood-risk considerations; and
 the ability to deliver housing, employment, community facilities, green
infrastructure and wider public benefits comprehensively.
5.15. This would align the Green Belt exercise with the wider spatial-distribution factors
identified by the Council, which include housing and employment needs, infrastructure,
services, environmental constraints, Green Belt, brownfield availability, site availability,
market attractiveness and viability.
5.16. TCE considers that “considering sites outside the Green Belt first” should mean that
reasonable non-Green Belt alternatives are properly examined; it should not establish an
automatic preference for a less sustainable or less deliverable location solely because it
lies outside the Green Belt. Comparative assessment should consider whether each
option would promote a sustainable pattern of development and contribute effectively to
meeting identified needs.
5.17. Similarly, optimising density and maximising brownfield capacity are important
components of the strategy, but the Council should test whether the resulting capacity is
realistic and deliverable over the plan period. These measures should not be relied upon
to defer the assessment of Green Belt opportunities where additional land may be
required to meet development needs in full and maintain a sufficient and resilient supply
of sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.18. Where exceptional circumstances are identified, decisions on potential Green Belt
release should be made through the wider spatial strategy and site-selection process.
Appropriate weight should be given to opportunities that are well related to existing
settlements or well-connected railway stations, as well as strategic sites capable of
delivering infrastructure, employment provision, sustainable transport, community
facilities and environmental improvements through comprehensive masterplanning. The
Council expressly anticipates testing a range of options, including edge-of-settlement
growth, large-scale urban extensions and new settlements; Green Belt location or site
scale should not prevent those options from being assessed on a comparable basis.
5.19. The land availability methodology should explain clearly how Green Belt considerations
will interact with the initial site sift, scoring and subsequent allocation stages. Sites
should not be filtered out solely because of their existing Green Belt designation before
the Green Belt assessment, settlement hierarchy review, spatial distribution work and
sustainability assessment have been considered together. The Council proposes to
publish its methodology and initial site assessments at the subsequent plan content and
evidence consultation; these should provide a clear audit trail showing how the factors
above have informed each assessment.
5.20. Applied in this way, the approach at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 would enable the Local
Plan to identify the most sustainable and deliverable combination of sites while
protecting Green Belt land that makes the strongest contribution to its purposes. It would
also ensure that smaller releases, safeguarded land, settlement extensions and
strategic-scale opportunities are assessed fairly and through a methodology appropriate
to their scale and potential contribution.
5.21. TCE requests that the Council clearly sets out how the findings of the Green Belt
assessment have informed the assessment of reasonable alternatives and site selection
process, alongside sustainability, deliverability and infrastructure considerations.
5.22. Pending the completion of that process, the Council should also consider an interim
housing position statement establishing a positive and transparent approach to
sustainable and deliverable housing proposals on safeguarded land, as set out earlier in
these representations.
Strategic green gap
5.23. TCE supports the Council's intention to review the Strategic Green Gap designation and
its role within the emerging Local Plan.
5.24. Strategic Green Gaps can play an important role in maintaining the separation and
identity of settlements. However, the review should be evidence based and should
recognise that not all land within a designated gap performs the same function.
5.25. The assessment should identify those locations that make the greatest contribution to
maintaining separation whilst recognising that the scale of development needs now
facing Cheshire East may require a balanced assessment between protecting settlement
identity and accommodating sustainable growth.
5.26. The Strategic Green Gap should therefore not operate as an absolute constraint on
development. Instead, it should form part of a wider planning balance which takes
account of housing need, sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure provision and
landscape considerations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Settlement Hierarchy
5.27. TCE supports the Council’s intention to review the settlement hierarchy as part of the
preparation of the new Local Plan. Given the scale of housing need now facing Cheshire
East, the settlement hierarchy will play a significant role in shaping the distribution of
development and identifying sustainable locations for growth.
5.28. The hierarchy should be informed by an up-to-date assessment of the role and function
of settlements. It should consider access to services and facilities, employment
opportunities, public transport, active travel, strategic infrastructure, settlement form,
market demand, recent growth, infrastructure capacity and the potential for
development to support improvements.
5.29. TCE supports Knutsford continuing to be identified as a Key Service Centre. Knutsford
has a strong range of services, facilities and employment opportunities, and benefits
from a strategically accessible location. It should therefore be considered as a
settlement capable of accommodating a meaningful proportion of future growth.
5.30. The previous Local Plan directed approximately 950 dwellings to Knutsford, which was
lower than the level of growth directed to several other Key Service Centres. In light of the
increased housing requirement and the scale of available land around the settlement,
the new Local Plan should consider whether Knutsford should accommodate a greater
level of growth over the new plan period.
5.31. TCE’s land interests around Knutsford provide a practical basis for assessing this issue.
Land West of Manchester Road is already allocated for mixed-use development. Land
North and South of Tabley Road comprises safeguarded land capable of forming a logical
next phase of growth. Given the Council's current housing land supply position and
increased housing requirement, these sites should be considered not only through the
Local Plan review but also through any interim approach adopted in respect of
safeguarded land proposals. Larger scale opportunities around Knutsford could deliver
homes, employment, services, open space and infrastructure in a comprehensive
manner.
5.32. TCE also considers that the role of Plumley should be reviewed carefully. Plumley
benefits from a railway station and should not be assessed in the same way as more
remote rural settlements with no rail connectivity. The August 2026 NPPF includes
support for development associated with well-connected stations, subject to relevant
criteria.
5.33. The Settlement Hierarchy Review should therefore give appropriate weight to public
transport accessibility and the potential for station-related growth. TCE’s land interests
around Plumley provide examples of opportunities that could contribute to proportionate
growth at a rail-connected settlement.
Spatial Distribution
5.34. TCE considers that the spatial distribution of development is one of the most important
matters for the new Local Plan. The scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East
means that the Council will need to test a broad range of options and should avoid an
overly narrow approach to growth.
5.35. TCE supports a balanced spatial strategy which draws on a variety of site types and
locations. This should include urban regeneration, brownfield land, existing allocations,
safeguarded land, sustainable urban extensions, station-related development, smaller
and medium-sized sites, and potential new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.36. Policies HO3 and HO4 of the August 2026 NPPF support this approach. Policy HO3
requires local plans to identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet or exceed the
housing requirement over the plan period. Policy HO4 recognises the role of strategic
sites, including new settlements and significant extensions to existing settlements,
where they can be supported by infrastructure and can create sustainable communities.
5.37. In TCE’s view, the Local Plan should avoid excessive reliance on either dispersed smallscale development or a limited number of large strategic allocations. A resilient strategy
will require both. Smaller and medium-sized sites can support early delivery and housing
diversity, while larger sites can deliver infrastructure, employment land, community
facilities, green infrastructure and long-term supply.
5.38. TCE’s landholdings illustrate this balanced approach. The allocated land West of
Manchester Road and safeguarded land North and South of Tabley Road could
contribute to earlier delivery at Knutsford, including through any positive interim
approach to safeguarded land in advance of the new Local Plan. Larger scale
opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate could provide longerterm growth options. The Plumley sites could support proportionate growth associated
with a rail-connected settlement.
5.39. The new Local Plan should assess these opportunities as part of a comparative
assessment of reasonable alternatives. This should include consideration of
sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure, Green Belt performance, access to services,
transport connectivity, environmental effects and the ability to deliver wider public
benefits.
Development in the Settlements and the Countryside
5.40. TCE supports the continued use of settlement boundaries as a tool for managing
development. However, settlement boundaries should not become inflexible constraints
that prevent otherwise sustainable opportunities from being properly assessed.
Settlement boundaries should be reviewed alongside the Settlement Hierarchy Review
and Spatial Distribution Report to ensure they reflect the strategy of the new Local Plan.
5.41. The Local Plan should also recognise an important distinction between isolated
countryside locations and sites which are physically related to existing settlements,
strategic transport infrastructure or railway stations.
5.42. Locations which are well connected and relate closely to existing settlements may be
capable of accommodating growth in a way that supports sustainable travel patterns and
strengthens existing communities.
5.43. This will be particularly important in considering the role of rail-connected settlements
and opportunities associated with strategic growth locations around Knutsford and
Plumley.
5.44. TCE supports a positive approach to development associated with sustainable rural
settlements, particularly where such settlements benefit from public transport
connectivity. Plumley represents an example of a settlement capable of accommodating
carefully planned growth due to its railway station and strategic accessibility.
Housing
5.45. TCE supports the Council’s intention to address housing need, affordable housing,
housing mix, older persons housing, specialist accommodation, self-build and custombuild housing, and housing diversification through the new Local Plan.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.46. The Housing Needs Assessment should inform the quantity, type, size and tenure of
housing required across Cheshire East. However, housing policies should be prepared
alongside the spatial strategy, viability evidence and infrastructure planning. Policy
requirements must be ambitious but deliverable.
5.47. Policy PM12 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to set out the
contributions expected from development, including affordable housing and
infrastructure, at a level that allows the planned types of development and sites to be
deliverable. Policy PM13 also requires quantitative standards to be justified,
proportionate and not to have an adverse impact on viability and deliverability.
5.48. TCE supports the objective of increasing affordable housing delivery. However,
affordable housing requirements, including any requirements associated with Green Belt
release, should be tested through robust viability evidence. This will be particularly
important where sites are expected to deliver affordable housing, infrastructure, open
space, biodiversity net gain, sustainable drainage, transport improvements and other
policy requirements.
5.49. TCE’s landholdings offer the potential to deliver a range of housing types and tenures.
Smaller sites at Plumley and Knutsford could contribute to housing choice and earlier
delivery. Larger strategic opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate around Knutsford
could support mixed communities with affordable housing, older persons housing,
specialist accommodation and a range of market housing types where justified by
evidence.
5.50. The August 2026 NPPF also places emphasis on small and medium-sized sites. Policy
HO6 requires local plans to allocate land to accommodate at least 10% of the housing
requirement on sites no larger than one hectare and a further 10% on sites between 1
and 2.5 hectares, unless there are strong reasons why this cannot be achieved.
5.51. The smaller TCE sites at Plumley and around Knutsford should be assessed in this
context. They may provide opportunities to diversify supply, support early delivery, assist
small and medium-sized builders, and contribute to the vitality of smaller settlements.
Employment and Economy
5.52. TCE supports the preparation of updated evidence on economic development needs and
employment land requirements. The Local Plan should ensure that employment land
supply is sufficient to support Cheshire East’s economic growth ambitions and that
housing growth is planned alongside employment growth.
5.53. The Local Plan should consider employment land not only through standalone
employment allocations, but also through mixed-use growth opportunities. Mixed-use
strategic sites can help create balanced communities, provide local jobs, reduce
commuting and support services.
5.54. Opportunities around Knutsford are particularly relevant to the relationship between
housing and employment growth. As a Key Service Centre with strong connections to the
strategic highway network, Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider
Cheshire and Warrington economy, Knutsford is capable of accommodating growth that
supports both housing and employment objectives. The Council should therefore assess
opportunities around the settlement not only in terms of housing delivery but also in
relation to their potential contribution towards employment growth, investment, labour
market accessibility and wider economic objectives.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.55. Opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate may also provide scope for the Council to
consider how housing growth, employment provision, infrastructure investment and
sustainable transport improvements can be planned in a coordinated manner. Whilst the
scale and form of any future development should be informed through the evidence
base, Economic Development Needs Assessment and Employment Land Review, these
opportunities should be assessed having regard to their potential contribution towards
Cheshire East's long-term economic competitiveness, job creation and wider economic
growth objectives.
Transport and Infrastructure
5.56. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that transport and infrastructure will be central to
the delivery of sustainable growth. The new Local Plan should integrate transport,
utilities, education, healthcare, digital infrastructure, green infrastructure and
community facilities with the spatial strategy and site allocation process.
5.57. Policy TR1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires sustainable transport considerations to be
addressed from the earliest stages of plan-making. It requires plans to locate
development where it can support sustainable patterns of movement and make effective
use of existing or proposed transport infrastructure.
5.58. TCE considers that transport accessibility should be a central factor in determining the
spatial strategy. The Council should consider public transport accessibility, rail
connectivity, active travel potential, access to services, relationship to strategic highway
corridors and the ability of development to support infrastructure improvements.
5.59. TCE’s landholdings around Knutsford and the wider Tabley Estate are well related to the
strategic highway network, including the M6 corridor, and to Knutsford’s role as a Key
Service Centre. The Plumley sites are particularly relevant because of their proximity to
Plumley railway station.
5.60. The Local Plan should therefore assess station-related growth opportunities in a positive
and evidence-led way. In particular, Plumley should be assessed not only by reference to
its current settlement classification, but also by reference to its rail connectivity and the
potential for planned growth to support sustainable travel patterns.
5.61. Infrastructure requirements should be viewed not only as constraints, but also as
opportunities. Larger strategic sites can help deliver new infrastructure, green
infrastructure, active travel routes and community facilities in a coordinated way. This is
particularly relevant to TCE’s larger scale land interests around Knutsford and within the
wider Tabley Estate, where the scale of development could support comprehensive
infrastructure planning.
Local Plan Evidence Base
5.62. TCE supports the preparation of a robust, proportionate and up-to-date evidence base.
This will be critical to ensuring that the Local Plan is justified, effective and capable of
meeting development needs.
5.63. TCE considers that the following evidence will be particularly important:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Grey Belt assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Economic Development Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan;
 Viability Assessment;
 Sustainability Appraisal;
 Heritage Assessment;
 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment;
 transport evidence; and
 Environmental and landscape evidence.
5.64. The Council should publish key methodologies and emerging findings at the earliest
appropriate stage to allow meaningful engagement. This is particularly important in
relation to the Green Belt Assessment, Grey Belt findings, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
Land Availability Assessment and Spatial Distribution Report.
5.65. The evidence base should be capable of assessing different site typologies consistently
and fairly. It should not apply a methodology that unintentionally favours only small sites,
only urban sites, or only previously developed land. Existing allocations, safeguarded
land, smaller and medium-sized sites, urban extensions and new settlement options
should all be assessed in a manner appropriate to their scale and potential contribution.
5.66. TCE requests that its landholdings across the Tabley Estate are assessed fully through
this process and that their potential contribution to housing, employment, infrastructure,
environmental enhancement and sustainable transport is considered on a consistent
basis with other promoted sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
6. Proposed Local Plan
Engagement Strategy
Engagement approach and methods
6.1. TCE supports continued engagement with landowners, site promoters, infrastructure
providers, communities and other stakeholders throughout the plan-making process.
Effective engagement will be essential to ensuring that the Local Plan is informed by
realistic evidence on site availability, deliverability, infrastructure requirements and
phasing.
6.2. For strategic sites, engagement should allow promoters to clarify technical evidence,
infrastructure assumptions, access arrangements, phasing, masterplanning principles
and delivery timescales. This will assist the Council in assessing sites accurately and
consistently.
6.3. This is particularly important for larger opportunities such as those within the wider
Tabley Estate, where careful consideration will be required in relation to infrastructure,
transport, landscape, ecology, heritage, phasing and long-term stewardship.
6.4. TCE would welcome continued engagement with Cheshire East Council as the new Local
Plan progresses, including discussions regarding the emerging evidence base, site
assessment methodology, Green Belt Assessment, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
infrastructure requirements and spatial strategy.
Plan programme and timeline
6.5. TCE supports the Council's proposed programme for Local Plan preparation. Given the
scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East and the Council's current housing land
supply position, it is important that the Local Plan continues to progress without
unnecessary delay.
6.6. Delays in plan preparation risk extending the period during which development decisions
are made in the absence of an up-to-date plan-led strategy. The Council should therefore
seek to maintain momentum, ensure that key evidence is prepared and made available
to stakeholders at an early stage, and continue engagement with stakeholders
throughout the process.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
7. Conclusion
7.1. TCE supports the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan for Cheshire East. The new Local Plan is being prepared in a materially changed
planning context, including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s
current housing land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging
Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy and the publication of the August
2026 NPPF during the consultation period.
7.2. TCE considers that the Local Plan should plan to meet the revised standard method
housing requirement as a minimum and should test whether a higher housing
requirement is justified having regard to economic growth, affordable housing need,
infrastructure investment and emerging sub-regional priorities.
7.3. The Local Plan should identify a sufficient supply and mix of deliverable and developable
sites, including brownfield sites, existing allocations, safeguarded land, smaller and
medium-sized sites, sustainable urban extensions, station-related growth and potential
new settlement opportunities. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council
should also adopt a positive interim approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals
on safeguarded land to support short-term housing delivery.
7.4. A review of the Green Belt will be a necessary and important part of the plan-making
process. The Green Belt Assessment should be robust, transparent and sufficiently
detailed to identify variations in Green Belt performance. It should also consider the
sustainability of locations and the ability of development to deliver infrastructure,
services and environmental benefits.
7.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate that opportunities exist across a range of locations and
planning contexts within Cheshire East. These include allocated and safeguarded land
around Knutsford, opportunities around Plumley and larger-scale opportunities within
the wider Tabley Estate. Taken together, these locations provide a range of alternatives
capable of being assessed through the emerging evidence base as the Council considers
how best to accommodate future housing, employment and infrastructure requirements
and establish a sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy. TCE therefore requests that
Cheshire East Council assesses its landholdings fully and positively through the
emerging evidence base, publishes key methodologies and findings early enough to
enable meaningful engagement, and continues direct dialogue with TCE as the Local
Plan progresses. This will help ensure that the Plan is ambitious, deliverable and capable
of meeting Cheshire East’s housing, employment, infrastructure and environmental
objectives over the full plan period.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
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The Crown Estate
Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan
Scoping Consultation 2026
September 2026The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Contents
1. Introduction 3
2. New Local Plan 5
3. Context for the new Local Plan 7
4. Baseline information and spatial portrait 12
5. Scope of the new Local Plan 14
6. Proposed Local Plan Engagement Strategy 23
7. Conclusion 24The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
1. Introduction
1.1. Deloitte LLP is instructed by The Crown Estate ("TCE") to submit representations to the
Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation (2026). TCE welcomes the opportunity to
engage at this early stage in the preparation of the new Cheshire East Local Plan. The
scoping consultation represents an important stage in establishing the matters that the
Local Plan should address, the evidence base required to support it, and the approach to
future engagement with stakeholders.
1.2. The new Local Plan will need to respond to a materially changed planning context,
including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s current housing
land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging Cheshire and
Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, and the publication of the August 2026
National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”) during the consultation period.
1.3. TCE welcomes the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan which meets identified housing and employment needs, supports sustainable
economic growth, and directs development to locations that are, or can be made,
sustainable through appropriate infrastructure provision, public transport accessibility,
active travel connections, environmental enhancement and long-term stewardship.
1.4. In summary, TCE considers that the new Local Plan should:
 meet identified housing and employment needs in full and test whether
additional growth is justified by economic, affordable housing or infrastructure
considerations;
 establish a clear and deliverable spatial strategy informed by a robust
assessment of reasonable alternatives;
 assess Green Belt, Grey Belt and safeguarded land through a transparent and
integrated methodology;
 give appropriate weight to well-connected locations, including Key Service
Centres and rail-connected settlements;
 identify a diverse portfolio of sites capable of contributing across different scales
and timescales; and
 integrate infrastructure, employment, sustainable transport and environmental
enhancement with decisions about the location of growth.
Background and Context
1.5. TCE is a long-term landowner within Cheshire East through its ownership of the Tabley
Estate, with landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley. Its interests include land
allocated for development within the adopted Local Plan, safeguarded land identified
through the adopted Local Plan process, and a wider portfolio of landholdings which
have been submitted through the Council’s recent Call for Sites process.
1.6. As a long-term landowner and steward of public assets, TCE is committed to working
positively with Cheshire East Council throughout preparation of the new Local Plan.
These representations seek to support the preparation of a robust and evidence-ledThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Local Plan and to ensure that a broad range of growth opportunities are appropriately
assessed through the emerging evidence base and site assessment process.
1.7. TCE’s land interests are relevant to the preparation of the emerging Local Plan in a
number of respects. These include:
 Land West of Manchester Road, Knutsford, which comprises land allocated for
residential and employment development within the adopted Local Plan (LPS 36).
A full planning application (ref. 26/1231/FUL) was submitted in March 2026 on
parcel B of the allocation, which is currently being determined. TCE remains
committed to delivering the remainder of the allocation in a timely fashion.
 Land North and South of Tabley Road, Knutsford, comprising safeguarded land
identified in adopted Local Plan policies LPS 39 and LPS 40 as land to meet
longer-term development needs.
 A wider portfolio of landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley, comprising
opportunities of differing scales and characteristics submitted through the
Council’s Call for Sites process. This includes land associated with the potential
future growth of Knutsford as a Key Service Centre, opportunities associated with
the rail-connected settlement of Plumley, and larger landholdings capable of
being considered as part of the Council's assessment of longer-term growth
options.
1.8. Collectively, these land interests comprise a diverse portfolio of opportunities of
different scales and locations within Cheshire East. The emerging Local Plan and
supporting evidence base should therefore assess these interests appropriately as part
of the Council’s consideration of future growth options and the preparation of a
sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy.
1.9. The range of options identified above is particularly relevant given the materially
increased housing requirement and the need for the Local Plan to identify a sufficient and
resilient supply of suitable, available and deliverable sites.
1.10. It is therefore critical that the new Local Plan is prepared positively, quickly and on the
basis of robust evidence. The plan must identify a sufficient supply of suitable, available
and deliverable sites to meet housing and employment needs in full, while providing a
clear framework for infrastructure, environmental enhancement and high-quality
placemaking.
1.11. These representations have been prepared having regard to the NPPF published in
August 2026, which applies to relevant plan-making from 17 August 2026. The Council
should therefore review the consultation responses, evidence base and next stages of
Plan preparation against the final Framework, particularly in relation to Green Belt, Grey
Belt, station-related development, strategic sites, housing delivery, economic growth
and national decision-making policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
2. New Local Plan
Matters addressed in the new Local Plan
2.1. TCE supports the broad range of matters identified by the Council for inclusion within the
new Local Plan. These appropriately cover housing, employment, transport,
infrastructure, climate change, environmental matters, design and placemaking, health
and wellbeing and sustainable economic growth.
2.2. However, TCE considers that the Local Plan should be framed first and foremost around
the need to respond positively to the significant increase in development requirements
now facing Cheshire East. The revised standard method housing need figure, changes to
national policy and the Council's current housing land supply position collectively
indicate that the new Local Plan will require the Council to reconsider the scale and
distribution of growth that informed the adopted Local Plan Strategy.
2.3. In this context, the Local Plan should prioritise the following matters, which will be
central to establishing a positive and deliverable growth strategy:
 meeting housing and employment needs in full;
 establishing a clear and deliverable spatial strategy;
 undertaking an evidence-led review of Green Belt and Grey Belt land where
necessary to meet identified needs;
 identifying a sufficient supply of deliverable and developable sites;
 planning infrastructure alongside growth;
 promoting sustainable transport and well-connected locations; and
 supporting long-term economic competitiveness.
2.4. TCE considers that these issues are intrinsically linked and should not be considered
through separate strategic policy workstreams. Housing, employment, infrastructure,
transport and environmental enhancement should instead form part of a single
integrated growth strategy.
Why prepare a new Local Plan
2.5. TCE strongly supports the preparation of a new Local Plan. The adopted Local Plan was
prepared within a materially different policy and housing context. The increased housing
requirement, national policy changes, the Council’s housing land supply position and the
emerging Cheshire and Warrington strategic context require a new and deliverable
spatial strategy.
2.6. An up-to-date Plan will provide the framework needed to coordinate housing,
employment, infrastructure and environmental improvements. Without it, there is a
greater risk that development will be determined through individual applications and
appeals rather than through a planned spatial strategy.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Developing the new Local Plan
2.7. TCE supports the Council's intention to progress the Local Plan in accordance with the
new plan-making system.
2.8. The emerging Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy (‘SDS’) will form an
important part of the wider strategic planning context, including in relation to broad
growth locations, infrastructure and economic priorities. The Cheshire East Local Plan
should continue without delay while retaining sufficient flexibility to respond to relevant
strategic priorities as the SDS emerges. The NPPF and PPG emphasise the importance of
effective cooperation on strategic planning matters. Given the Combined Authority's role
in coordinating growth, infrastructure and transport priorities across the city region, the
Council should continue to engage closely with the Combined Authority throughout plan
preparation to ensure alignment with wider strategic objectives.
2.9. The Council should ensure that decisions regarding the spatial strategy are informed by a
robust and proportionate evidence base. In particular, the following studies will have a
critical role in shaping future growth options:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan; and
 Viability Assessment.
2.10. TCE considers it important that these documents are prepared and published sufficiently
early to enable meaningful engagement before key strategic decisions become fixed.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3. Context for the new Local
Plan
Increase in housing requirements
3.1. The materially increased housing requirement represents a fundamental change in the
planning context for the new Local Plan. It will require the Council to reconsider the
distribution of growth, the role of different settlements, realistic brownfield capacity, the
need for Green Belt release, and safeguarded land, settlement extensions and strategicscale opportunities.
3.2. Policies HO1 and HO2 of the August 2026 NPPF require the Plan to establish a housing
requirement based on local housing need as a minimum and to consider a higher figure
where justified as necessary to reflect economic growth and infrastructure investment.
TCE considers that the Plan should meet the revised standard method figure as a
minimum and test whether a higher requirement is justified by economic growth,
infrastructure investment, affordable housing need and emerging Cheshire and
Warrington SDS priorities.
3.3. The Council’s current five-year housing land supply position reinforces the need for a
positive and deliverable plan-led strategy. Cheshire East Council’s latest published
Housing Monitoring Update (March 2025) concludes that the Council has 3.3 years’
supply of deliverable housing sites against the required five years. In the absence of a
demonstrable five-year supply, housing delivery is increasingly influenced by
applications and appeals rather than a coordinated spatial strategy. Strong recent
delivery identified through the Housing Delivery Test (August 2026) is welcomed, but it is
not a substitute for a positively prepared Local Plan capable of maintaining housing
delivery through the plan period.
3.4. This shortfall demonstrates that the Local Plan must identify a larger and more resilient
portfolio of deliverable and developable sites. It should not rely on any single source of
supply or any single settlement tier. Instead, it should identify strategic allocations,
urban extensions, station-related opportunities, and smaller and medium-sized sites
capable of supporting delivery across the plan period, whilst also helping to maintain and
enhance the vitality of settlements across the Borough by supporting local services,
facilities, infrastructure and sustainable communities.
3.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate the breadth of opportunities that may be available to
support this approach and should be assessed through the emerging evidence base
alongside other reasonable alternatives.
Changes to Green Belt policy
3.6. TCE supports the Council’s intention to undertake a borough-wide Green Belt
Assessment as part of the Local Plan evidence base. This will be a critical component of
the emerging Plan given the significant extent of Green Belt within Cheshire East and the
scale of development now required.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3.7. The Green Belt is an important planning designation and its purposes should be properly
assessed. However, it should not be treated as a fixed constraint that prevents
consideration of sustainable growth options where development needs cannot otherwise
be met. The August 2026 NPPF provides a clear framework for Green Belt review through
plan-making where exceptional circumstances are evidenced and justified.
3.8. Policy GB3 of the NPPF confirms that exceptional circumstances include situations
where a local planning authority is unable to meet its identified need for homes,
commercial or other development in full, having examined all other reasonable options.
That position is directly relevant to Cheshire East, given the significant increase in
housing need and the Council’s current housing land supply position.
3.9. Policy GB4 requires Green Belt boundary alterations to promote sustainable patterns of
development, giving priority to previously developed land in sustainable locations, then
Grey Belt land in sustainable locations, and then other Green Belt locations where this
would promote a sustainable pattern of development overall. The assessment should
therefore consider not only the Green Belt function of land, but also the sustainability of
the location and the ability of development to support infrastructure, services and
sustainable movement patterns.
3.10. TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be sufficiently detailed to identify
variations in how land performs against Green Belt purposes. Broad-brush assessment
parcels risk obscuring opportunities where land performs a limited Green Belt function,
where defensible boundaries exist, or where development could be planned
comprehensively without undermining the wider function of the Green Belt.
3.11. The assessment should pay particular attention to opportunities around Knutsford. As a
Key Service Centre with a strong range of services, facilities, employment opportunities
and transport connections, the settlement is capable of accommodating growth. The
Green Belt Assessment should therefore consider the extent to which opportunities
around the settlement could contribute towards the Borough’s development
requirements.
3.12. Plumley should be assessed positively in light of its railway station. Its role should not be
judged solely by population size or current settlement classification, but also by its
public transport accessibility and its potential to support sustainable travel, local
services and proportionate housing growth. Opportunities around Plumley should
therefore be assessed through the Settlement Hierarchy Review and Spatial Distribution
Strategy, having regard to their ability to support sustainable travel patterns, local
services and proportionate growth.
3.13. The safeguarded land north and south of Tabley Road (LPS 39 and LPS 40) is an example
of land that has already been identified through the adopted Local Plan as land which
may be required to meet longer-term development needs, and which remains available
to be considered as part of the emerging Local Plan. In the context of the revised housing
requirement and the lack of a five-year housing land supply, the Council should consider
a more general, positive approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals on
safeguarded land in advance of and separate from the completion of the Local Plan
process.
3.14. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council should consider preparing an
interim housing position statement setting out a positive and transparent approach to the
determination of housing proposals on safeguarded land. Such an approach would not
alter the formal designation of the land, which would remain a matter for the Local PlanThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
review, nor displace the statutory priority afforded to the development plan. It would,
however, recognise that policies restricting housing development on safeguarded land
should be applied in light of the Council’s current housing land supply position, the
materially increased housing requirement and the presumption in favour of sustainable
development.
3.15. The approach adopted by Kirklees Council provides a relevant precedent. Its Interim
Housing Position Statement retains the adopted safeguarded-land designation but
recognises that, in the absence of a five-year housing land supply, safeguarded sites may
provide opportunities for early housing development where constraints can be
overcome. Cheshire East should adopt a similarly positive approach, giving substantial
weight to sustainable and deliverable proposals on safeguarded land, particularly where
sites are well related to existing settlements, can be supported by appropriate
infrastructure and are capable of contributing to housing supply within the short term.
Such an approach would provide an appropriate framework for the early consideration of
the safeguarded land relating to LPS 39 and LPS 40, both of which are well related to
Knutsford and capable of contributing to housing delivery in the short term.
3.16. TCE supports a robust Green Belt and Grey Belt assessment but considers that it must
be applied in a manner that enables genuinely sustainable and deliverable sites to be
considered through the plan-making process. Given the central role that Green Belt and
Grey Belt considerations are likely to play in accommodating Cheshire East's future
development needs, TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be treated as
a priority evidence base document and prepared sufficiently early to inform key decisions
regarding the spatial strategy and distribution of growth. This will be essential if the Local
Plan is to meet development needs in full while promoting a sustainable spatial strategy.
Brownfield Development
3.17. TCE supports the effective use of previously developed land where such land is suitable,
available and deliverable. A brownfield-first approach is appropriate and consistent with
national policy.
3.18. However, the scale of housing and employment growth now facing Cheshire East means
that brownfield land alone will not provide a sufficient solution. The Council's own
monitoring evidence demonstrates that a substantial proportion of development has
historically been delivered on greenfield sites, with previously developed land accounting
for only around one-third of housing completions in recent monitoring years. Brownfield
sites can also face constraints relating to ownership, viability, contamination,
infrastructure, market demand and delivery timescales. The Local Plan should therefore
avoid placing undue reliance on brownfield capacity where there is no clear evidence
that it can meet the Borough’s needs in full.
3.19. The Council’s own scoping material identifies that the new Local Plan may need to
consider a range of options, including densification, further development within existing
settlements, edge-of-settlement growth, large-scale urban extensions and new
settlements. TCE supports that broad approach.
3.20. The Local Plan should therefore maximise brownfield opportunities while also identifying
sustainable greenfield and Green Belt locations where these are necessary to meet
housing and employment needs. TCE’s landholdings across the Tabley Estate provide
examples of greenfield and Green Belt opportunities that could deliver new homes,
employment land, infrastructure, open space and environmental benefits in sustainable
locations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Economic Growth
3.21. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that Cheshire East has an important economic
role and that the new Local Plan must plan positively for employment growth, investment
and long-term competitiveness. The emerging Plan should ensure that housing,
employment and infrastructure are planned in a coordinated manner so that growth is
capable of supporting sustainable economic outcomes across the Borough.
3.22. Policy E1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to establish a clear
economic vision and strategy, support business investment, and allocate sites to meet
anticipated employment needs over the plan period. The policy recognises the
importance of providing flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances and
supporting a diverse range of sectors and business activities.
3.23. Housing and employment growth should not be considered separately. A sustainable
spatial strategy should seek to align new homes with employment opportunities,
services, infrastructure and sustainable transport. This will help reduce commuting
distances, support inclusive economic growth and ensure that housing delivery supports
the labour force required by the local economy.
3.24. Given Knutsford's role as a Key Service Centre and its proximity to strategic transport
infrastructure, opportunities around the settlement should be assessed not only in terms
of housing delivery but also in terms of their ability to support employment growth,
investment and wider economic objectives across Cheshire East and the sub-region.
Knutsford benefits from strong connectivity to the strategic highway network,
Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider Cheshire and Warrington
economy. The Council's assessment of growth options around the settlement should
therefore take account of their potential contribution to both housing and employment
needs.
3.25. TCE’s land interests associated with the wider Tabley Estate also provide an opportunity
for the Council to consider how larger-scale growth options could contribute towards
economic objectives over the longer term. In addition to supporting housing delivery,
such opportunities may have the potential to support employment provision,
infrastructure investment, sustainable transport improvements and enhanced
connectivity between homes, jobs and services. The precise scale and form of any such
contribution should be determined through the evidence base and site assessment
process.
3.26. Opportunities around Knutsford, together with other opportunities within the wider
Tabley Estate, should therefore be assessed through the Economic Development Needs
Assessment, Employment Land Review and Spatial Distribution Strategy. This
assessment should consider not only their ability to contribute towards housing delivery,
but also their potential role in supporting labour market accessibility, business growth,
infrastructure investment and wider economic competitiveness.
3.27. More generally, the Local Plan should assess a broad range of growth options and
determine the most appropriate scale and distribution of development having regard to
housing need, employment requirements, infrastructure capacity, sustainability
considerations and long-term economic objectives. The Plan should provide sufficient
flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances whilst ensuring that future
growth contributes positively to Cheshire East's economic success and competitiveness.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Spatial Development Strategy
3.28. TCE notes that Cheshire East is now part of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined
Authority area and that a Spatial Development Strategy will be prepared for Cheshire and
Warrington. TCE supports strategic planning at the sub-regional level, particularly where
it helps align housing, employment, infrastructure, transport and environmental priorities
across administrative boundaries.
3.29. However, preparation of the Cheshire East Local Plan should not be delayed pending the
Spatial Development Strategy. The Local Plan should continue to progress, identify
sufficient land to meet development needs and establish an appropriate spatial strategy,
while retaining flexibility to respond to any relevant strategic priorities that emerge
through the SDS process.
3.30. Policy PM1 of the August 2026 NPPF confirms that Spatial Development Strategies
should identify broad locations for growth and regeneration, including new settlements,
major urban extensions and major cross-boundary development where appropriate. TCE
supports this approach, recognising that large-scale strategic development requires
coordinated planning across administrative boundaries, particularly in relation to
transport, utilities and wider infrastructure capacity and delivery. The Cheshire East
Local Plan should therefore align with any broad growth locations identified through the
forthcoming Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, while retaining
sufficient flexibility to respond to the SDS as it emerges. This alignment will be important
to ensure that strategic sites are planned comprehensively and supported by the
infrastructure necessary for their delivery.
3.31. Opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are of sufficient scale
to warrant assessment through the Local Plan process and, where relevant, the emerging
spatial development strategy. Their potential role should be informed through the
Council's evidence base and considered alongside other reasonable alternatives in
establishing the most appropriate spatial strategy.
National Decision-Making Policies
3.32. TCE supports the Council's recognition that the introduction of National Decision-Making
Policies provides an opportunity for local plans to focus on genuinely local matters.
3.33. The Local Plan should avoid unnecessary duplication of national policy and instead
focus on the issues that are specific to Cheshire East, including the spatial strategy, site
allocations, settlement hierarchy, Green Belt review, affordable housing requirements
and infrastructure planning.
3.34. However, this should not result in an overly narrow plan. The Local Plan remains the
primary mechanism through which Cheshire East will determine how and where future
growth is accommodated and therefore should provide a strategic vision that aligns with
national and regional policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
4. Baseline information and
spatial portrait
Connectivity
4.1. TCE supports the Council's recognition of Cheshire East's strong connectivity and
strategic location. The Borough benefits from excellent connections to regional and
national transport networks, including the M6 and M56 motorways, Manchester Airport
and an extensive rail network.
4.2. Connectivity should form a central part of the future spatial strategy. The Local Plan
should direct growth towards locations which are well connected by public transport or
which have the ability to support improvements to sustainable transport infrastructure.
4.3. The August 2026 NPPF places increased emphasis on locating development where it can
make effective use of existing and proposed transport infrastructure, including through
its support for residential and mixed-use development within reasonable walking
distance of qualifying well-connected railway stations. In this regard, opportunities
around Knutsford, including land associated with the Tabley Estate, should be assessed
in the context of the settlement's role as a Key Service Centre, its relationship with the
strategic highway network and its accessibility to employment and services. Future
growth in this part of the Borough has the potential to support sustainable travel patterns
and infrastructure investment where planned comprehensively.
4.4. Opportunities around Plumley are also relevant in this context. As a rail-connected
settlement, Plumley provides a distinctive opportunity to consider how proportionate
growth can support sustainable travel patterns, reinforce the role of the railway station
and contribute to the long-term vitality of local services and facilities.
4.5. Larger-scale opportunities within TCE's land portfolio may provide scope for transport
and infrastructure requirements to be considered comprehensively alongside
development. The Council should assess not only current accessibility but also the
extent to which growth may support improvements to transport, active travel,
infrastructure and service provision.
Economic contribution
4.6. Cheshire East plays a significant role within the wider North West economy and benefits
from a diverse economic base, strong transport connections and a number of nationally
and regionally important employment centres. The Borough's economic success has
historically been supported by its ability to attract and retain a skilled workforce, provide
a high-quality environment for investment and deliver a range of housing opportunities
across its settlements.
4.7. TCE supports the Council's recognition that economic growth should remain a central
component of the emerging Local Plan. The Local Plan should not treat housing delivery
and economic development as separate policy objectives. Instead, it should recognise
that the two are fundamentally linked and that a sufficient supply of homes is essential toThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
support labour market growth, improve affordability and maintain the competitiveness of
the Borough's economy.
4.8. The emerging evidence base should therefore consider how housing need, employment
growth and infrastructure provision interact. This is particularly important given the
significant increase in housing requirements and the potential implications this may have
for labour supply, commuting patterns and business investment. The Local Plan should
ensure that growth is distributed in a manner that supports both existing employment
centres and future economic opportunities.
4.9. TCE considers that strategic and mixed-use development opportunities can play an
important role in delivering this objective. Larger sites are often capable of supporting
housing, employment, community infrastructure and sustainable transport
improvements through a coordinated and masterplanned approach. Such opportunities
can help create balanced communities, reduce the need to travel and provide greater
certainty regarding infrastructure delivery.
4.10. The Local Plan should therefore positively assess a range of growth options capable of
supporting both housing and economic objectives. This should include consideration of
strategic urban extensions, mixed-use sites and potential longer-term growth
opportunities where these can contribute towards the Borough's economic resilience,
competitiveness and productivity.
4.11. Overall, the Local Plan should seek to establish a clear relationship between housing
growth, employment growth and infrastructure investment, ensuring that future
development supports Cheshire East's role as a sustainable and economically
successful location within the wider region.
4.12. Strategic growth opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are
particularly relevant because they can integrate homes, employment land, transport
improvements, digital infrastructure, utilities and sustainable travel connections through
comprehensive masterplanning. Their relationship with the M6 corridor, Knutsford
railway station and the Mid-Cheshire rail corridor should be assessed as part of the
evidence base, particularly where this could support labour market accessibility,
business connectivity and investment in high-value sectors.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5. Scope of the new Local
Plan
Local Plan Period
5.1. TCE supports the proposed plan period to 2045. However, the Local Plan should also
consider longer-term growth requirements beyond the end of the plan period, particularly
where strategic urban extensions or new settlement opportunities are being assessed.
Larger sites may require delivery across multiple phases and potentially beyond a single
plan period. This should not prevent such opportunities from being considered through
the plan-making process, although their delivery may extend beyond a single plan period.
Vision and Objectives
5.2. TCE supports the preparation of a clear, locally distinctive and deliverable vision for
Cheshire East. The vision should respond directly to the changed planning context,
including the higher housing requirement, current housing land supply shortfall,
economic growth ambitions, the need for Green Belt review and the publication of the
August 2026 NPPF.
5.3. The vision should not simply seek to manage growth. It should explain how Cheshire East
will accommodate growth positively and sustainably, while delivering homes,
employment, infrastructure, environmental enhancement and healthy communities.
5.4. TCE considers that the vision and objectives should include the following priorities:
 meeting housing need in full, as a minimum;
 testing whether a higher housing requirement is justified by economic growth,
affordable housing need or infrastructure investment;
 supporting sustainable economic growth and employment delivery;
 ensuring a sufficient supply of affordable homes and a broad housing mix;
 reviewing Green Belt boundaries where necessary to meet needs;
 testing strategic urban extensions and new settlement options;
 supporting growth at sustainable settlements and rail-connected locations;
 integrating infrastructure planning with site allocation decisions;
 delivering multifunctional green infrastructure, biodiversity net gain and climate
resilience; and
 maintaining a deliverable supply of sites throughout the plan period.
Identifying and assessing sites
5.5. TCE supports the Council’s intention to prepare a robust and evidence-led assessment
of potential development sites. The assessment process will be critical to ensuring thatThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
the Local Plan identifies a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet the Borough’s
development needs.
5.6. Policy PM9 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to be informed by an
assessment of land available to meet development needs, including consideration of
availability, suitability, achievability, likely viability, site capacity and delivery timescales.
5.7. TCE considers that the site assessment methodology should be transparent,
proportionate and capable of assessing different categories of site. It should not be
designed in a way that favours only one type or scale of development. Smaller sites,
safeguarded land, settlement-edge opportunities, strategic urban extensions and new
settlements will all need to be assessed through an appropriate methodology.
5.8. The assessment process should give appropriate weight to:
 land ownership and availability;
 deliverability and likely delivery timescales;
 ability to contribute to five-year housing land supply;
 relationship to existing settlements and services;
 relationship to railway stations and strategic transport corridors;
 potential to deliver housing, employment and community facilities together;
 ability to support affordable housing and housing choice;
 infrastructure requirements and opportunities;
 ability to deliver green infrastructure and biodiversity net gain;
 Green Belt performance, where relevant;
 landscape, heritage, ecology and flood risk considerations; and
 long-term flexibility and phasing.
5.9. The assessment should avoid applying overly restrictive criteria at an early stage. In
particular, strategic sites and new settlement options should not be discounted simply
because they require comprehensive masterplanning or longer delivery periods. Such
sites may be important to maintaining supply over the middle and later parts of the plan
period and may provide opportunities to deliver infrastructure and environmental
benefits at scale.
5.10. TCE’s landholdings are relevant to this assessment because they include sites capable
of contributing across a range of timescales. The allocated land West of Manchester
Road, the safeguarded land at Tabley Road and smaller sites around Knutsford and
Plumley could contribute early in the plan period. Larger scale opportunities within the
wider Tabley Estate provide longer-term strategic options capable of supporting
comprehensive infrastructure-led growth.
5.11. TCE therefore requests that the Council’s site assessment methodology expressly
recognises the different roles that sites can play across the plan period, including early
delivery, settlement-edge growth, rail-connected growth, and strategic urban extensions
and new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Green Belt
5.12. TCE notes the approach set out at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 of the scoping consultation
for determining whether Green Belt boundary changes are required. This exercise should
be integrated with, rather than undertaken separately from, the assessment of sites,
settlement hierarchy and spatial distribution. The Council’s own consultation identifies
site selection, Green Belt, settlement hierarchy and spatial strategy as interrelated
considerations in planning for growth.
5.13. TCE supports the assessment of future development needs and the effective use of
suitable brownfield and underused land. However, the sequential considerations listed
at paragraph 5.17 should not operate as a series of rigid filters through which otherwise
sustainable Green Belt sites are excluded before their comparative merits have been
assessed. In particular, the existence of theoretical capacity outside the Green Belt
should not be treated as sufficient unless that capacity is demonstrated to be suitable,
available, deliverable and capable of supporting a sustainable spatial strategy.
5.14. All reasonable growth options should therefore be assessed through a consistent and
transparent framework. For Green Belt sites, this should bring together:
 the contribution of the land to Green Belt purposes, including whether it
comprises Grey Belt;
 the site’s relationship with the settlement hierarchy and existing settlement form;
 accessibility to services, employment and public transport, including railway
stations;
 infrastructure capacity and the opportunity for development to deliver
improvements;
 availability, deliverability, viability, capacity and likely phasing;
 environmental, landscape, heritage and flood-risk considerations; and
 the ability to deliver housing, employment, community facilities, green
infrastructure and wider public benefits comprehensively.
5.15. This would align the Green Belt exercise with the wider spatial-distribution factors
identified by the Council, which include housing and employment needs, infrastructure,
services, environmental constraints, Green Belt, brownfield availability, site availability,
market attractiveness and viability.
5.16. TCE considers that “considering sites outside the Green Belt first” should mean that
reasonable non-Green Belt alternatives are properly examined; it should not establish an
automatic preference for a less sustainable or less deliverable location solely because it
lies outside the Green Belt. Comparative assessment should consider whether each
option would promote a sustainable pattern of development and contribute effectively to
meeting identified needs.
5.17. Similarly, optimising density and maximising brownfield capacity are important
components of the strategy, but the Council should test whether the resulting capacity is
realistic and deliverable over the plan period. These measures should not be relied upon
to defer the assessment of Green Belt opportunities where additional land may be
required to meet development needs in full and maintain a sufficient and resilient supply
of sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.18. Where exceptional circumstances are identified, decisions on potential Green Belt
release should be made through the wider spatial strategy and site-selection process.
Appropriate weight should be given to opportunities that are well related to existing
settlements or well-connected railway stations, as well as strategic sites capable of
delivering infrastructure, employment provision, sustainable transport, community
facilities and environmental improvements through comprehensive masterplanning. The
Council expressly anticipates testing a range of options, including edge-of-settlement
growth, large-scale urban extensions and new settlements; Green Belt location or site
scale should not prevent those options from being assessed on a comparable basis.
5.19. The land availability methodology should explain clearly how Green Belt considerations
will interact with the initial site sift, scoring and subsequent allocation stages. Sites
should not be filtered out solely because of their existing Green Belt designation before
the Green Belt assessment, settlement hierarchy review, spatial distribution work and
sustainability assessment have been considered together. The Council proposes to
publish its methodology and initial site assessments at the subsequent plan content and
evidence consultation; these should provide a clear audit trail showing how the factors
above have informed each assessment.
5.20. Applied in this way, the approach at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 would enable the Local
Plan to identify the most sustainable and deliverable combination of sites while
protecting Green Belt land that makes the strongest contribution to its purposes. It would
also ensure that smaller releases, safeguarded land, settlement extensions and
strategic-scale opportunities are assessed fairly and through a methodology appropriate
to their scale and potential contribution.
5.21. TCE requests that the Council clearly sets out how the findings of the Green Belt
assessment have informed the assessment of reasonable alternatives and site selection
process, alongside sustainability, deliverability and infrastructure considerations.
5.22. Pending the completion of that process, the Council should also consider an interim
housing position statement establishing a positive and transparent approach to
sustainable and deliverable housing proposals on safeguarded land, as set out earlier in
these representations.
Strategic green gap
5.23. TCE supports the Council's intention to review the Strategic Green Gap designation and
its role within the emerging Local Plan.
5.24. Strategic Green Gaps can play an important role in maintaining the separation and
identity of settlements. However, the review should be evidence based and should
recognise that not all land within a designated gap performs the same function.
5.25. The assessment should identify those locations that make the greatest contribution to
maintaining separation whilst recognising that the scale of development needs now
facing Cheshire East may require a balanced assessment between protecting settlement
identity and accommodating sustainable growth.
5.26. The Strategic Green Gap should therefore not operate as an absolute constraint on
development. Instead, it should form part of a wider planning balance which takes
account of housing need, sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure provision and
landscape considerations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Settlement Hierarchy
5.27. TCE supports the Council’s intention to review the settlement hierarchy as part of the
preparation of the new Local Plan. Given the scale of housing need now facing Cheshire
East, the settlement hierarchy will play a significant role in shaping the distribution of
development and identifying sustainable locations for growth.
5.28. The hierarchy should be informed by an up-to-date assessment of the role and function
of settlements. It should consider access to services and facilities, employment
opportunities, public transport, active travel, strategic infrastructure, settlement form,
market demand, recent growth, infrastructure capacity and the potential for
development to support improvements.
5.29. TCE supports Knutsford continuing to be identified as a Key Service Centre. Knutsford
has a strong range of services, facilities and employment opportunities, and benefits
from a strategically accessible location. It should therefore be considered as a
settlement capable of accommodating a meaningful proportion of future growth.
5.30. The previous Local Plan directed approximately 950 dwellings to Knutsford, which was
lower than the level of growth directed to several other Key Service Centres. In light of the
increased housing requirement and the scale of available land around the settlement,
the new Local Plan should consider whether Knutsford should accommodate a greater
level of growth over the new plan period.
5.31. TCE’s land interests around Knutsford provide a practical basis for assessing this issue.
Land West of Manchester Road is already allocated for mixed-use development. Land
North and South of Tabley Road comprises safeguarded land capable of forming a logical
next phase of growth. Given the Council's current housing land supply position and
increased housing requirement, these sites should be considered not only through the
Local Plan review but also through any interim approach adopted in respect of
safeguarded land proposals. Larger scale opportunities around Knutsford could deliver
homes, employment, services, open space and infrastructure in a comprehensive
manner.
5.32. TCE also considers that the role of Plumley should be reviewed carefully. Plumley
benefits from a railway station and should not be assessed in the same way as more
remote rural settlements with no rail connectivity. The August 2026 NPPF includes
support for development associated with well-connected stations, subject to relevant
criteria.
5.33. The Settlement Hierarchy Review should therefore give appropriate weight to public
transport accessibility and the potential for station-related growth. TCE’s land interests
around Plumley provide examples of opportunities that could contribute to proportionate
growth at a rail-connected settlement.
Spatial Distribution
5.34. TCE considers that the spatial distribution of development is one of the most important
matters for the new Local Plan. The scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East
means that the Council will need to test a broad range of options and should avoid an
overly narrow approach to growth.
5.35. TCE supports a balanced spatial strategy which draws on a variety of site types and
locations. This should include urban regeneration, brownfield land, existing allocations,
safeguarded land, sustainable urban extensions, station-related development, smaller
and medium-sized sites, and potential new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.36. Policies HO3 and HO4 of the August 2026 NPPF support this approach. Policy HO3
requires local plans to identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet or exceed the
housing requirement over the plan period. Policy HO4 recognises the role of strategic
sites, including new settlements and significant extensions to existing settlements,
where they can be supported by infrastructure and can create sustainable communities.
5.37. In TCE’s view, the Local Plan should avoid excessive reliance on either dispersed smallscale development or a limited number of large strategic allocations. A resilient strategy
will require both. Smaller and medium-sized sites can support early delivery and housing
diversity, while larger sites can deliver infrastructure, employment land, community
facilities, green infrastructure and long-term supply.
5.38. TCE’s landholdings illustrate this balanced approach. The allocated land West of
Manchester Road and safeguarded land North and South of Tabley Road could
contribute to earlier delivery at Knutsford, including through any positive interim
approach to safeguarded land in advance of the new Local Plan. Larger scale
opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate could provide longerterm growth options. The Plumley sites could support proportionate growth associated
with a rail-connected settlement.
5.39. The new Local Plan should assess these opportunities as part of a comparative
assessment of reasonable alternatives. This should include consideration of
sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure, Green Belt performance, access to services,
transport connectivity, environmental effects and the ability to deliver wider public
benefits.
Development in the Settlements and the Countryside
5.40. TCE supports the continued use of settlement boundaries as a tool for managing
development. However, settlement boundaries should not become inflexible constraints
that prevent otherwise sustainable opportunities from being properly assessed.
Settlement boundaries should be reviewed alongside the Settlement Hierarchy Review
and Spatial Distribution Report to ensure they reflect the strategy of the new Local Plan.
5.41. The Local Plan should also recognise an important distinction between isolated
countryside locations and sites which are physically related to existing settlements,
strategic transport infrastructure or railway stations.
5.42. Locations which are well connected and relate closely to existing settlements may be
capable of accommodating growth in a way that supports sustainable travel patterns and
strengthens existing communities.
5.43. This will be particularly important in considering the role of rail-connected settlements
and opportunities associated with strategic growth locations around Knutsford and
Plumley.
5.44. TCE supports a positive approach to development associated with sustainable rural
settlements, particularly where such settlements benefit from public transport
connectivity. Plumley represents an example of a settlement capable of accommodating
carefully planned growth due to its railway station and strategic accessibility.
Housing
5.45. TCE supports the Council’s intention to address housing need, affordable housing,
housing mix, older persons housing, specialist accommodation, self-build and custombuild housing, and housing diversification through the new Local Plan.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.46. The Housing Needs Assessment should inform the quantity, type, size and tenure of
housing required across Cheshire East. However, housing policies should be prepared
alongside the spatial strategy, viability evidence and infrastructure planning. Policy
requirements must be ambitious but deliverable.
5.47. Policy PM12 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to set out the
contributions expected from development, including affordable housing and
infrastructure, at a level that allows the planned types of development and sites to be
deliverable. Policy PM13 also requires quantitative standards to be justified,
proportionate and not to have an adverse impact on viability and deliverability.
5.48. TCE supports the objective of increasing affordable housing delivery. However,
affordable housing requirements, including any requirements associated with Green Belt
release, should be tested through robust viability evidence. This will be particularly
important where sites are expected to deliver affordable housing, infrastructure, open
space, biodiversity net gain, sustainable drainage, transport improvements and other
policy requirements.
5.49. TCE’s landholdings offer the potential to deliver a range of housing types and tenures.
Smaller sites at Plumley and Knutsford could contribute to housing choice and earlier
delivery. Larger strategic opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate around Knutsford
could support mixed communities with affordable housing, older persons housing,
specialist accommodation and a range of market housing types where justified by
evidence.
5.50. The August 2026 NPPF also places emphasis on small and medium-sized sites. Policy
HO6 requires local plans to allocate land to accommodate at least 10% of the housing
requirement on sites no larger than one hectare and a further 10% on sites between 1
and 2.5 hectares, unless there are strong reasons why this cannot be achieved.
5.51. The smaller TCE sites at Plumley and around Knutsford should be assessed in this
context. They may provide opportunities to diversify supply, support early delivery, assist
small and medium-sized builders, and contribute to the vitality of smaller settlements.
Employment and Economy
5.52. TCE supports the preparation of updated evidence on economic development needs and
employment land requirements. The Local Plan should ensure that employment land
supply is sufficient to support Cheshire East’s economic growth ambitions and that
housing growth is planned alongside employment growth.
5.53. The Local Plan should consider employment land not only through standalone
employment allocations, but also through mixed-use growth opportunities. Mixed-use
strategic sites can help create balanced communities, provide local jobs, reduce
commuting and support services.
5.54. Opportunities around Knutsford are particularly relevant to the relationship between
housing and employment growth. As a Key Service Centre with strong connections to the
strategic highway network, Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider
Cheshire and Warrington economy, Knutsford is capable of accommodating growth that
supports both housing and employment objectives. The Council should therefore assess
opportunities around the settlement not only in terms of housing delivery but also in
relation to their potential contribution towards employment growth, investment, labour
market accessibility and wider economic objectives.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.55. Opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate may also provide scope for the Council to
consider how housing growth, employment provision, infrastructure investment and
sustainable transport improvements can be planned in a coordinated manner. Whilst the
scale and form of any future development should be informed through the evidence
base, Economic Development Needs Assessment and Employment Land Review, these
opportunities should be assessed having regard to their potential contribution towards
Cheshire East's long-term economic competitiveness, job creation and wider economic
growth objectives.
Transport and Infrastructure
5.56. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that transport and infrastructure will be central to
the delivery of sustainable growth. The new Local Plan should integrate transport,
utilities, education, healthcare, digital infrastructure, green infrastructure and
community facilities with the spatial strategy and site allocation process.
5.57. Policy TR1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires sustainable transport considerations to be
addressed from the earliest stages of plan-making. It requires plans to locate
development where it can support sustainable patterns of movement and make effective
use of existing or proposed transport infrastructure.
5.58. TCE considers that transport accessibility should be a central factor in determining the
spatial strategy. The Council should consider public transport accessibility, rail
connectivity, active travel potential, access to services, relationship to strategic highway
corridors and the ability of development to support infrastructure improvements.
5.59. TCE’s landholdings around Knutsford and the wider Tabley Estate are well related to the
strategic highway network, including the M6 corridor, and to Knutsford’s role as a Key
Service Centre. The Plumley sites are particularly relevant because of their proximity to
Plumley railway station.
5.60. The Local Plan should therefore assess station-related growth opportunities in a positive
and evidence-led way. In particular, Plumley should be assessed not only by reference to
its current settlement classification, but also by reference to its rail connectivity and the
potential for planned growth to support sustainable travel patterns.
5.61. Infrastructure requirements should be viewed not only as constraints, but also as
opportunities. Larger strategic sites can help deliver new infrastructure, green
infrastructure, active travel routes and community facilities in a coordinated way. This is
particularly relevant to TCE’s larger scale land interests around Knutsford and within the
wider Tabley Estate, where the scale of development could support comprehensive
infrastructure planning.
Local Plan Evidence Base
5.62. TCE supports the preparation of a robust, proportionate and up-to-date evidence base.
This will be critical to ensuring that the Local Plan is justified, effective and capable of
meeting development needs.
5.63. TCE considers that the following evidence will be particularly important:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Grey Belt assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Economic Development Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan;
 Viability Assessment;
 Sustainability Appraisal;
 Heritage Assessment;
 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment;
 transport evidence; and
 Environmental and landscape evidence.
5.64. The Council should publish key methodologies and emerging findings at the earliest
appropriate stage to allow meaningful engagement. This is particularly important in
relation to the Green Belt Assessment, Grey Belt findings, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
Land Availability Assessment and Spatial Distribution Report.
5.65. The evidence base should be capable of assessing different site typologies consistently
and fairly. It should not apply a methodology that unintentionally favours only small sites,
only urban sites, or only previously developed land. Existing allocations, safeguarded
land, smaller and medium-sized sites, urban extensions and new settlement options
should all be assessed in a manner appropriate to their scale and potential contribution.
5.66. TCE requests that its landholdings across the Tabley Estate are assessed fully through
this process and that their potential contribution to housing, employment, infrastructure,
environmental enhancement and sustainable transport is considered on a consistent
basis with other promoted sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
6. Proposed Local Plan
Engagement Strategy
Engagement approach and methods
6.1. TCE supports continued engagement with landowners, site promoters, infrastructure
providers, communities and other stakeholders throughout the plan-making process.
Effective engagement will be essential to ensuring that the Local Plan is informed by
realistic evidence on site availability, deliverability, infrastructure requirements and
phasing.
6.2. For strategic sites, engagement should allow promoters to clarify technical evidence,
infrastructure assumptions, access arrangements, phasing, masterplanning principles
and delivery timescales. This will assist the Council in assessing sites accurately and
consistently.
6.3. This is particularly important for larger opportunities such as those within the wider
Tabley Estate, where careful consideration will be required in relation to infrastructure,
transport, landscape, ecology, heritage, phasing and long-term stewardship.
6.4. TCE would welcome continued engagement with Cheshire East Council as the new Local
Plan progresses, including discussions regarding the emerging evidence base, site
assessment methodology, Green Belt Assessment, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
infrastructure requirements and spatial strategy.
Plan programme and timeline
6.5. TCE supports the Council's proposed programme for Local Plan preparation. Given the
scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East and the Council's current housing land
supply position, it is important that the Local Plan continues to progress without
unnecessary delay.
6.6. Delays in plan preparation risk extending the period during which development decisions
are made in the absence of an up-to-date plan-led strategy. The Council should therefore
seek to maintain momentum, ensure that key evidence is prepared and made available
to stakeholders at an early stage, and continue engagement with stakeholders
throughout the process.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
7. Conclusion
7.1. TCE supports the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan for Cheshire East. The new Local Plan is being prepared in a materially changed
planning context, including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s
current housing land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging
Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy and the publication of the August
2026 NPPF during the consultation period.
7.2. TCE considers that the Local Plan should plan to meet the revised standard method
housing requirement as a minimum and should test whether a higher housing
requirement is justified having regard to economic growth, affordable housing need,
infrastructure investment and emerging sub-regional priorities.
7.3. The Local Plan should identify a sufficient supply and mix of deliverable and developable
sites, including brownfield sites, existing allocations, safeguarded land, smaller and
medium-sized sites, sustainable urban extensions, station-related growth and potential
new settlement opportunities. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council
should also adopt a positive interim approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals
on safeguarded land to support short-term housing delivery.
7.4. A review of the Green Belt will be a necessary and important part of the plan-making
process. The Green Belt Assessment should be robust, transparent and sufficiently
detailed to identify variations in Green Belt performance. It should also consider the
sustainability of locations and the ability of development to deliver infrastructure,
services and environmental benefits.
7.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate that opportunities exist across a range of locations and
planning contexts within Cheshire East. These include allocated and safeguarded land
around Knutsford, opportunities around Plumley and larger-scale opportunities within
the wider Tabley Estate. Taken together, these locations provide a range of alternatives
capable of being assessed through the emerging evidence base as the Council considers
how best to accommodate future housing, employment and infrastructure requirements
and establish a sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy. TCE therefore requests that
Cheshire East Council assesses its landholdings fully and positively through the
emerging evidence base, publishes key methodologies and findings early enough to
enable meaningful engagement, and continues direct dialogue with TCE as the Local
Plan progresses. This will help ensure that the Plan is ambitious, deliverable and capable
of meeting Cheshire East’s housing, employment, infrastructure and environmental
objectives over the full plan period.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
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The Crown Estate
Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan
Scoping Consultation 2026
September 2026The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Contents
1. Introduction 3
2. New Local Plan 5
3. Context for the new Local Plan 7
4. Baseline information and spatial portrait 12
5. Scope of the new Local Plan 14
6. Proposed Local Plan Engagement Strategy 23
7. Conclusion 24The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
1. Introduction
1.1. Deloitte LLP is instructed by The Crown Estate ("TCE") to submit representations to the
Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation (2026). TCE welcomes the opportunity to
engage at this early stage in the preparation of the new Cheshire East Local Plan. The
scoping consultation represents an important stage in establishing the matters that the
Local Plan should address, the evidence base required to support it, and the approach to
future engagement with stakeholders.
1.2. The new Local Plan will need to respond to a materially changed planning context,
including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s current housing
land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging Cheshire and
Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, and the publication of the August 2026
National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”) during the consultation period.
1.3. TCE welcomes the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan which meets identified housing and employment needs, supports sustainable
economic growth, and directs development to locations that are, or can be made,
sustainable through appropriate infrastructure provision, public transport accessibility,
active travel connections, environmental enhancement and long-term stewardship.
1.4. In summary, TCE considers that the new Local Plan should:
 meet identified housing and employment needs in full and test whether
additional growth is justified by economic, affordable housing or infrastructure
considerations;
 establish a clear and deliverable spatial strategy informed by a robust
assessment of reasonable alternatives;
 assess Green Belt, Grey Belt and safeguarded land through a transparent and
integrated methodology;
 give appropriate weight to well-connected locations, including Key Service
Centres and rail-connected settlements;
 identify a diverse portfolio of sites capable of contributing across different scales
and timescales; and
 integrate infrastructure, employment, sustainable transport and environmental
enhancement with decisions about the location of growth.
Background and Context
1.5. TCE is a long-term landowner within Cheshire East through its ownership of the Tabley
Estate, with landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley. Its interests include land
allocated for development within the adopted Local Plan, safeguarded land identified
through the adopted Local Plan process, and a wider portfolio of landholdings which
have been submitted through the Council’s recent Call for Sites process.
1.6. As a long-term landowner and steward of public assets, TCE is committed to working
positively with Cheshire East Council throughout preparation of the new Local Plan.
These representations seek to support the preparation of a robust and evidence-ledThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Local Plan and to ensure that a broad range of growth opportunities are appropriately
assessed through the emerging evidence base and site assessment process.
1.7. TCE’s land interests are relevant to the preparation of the emerging Local Plan in a
number of respects. These include:
 Land West of Manchester Road, Knutsford, which comprises land allocated for
residential and employment development within the adopted Local Plan (LPS 36).
A full planning application (ref. 26/1231/FUL) was submitted in March 2026 on
parcel B of the allocation, which is currently being determined. TCE remains
committed to delivering the remainder of the allocation in a timely fashion.
 Land North and South of Tabley Road, Knutsford, comprising safeguarded land
identified in adopted Local Plan policies LPS 39 and LPS 40 as land to meet
longer-term development needs.
 A wider portfolio of landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley, comprising
opportunities of differing scales and characteristics submitted through the
Council’s Call for Sites process. This includes land associated with the potential
future growth of Knutsford as a Key Service Centre, opportunities associated with
the rail-connected settlement of Plumley, and larger landholdings capable of
being considered as part of the Council's assessment of longer-term growth
options.
1.8. Collectively, these land interests comprise a diverse portfolio of opportunities of
different scales and locations within Cheshire East. The emerging Local Plan and
supporting evidence base should therefore assess these interests appropriately as part
of the Council’s consideration of future growth options and the preparation of a
sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy.
1.9. The range of options identified above is particularly relevant given the materially
increased housing requirement and the need for the Local Plan to identify a sufficient and
resilient supply of suitable, available and deliverable sites.
1.10. It is therefore critical that the new Local Plan is prepared positively, quickly and on the
basis of robust evidence. The plan must identify a sufficient supply of suitable, available
and deliverable sites to meet housing and employment needs in full, while providing a
clear framework for infrastructure, environmental enhancement and high-quality
placemaking.
1.11. These representations have been prepared having regard to the NPPF published in
August 2026, which applies to relevant plan-making from 17 August 2026. The Council
should therefore review the consultation responses, evidence base and next stages of
Plan preparation against the final Framework, particularly in relation to Green Belt, Grey
Belt, station-related development, strategic sites, housing delivery, economic growth
and national decision-making policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
2. New Local Plan
Matters addressed in the new Local Plan
2.1. TCE supports the broad range of matters identified by the Council for inclusion within the
new Local Plan. These appropriately cover housing, employment, transport,
infrastructure, climate change, environmental matters, design and placemaking, health
and wellbeing and sustainable economic growth.
2.2. However, TCE considers that the Local Plan should be framed first and foremost around
the need to respond positively to the significant increase in development requirements
now facing Cheshire East. The revised standard method housing need figure, changes to
national policy and the Council's current housing land supply position collectively
indicate that the new Local Plan will require the Council to reconsider the scale and
distribution of growth that informed the adopted Local Plan Strategy.
2.3. In this context, the Local Plan should prioritise the following matters, which will be
central to establishing a positive and deliverable growth strategy:
 meeting housing and employment needs in full;
 establishing a clear and deliverable spatial strategy;
 undertaking an evidence-led review of Green Belt and Grey Belt land where
necessary to meet identified needs;
 identifying a sufficient supply of deliverable and developable sites;
 planning infrastructure alongside growth;
 promoting sustainable transport and well-connected locations; and
 supporting long-term economic competitiveness.
2.4. TCE considers that these issues are intrinsically linked and should not be considered
through separate strategic policy workstreams. Housing, employment, infrastructure,
transport and environmental enhancement should instead form part of a single
integrated growth strategy.
Why prepare a new Local Plan
2.5. TCE strongly supports the preparation of a new Local Plan. The adopted Local Plan was
prepared within a materially different policy and housing context. The increased housing
requirement, national policy changes, the Council’s housing land supply position and the
emerging Cheshire and Warrington strategic context require a new and deliverable
spatial strategy.
2.6. An up-to-date Plan will provide the framework needed to coordinate housing,
employment, infrastructure and environmental improvements. Without it, there is a
greater risk that development will be determined through individual applications and
appeals rather than through a planned spatial strategy.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Developing the new Local Plan
2.7. TCE supports the Council's intention to progress the Local Plan in accordance with the
new plan-making system.
2.8. The emerging Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy (‘SDS’) will form an
important part of the wider strategic planning context, including in relation to broad
growth locations, infrastructure and economic priorities. The Cheshire East Local Plan
should continue without delay while retaining sufficient flexibility to respond to relevant
strategic priorities as the SDS emerges. The NPPF and PPG emphasise the importance of
effective cooperation on strategic planning matters. Given the Combined Authority's role
in coordinating growth, infrastructure and transport priorities across the city region, the
Council should continue to engage closely with the Combined Authority throughout plan
preparation to ensure alignment with wider strategic objectives.
2.9. The Council should ensure that decisions regarding the spatial strategy are informed by a
robust and proportionate evidence base. In particular, the following studies will have a
critical role in shaping future growth options:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan; and
 Viability Assessment.
2.10. TCE considers it important that these documents are prepared and published sufficiently
early to enable meaningful engagement before key strategic decisions become fixed.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3. Context for the new Local
Plan
Increase in housing requirements
3.1. The materially increased housing requirement represents a fundamental change in the
planning context for the new Local Plan. It will require the Council to reconsider the
distribution of growth, the role of different settlements, realistic brownfield capacity, the
need for Green Belt release, and safeguarded land, settlement extensions and strategicscale opportunities.
3.2. Policies HO1 and HO2 of the August 2026 NPPF require the Plan to establish a housing
requirement based on local housing need as a minimum and to consider a higher figure
where justified as necessary to reflect economic growth and infrastructure investment.
TCE considers that the Plan should meet the revised standard method figure as a
minimum and test whether a higher requirement is justified by economic growth,
infrastructure investment, affordable housing need and emerging Cheshire and
Warrington SDS priorities.
3.3. The Council’s current five-year housing land supply position reinforces the need for a
positive and deliverable plan-led strategy. Cheshire East Council’s latest published
Housing Monitoring Update (March 2025) concludes that the Council has 3.3 years’
supply of deliverable housing sites against the required five years. In the absence of a
demonstrable five-year supply, housing delivery is increasingly influenced by
applications and appeals rather than a coordinated spatial strategy. Strong recent
delivery identified through the Housing Delivery Test (August 2026) is welcomed, but it is
not a substitute for a positively prepared Local Plan capable of maintaining housing
delivery through the plan period.
3.4. This shortfall demonstrates that the Local Plan must identify a larger and more resilient
portfolio of deliverable and developable sites. It should not rely on any single source of
supply or any single settlement tier. Instead, it should identify strategic allocations,
urban extensions, station-related opportunities, and smaller and medium-sized sites
capable of supporting delivery across the plan period, whilst also helping to maintain and
enhance the vitality of settlements across the Borough by supporting local services,
facilities, infrastructure and sustainable communities.
3.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate the breadth of opportunities that may be available to
support this approach and should be assessed through the emerging evidence base
alongside other reasonable alternatives.
Changes to Green Belt policy
3.6. TCE supports the Council’s intention to undertake a borough-wide Green Belt
Assessment as part of the Local Plan evidence base. This will be a critical component of
the emerging Plan given the significant extent of Green Belt within Cheshire East and the
scale of development now required.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3.7. The Green Belt is an important planning designation and its purposes should be properly
assessed. However, it should not be treated as a fixed constraint that prevents
consideration of sustainable growth options where development needs cannot otherwise
be met. The August 2026 NPPF provides a clear framework for Green Belt review through
plan-making where exceptional circumstances are evidenced and justified.
3.8. Policy GB3 of the NPPF confirms that exceptional circumstances include situations
where a local planning authority is unable to meet its identified need for homes,
commercial or other development in full, having examined all other reasonable options.
That position is directly relevant to Cheshire East, given the significant increase in
housing need and the Council’s current housing land supply position.
3.9. Policy GB4 requires Green Belt boundary alterations to promote sustainable patterns of
development, giving priority to previously developed land in sustainable locations, then
Grey Belt land in sustainable locations, and then other Green Belt locations where this
would promote a sustainable pattern of development overall. The assessment should
therefore consider not only the Green Belt function of land, but also the sustainability of
the location and the ability of development to support infrastructure, services and
sustainable movement patterns.
3.10. TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be sufficiently detailed to identify
variations in how land performs against Green Belt purposes. Broad-brush assessment
parcels risk obscuring opportunities where land performs a limited Green Belt function,
where defensible boundaries exist, or where development could be planned
comprehensively without undermining the wider function of the Green Belt.
3.11. The assessment should pay particular attention to opportunities around Knutsford. As a
Key Service Centre with a strong range of services, facilities, employment opportunities
and transport connections, the settlement is capable of accommodating growth. The
Green Belt Assessment should therefore consider the extent to which opportunities
around the settlement could contribute towards the Borough’s development
requirements.
3.12. Plumley should be assessed positively in light of its railway station. Its role should not be
judged solely by population size or current settlement classification, but also by its
public transport accessibility and its potential to support sustainable travel, local
services and proportionate housing growth. Opportunities around Plumley should
therefore be assessed through the Settlement Hierarchy Review and Spatial Distribution
Strategy, having regard to their ability to support sustainable travel patterns, local
services and proportionate growth.
3.13. The safeguarded land north and south of Tabley Road (LPS 39 and LPS 40) is an example
of land that has already been identified through the adopted Local Plan as land which
may be required to meet longer-term development needs, and which remains available
to be considered as part of the emerging Local Plan. In the context of the revised housing
requirement and the lack of a five-year housing land supply, the Council should consider
a more general, positive approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals on
safeguarded land in advance of and separate from the completion of the Local Plan
process.
3.14. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council should consider preparing an
interim housing position statement setting out a positive and transparent approach to the
determination of housing proposals on safeguarded land. Such an approach would not
alter the formal designation of the land, which would remain a matter for the Local PlanThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
review, nor displace the statutory priority afforded to the development plan. It would,
however, recognise that policies restricting housing development on safeguarded land
should be applied in light of the Council’s current housing land supply position, the
materially increased housing requirement and the presumption in favour of sustainable
development.
3.15. The approach adopted by Kirklees Council provides a relevant precedent. Its Interim
Housing Position Statement retains the adopted safeguarded-land designation but
recognises that, in the absence of a five-year housing land supply, safeguarded sites may
provide opportunities for early housing development where constraints can be
overcome. Cheshire East should adopt a similarly positive approach, giving substantial
weight to sustainable and deliverable proposals on safeguarded land, particularly where
sites are well related to existing settlements, can be supported by appropriate
infrastructure and are capable of contributing to housing supply within the short term.
Such an approach would provide an appropriate framework for the early consideration of
the safeguarded land relating to LPS 39 and LPS 40, both of which are well related to
Knutsford and capable of contributing to housing delivery in the short term.
3.16. TCE supports a robust Green Belt and Grey Belt assessment but considers that it must
be applied in a manner that enables genuinely sustainable and deliverable sites to be
considered through the plan-making process. Given the central role that Green Belt and
Grey Belt considerations are likely to play in accommodating Cheshire East's future
development needs, TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be treated as
a priority evidence base document and prepared sufficiently early to inform key decisions
regarding the spatial strategy and distribution of growth. This will be essential if the Local
Plan is to meet development needs in full while promoting a sustainable spatial strategy.
Brownfield Development
3.17. TCE supports the effective use of previously developed land where such land is suitable,
available and deliverable. A brownfield-first approach is appropriate and consistent with
national policy.
3.18. However, the scale of housing and employment growth now facing Cheshire East means
that brownfield land alone will not provide a sufficient solution. The Council's own
monitoring evidence demonstrates that a substantial proportion of development has
historically been delivered on greenfield sites, with previously developed land accounting
for only around one-third of housing completions in recent monitoring years. Brownfield
sites can also face constraints relating to ownership, viability, contamination,
infrastructure, market demand and delivery timescales. The Local Plan should therefore
avoid placing undue reliance on brownfield capacity where there is no clear evidence
that it can meet the Borough’s needs in full.
3.19. The Council’s own scoping material identifies that the new Local Plan may need to
consider a range of options, including densification, further development within existing
settlements, edge-of-settlement growth, large-scale urban extensions and new
settlements. TCE supports that broad approach.
3.20. The Local Plan should therefore maximise brownfield opportunities while also identifying
sustainable greenfield and Green Belt locations where these are necessary to meet
housing and employment needs. TCE’s landholdings across the Tabley Estate provide
examples of greenfield and Green Belt opportunities that could deliver new homes,
employment land, infrastructure, open space and environmental benefits in sustainable
locations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Economic Growth
3.21. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that Cheshire East has an important economic
role and that the new Local Plan must plan positively for employment growth, investment
and long-term competitiveness. The emerging Plan should ensure that housing,
employment and infrastructure are planned in a coordinated manner so that growth is
capable of supporting sustainable economic outcomes across the Borough.
3.22. Policy E1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to establish a clear
economic vision and strategy, support business investment, and allocate sites to meet
anticipated employment needs over the plan period. The policy recognises the
importance of providing flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances and
supporting a diverse range of sectors and business activities.
3.23. Housing and employment growth should not be considered separately. A sustainable
spatial strategy should seek to align new homes with employment opportunities,
services, infrastructure and sustainable transport. This will help reduce commuting
distances, support inclusive economic growth and ensure that housing delivery supports
the labour force required by the local economy.
3.24. Given Knutsford's role as a Key Service Centre and its proximity to strategic transport
infrastructure, opportunities around the settlement should be assessed not only in terms
of housing delivery but also in terms of their ability to support employment growth,
investment and wider economic objectives across Cheshire East and the sub-region.
Knutsford benefits from strong connectivity to the strategic highway network,
Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider Cheshire and Warrington
economy. The Council's assessment of growth options around the settlement should
therefore take account of their potential contribution to both housing and employment
needs.
3.25. TCE’s land interests associated with the wider Tabley Estate also provide an opportunity
for the Council to consider how larger-scale growth options could contribute towards
economic objectives over the longer term. In addition to supporting housing delivery,
such opportunities may have the potential to support employment provision,
infrastructure investment, sustainable transport improvements and enhanced
connectivity between homes, jobs and services. The precise scale and form of any such
contribution should be determined through the evidence base and site assessment
process.
3.26. Opportunities around Knutsford, together with other opportunities within the wider
Tabley Estate, should therefore be assessed through the Economic Development Needs
Assessment, Employment Land Review and Spatial Distribution Strategy. This
assessment should consider not only their ability to contribute towards housing delivery,
but also their potential role in supporting labour market accessibility, business growth,
infrastructure investment and wider economic competitiveness.
3.27. More generally, the Local Plan should assess a broad range of growth options and
determine the most appropriate scale and distribution of development having regard to
housing need, employment requirements, infrastructure capacity, sustainability
considerations and long-term economic objectives. The Plan should provide sufficient
flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances whilst ensuring that future
growth contributes positively to Cheshire East's economic success and competitiveness.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Spatial Development Strategy
3.28. TCE notes that Cheshire East is now part of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined
Authority area and that a Spatial Development Strategy will be prepared for Cheshire and
Warrington. TCE supports strategic planning at the sub-regional level, particularly where
it helps align housing, employment, infrastructure, transport and environmental priorities
across administrative boundaries.
3.29. However, preparation of the Cheshire East Local Plan should not be delayed pending the
Spatial Development Strategy. The Local Plan should continue to progress, identify
sufficient land to meet development needs and establish an appropriate spatial strategy,
while retaining flexibility to respond to any relevant strategic priorities that emerge
through the SDS process.
3.30. Policy PM1 of the August 2026 NPPF confirms that Spatial Development Strategies
should identify broad locations for growth and regeneration, including new settlements,
major urban extensions and major cross-boundary development where appropriate. TCE
supports this approach, recognising that large-scale strategic development requires
coordinated planning across administrative boundaries, particularly in relation to
transport, utilities and wider infrastructure capacity and delivery. The Cheshire East
Local Plan should therefore align with any broad growth locations identified through the
forthcoming Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, while retaining
sufficient flexibility to respond to the SDS as it emerges. This alignment will be important
to ensure that strategic sites are planned comprehensively and supported by the
infrastructure necessary for their delivery.
3.31. Opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are of sufficient scale
to warrant assessment through the Local Plan process and, where relevant, the emerging
spatial development strategy. Their potential role should be informed through the
Council's evidence base and considered alongside other reasonable alternatives in
establishing the most appropriate spatial strategy.
National Decision-Making Policies
3.32. TCE supports the Council's recognition that the introduction of National Decision-Making
Policies provides an opportunity for local plans to focus on genuinely local matters.
3.33. The Local Plan should avoid unnecessary duplication of national policy and instead
focus on the issues that are specific to Cheshire East, including the spatial strategy, site
allocations, settlement hierarchy, Green Belt review, affordable housing requirements
and infrastructure planning.
3.34. However, this should not result in an overly narrow plan. The Local Plan remains the
primary mechanism through which Cheshire East will determine how and where future
growth is accommodated and therefore should provide a strategic vision that aligns with
national and regional policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
4. Baseline information and
spatial portrait
Connectivity
4.1. TCE supports the Council's recognition of Cheshire East's strong connectivity and
strategic location. The Borough benefits from excellent connections to regional and
national transport networks, including the M6 and M56 motorways, Manchester Airport
and an extensive rail network.
4.2. Connectivity should form a central part of the future spatial strategy. The Local Plan
should direct growth towards locations which are well connected by public transport or
which have the ability to support improvements to sustainable transport infrastructure.
4.3. The August 2026 NPPF places increased emphasis on locating development where it can
make effective use of existing and proposed transport infrastructure, including through
its support for residential and mixed-use development within reasonable walking
distance of qualifying well-connected railway stations. In this regard, opportunities
around Knutsford, including land associated with the Tabley Estate, should be assessed
in the context of the settlement's role as a Key Service Centre, its relationship with the
strategic highway network and its accessibility to employment and services. Future
growth in this part of the Borough has the potential to support sustainable travel patterns
and infrastructure investment where planned comprehensively.
4.4. Opportunities around Plumley are also relevant in this context. As a rail-connected
settlement, Plumley provides a distinctive opportunity to consider how proportionate
growth can support sustainable travel patterns, reinforce the role of the railway station
and contribute to the long-term vitality of local services and facilities.
4.5. Larger-scale opportunities within TCE's land portfolio may provide scope for transport
and infrastructure requirements to be considered comprehensively alongside
development. The Council should assess not only current accessibility but also the
extent to which growth may support improvements to transport, active travel,
infrastructure and service provision.
Economic contribution
4.6. Cheshire East plays a significant role within the wider North West economy and benefits
from a diverse economic base, strong transport connections and a number of nationally
and regionally important employment centres. The Borough's economic success has
historically been supported by its ability to attract and retain a skilled workforce, provide
a high-quality environment for investment and deliver a range of housing opportunities
across its settlements.
4.7. TCE supports the Council's recognition that economic growth should remain a central
component of the emerging Local Plan. The Local Plan should not treat housing delivery
and economic development as separate policy objectives. Instead, it should recognise
that the two are fundamentally linked and that a sufficient supply of homes is essential toThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
support labour market growth, improve affordability and maintain the competitiveness of
the Borough's economy.
4.8. The emerging evidence base should therefore consider how housing need, employment
growth and infrastructure provision interact. This is particularly important given the
significant increase in housing requirements and the potential implications this may have
for labour supply, commuting patterns and business investment. The Local Plan should
ensure that growth is distributed in a manner that supports both existing employment
centres and future economic opportunities.
4.9. TCE considers that strategic and mixed-use development opportunities can play an
important role in delivering this objective. Larger sites are often capable of supporting
housing, employment, community infrastructure and sustainable transport
improvements through a coordinated and masterplanned approach. Such opportunities
can help create balanced communities, reduce the need to travel and provide greater
certainty regarding infrastructure delivery.
4.10. The Local Plan should therefore positively assess a range of growth options capable of
supporting both housing and economic objectives. This should include consideration of
strategic urban extensions, mixed-use sites and potential longer-term growth
opportunities where these can contribute towards the Borough's economic resilience,
competitiveness and productivity.
4.11. Overall, the Local Plan should seek to establish a clear relationship between housing
growth, employment growth and infrastructure investment, ensuring that future
development supports Cheshire East's role as a sustainable and economically
successful location within the wider region.
4.12. Strategic growth opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are
particularly relevant because they can integrate homes, employment land, transport
improvements, digital infrastructure, utilities and sustainable travel connections through
comprehensive masterplanning. Their relationship with the M6 corridor, Knutsford
railway station and the Mid-Cheshire rail corridor should be assessed as part of the
evidence base, particularly where this could support labour market accessibility,
business connectivity and investment in high-value sectors.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5. Scope of the new Local
Plan
Local Plan Period
5.1. TCE supports the proposed plan period to 2045. However, the Local Plan should also
consider longer-term growth requirements beyond the end of the plan period, particularly
where strategic urban extensions or new settlement opportunities are being assessed.
Larger sites may require delivery across multiple phases and potentially beyond a single
plan period. This should not prevent such opportunities from being considered through
the plan-making process, although their delivery may extend beyond a single plan period.
Vision and Objectives
5.2. TCE supports the preparation of a clear, locally distinctive and deliverable vision for
Cheshire East. The vision should respond directly to the changed planning context,
including the higher housing requirement, current housing land supply shortfall,
economic growth ambitions, the need for Green Belt review and the publication of the
August 2026 NPPF.
5.3. The vision should not simply seek to manage growth. It should explain how Cheshire East
will accommodate growth positively and sustainably, while delivering homes,
employment, infrastructure, environmental enhancement and healthy communities.
5.4. TCE considers that the vision and objectives should include the following priorities:
 meeting housing need in full, as a minimum;
 testing whether a higher housing requirement is justified by economic growth,
affordable housing need or infrastructure investment;
 supporting sustainable economic growth and employment delivery;
 ensuring a sufficient supply of affordable homes and a broad housing mix;
 reviewing Green Belt boundaries where necessary to meet needs;
 testing strategic urban extensions and new settlement options;
 supporting growth at sustainable settlements and rail-connected locations;
 integrating infrastructure planning with site allocation decisions;
 delivering multifunctional green infrastructure, biodiversity net gain and climate
resilience; and
 maintaining a deliverable supply of sites throughout the plan period.
Identifying and assessing sites
5.5. TCE supports the Council’s intention to prepare a robust and evidence-led assessment
of potential development sites. The assessment process will be critical to ensuring thatThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
the Local Plan identifies a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet the Borough’s
development needs.
5.6. Policy PM9 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to be informed by an
assessment of land available to meet development needs, including consideration of
availability, suitability, achievability, likely viability, site capacity and delivery timescales.
5.7. TCE considers that the site assessment methodology should be transparent,
proportionate and capable of assessing different categories of site. It should not be
designed in a way that favours only one type or scale of development. Smaller sites,
safeguarded land, settlement-edge opportunities, strategic urban extensions and new
settlements will all need to be assessed through an appropriate methodology.
5.8. The assessment process should give appropriate weight to:
 land ownership and availability;
 deliverability and likely delivery timescales;
 ability to contribute to five-year housing land supply;
 relationship to existing settlements and services;
 relationship to railway stations and strategic transport corridors;
 potential to deliver housing, employment and community facilities together;
 ability to support affordable housing and housing choice;
 infrastructure requirements and opportunities;
 ability to deliver green infrastructure and biodiversity net gain;
 Green Belt performance, where relevant;
 landscape, heritage, ecology and flood risk considerations; and
 long-term flexibility and phasing.
5.9. The assessment should avoid applying overly restrictive criteria at an early stage. In
particular, strategic sites and new settlement options should not be discounted simply
because they require comprehensive masterplanning or longer delivery periods. Such
sites may be important to maintaining supply over the middle and later parts of the plan
period and may provide opportunities to deliver infrastructure and environmental
benefits at scale.
5.10. TCE’s landholdings are relevant to this assessment because they include sites capable
of contributing across a range of timescales. The allocated land West of Manchester
Road, the safeguarded land at Tabley Road and smaller sites around Knutsford and
Plumley could contribute early in the plan period. Larger scale opportunities within the
wider Tabley Estate provide longer-term strategic options capable of supporting
comprehensive infrastructure-led growth.
5.11. TCE therefore requests that the Council’s site assessment methodology expressly
recognises the different roles that sites can play across the plan period, including early
delivery, settlement-edge growth, rail-connected growth, and strategic urban extensions
and new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Green Belt
5.12. TCE notes the approach set out at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 of the scoping consultation
for determining whether Green Belt boundary changes are required. This exercise should
be integrated with, rather than undertaken separately from, the assessment of sites,
settlement hierarchy and spatial distribution. The Council’s own consultation identifies
site selection, Green Belt, settlement hierarchy and spatial strategy as interrelated
considerations in planning for growth.
5.13. TCE supports the assessment of future development needs and the effective use of
suitable brownfield and underused land. However, the sequential considerations listed
at paragraph 5.17 should not operate as a series of rigid filters through which otherwise
sustainable Green Belt sites are excluded before their comparative merits have been
assessed. In particular, the existence of theoretical capacity outside the Green Belt
should not be treated as sufficient unless that capacity is demonstrated to be suitable,
available, deliverable and capable of supporting a sustainable spatial strategy.
5.14. All reasonable growth options should therefore be assessed through a consistent and
transparent framework. For Green Belt sites, this should bring together:
 the contribution of the land to Green Belt purposes, including whether it
comprises Grey Belt;
 the site’s relationship with the settlement hierarchy and existing settlement form;
 accessibility to services, employment and public transport, including railway
stations;
 infrastructure capacity and the opportunity for development to deliver
improvements;
 availability, deliverability, viability, capacity and likely phasing;
 environmental, landscape, heritage and flood-risk considerations; and
 the ability to deliver housing, employment, community facilities, green
infrastructure and wider public benefits comprehensively.
5.15. This would align the Green Belt exercise with the wider spatial-distribution factors
identified by the Council, which include housing and employment needs, infrastructure,
services, environmental constraints, Green Belt, brownfield availability, site availability,
market attractiveness and viability.
5.16. TCE considers that “considering sites outside the Green Belt first” should mean that
reasonable non-Green Belt alternatives are properly examined; it should not establish an
automatic preference for a less sustainable or less deliverable location solely because it
lies outside the Green Belt. Comparative assessment should consider whether each
option would promote a sustainable pattern of development and contribute effectively to
meeting identified needs.
5.17. Similarly, optimising density and maximising brownfield capacity are important
components of the strategy, but the Council should test whether the resulting capacity is
realistic and deliverable over the plan period. These measures should not be relied upon
to defer the assessment of Green Belt opportunities where additional land may be
required to meet development needs in full and maintain a sufficient and resilient supply
of sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.18. Where exceptional circumstances are identified, decisions on potential Green Belt
release should be made through the wider spatial strategy and site-selection process.
Appropriate weight should be given to opportunities that are well related to existing
settlements or well-connected railway stations, as well as strategic sites capable of
delivering infrastructure, employment provision, sustainable transport, community
facilities and environmental improvements through comprehensive masterplanning. The
Council expressly anticipates testing a range of options, including edge-of-settlement
growth, large-scale urban extensions and new settlements; Green Belt location or site
scale should not prevent those options from being assessed on a comparable basis.
5.19. The land availability methodology should explain clearly how Green Belt considerations
will interact with the initial site sift, scoring and subsequent allocation stages. Sites
should not be filtered out solely because of their existing Green Belt designation before
the Green Belt assessment, settlement hierarchy review, spatial distribution work and
sustainability assessment have been considered together. The Council proposes to
publish its methodology and initial site assessments at the subsequent plan content and
evidence consultation; these should provide a clear audit trail showing how the factors
above have informed each assessment.
5.20. Applied in this way, the approach at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 would enable the Local
Plan to identify the most sustainable and deliverable combination of sites while
protecting Green Belt land that makes the strongest contribution to its purposes. It would
also ensure that smaller releases, safeguarded land, settlement extensions and
strategic-scale opportunities are assessed fairly and through a methodology appropriate
to their scale and potential contribution.
5.21. TCE requests that the Council clearly sets out how the findings of the Green Belt
assessment have informed the assessment of reasonable alternatives and site selection
process, alongside sustainability, deliverability and infrastructure considerations.
5.22. Pending the completion of that process, the Council should also consider an interim
housing position statement establishing a positive and transparent approach to
sustainable and deliverable housing proposals on safeguarded land, as set out earlier in
these representations.
Strategic green gap
5.23. TCE supports the Council's intention to review the Strategic Green Gap designation and
its role within the emerging Local Plan.
5.24. Strategic Green Gaps can play an important role in maintaining the separation and
identity of settlements. However, the review should be evidence based and should
recognise that not all land within a designated gap performs the same function.
5.25. The assessment should identify those locations that make the greatest contribution to
maintaining separation whilst recognising that the scale of development needs now
facing Cheshire East may require a balanced assessment between protecting settlement
identity and accommodating sustainable growth.
5.26. The Strategic Green Gap should therefore not operate as an absolute constraint on
development. Instead, it should form part of a wider planning balance which takes
account of housing need, sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure provision and
landscape considerations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Settlement Hierarchy
5.27. TCE supports the Council’s intention to review the settlement hierarchy as part of the
preparation of the new Local Plan. Given the scale of housing need now facing Cheshire
East, the settlement hierarchy will play a significant role in shaping the distribution of
development and identifying sustainable locations for growth.
5.28. The hierarchy should be informed by an up-to-date assessment of the role and function
of settlements. It should consider access to services and facilities, employment
opportunities, public transport, active travel, strategic infrastructure, settlement form,
market demand, recent growth, infrastructure capacity and the potential for
development to support improvements.
5.29. TCE supports Knutsford continuing to be identified as a Key Service Centre. Knutsford
has a strong range of services, facilities and employment opportunities, and benefits
from a strategically accessible location. It should therefore be considered as a
settlement capable of accommodating a meaningful proportion of future growth.
5.30. The previous Local Plan directed approximately 950 dwellings to Knutsford, which was
lower than the level of growth directed to several other Key Service Centres. In light of the
increased housing requirement and the scale of available land around the settlement,
the new Local Plan should consider whether Knutsford should accommodate a greater
level of growth over the new plan period.
5.31. TCE’s land interests around Knutsford provide a practical basis for assessing this issue.
Land West of Manchester Road is already allocated for mixed-use development. Land
North and South of Tabley Road comprises safeguarded land capable of forming a logical
next phase of growth. Given the Council's current housing land supply position and
increased housing requirement, these sites should be considered not only through the
Local Plan review but also through any interim approach adopted in respect of
safeguarded land proposals. Larger scale opportunities around Knutsford could deliver
homes, employment, services, open space and infrastructure in a comprehensive
manner.
5.32. TCE also considers that the role of Plumley should be reviewed carefully. Plumley
benefits from a railway station and should not be assessed in the same way as more
remote rural settlements with no rail connectivity. The August 2026 NPPF includes
support for development associated with well-connected stations, subject to relevant
criteria.
5.33. The Settlement Hierarchy Review should therefore give appropriate weight to public
transport accessibility and the potential for station-related growth. TCE’s land interests
around Plumley provide examples of opportunities that could contribute to proportionate
growth at a rail-connected settlement.
Spatial Distribution
5.34. TCE considers that the spatial distribution of development is one of the most important
matters for the new Local Plan. The scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East
means that the Council will need to test a broad range of options and should avoid an
overly narrow approach to growth.
5.35. TCE supports a balanced spatial strategy which draws on a variety of site types and
locations. This should include urban regeneration, brownfield land, existing allocations,
safeguarded land, sustainable urban extensions, station-related development, smaller
and medium-sized sites, and potential new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.36. Policies HO3 and HO4 of the August 2026 NPPF support this approach. Policy HO3
requires local plans to identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet or exceed the
housing requirement over the plan period. Policy HO4 recognises the role of strategic
sites, including new settlements and significant extensions to existing settlements,
where they can be supported by infrastructure and can create sustainable communities.
5.37. In TCE’s view, the Local Plan should avoid excessive reliance on either dispersed smallscale development or a limited number of large strategic allocations. A resilient strategy
will require both. Smaller and medium-sized sites can support early delivery and housing
diversity, while larger sites can deliver infrastructure, employment land, community
facilities, green infrastructure and long-term supply.
5.38. TCE’s landholdings illustrate this balanced approach. The allocated land West of
Manchester Road and safeguarded land North and South of Tabley Road could
contribute to earlier delivery at Knutsford, including through any positive interim
approach to safeguarded land in advance of the new Local Plan. Larger scale
opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate could provide longerterm growth options. The Plumley sites could support proportionate growth associated
with a rail-connected settlement.
5.39. The new Local Plan should assess these opportunities as part of a comparative
assessment of reasonable alternatives. This should include consideration of
sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure, Green Belt performance, access to services,
transport connectivity, environmental effects and the ability to deliver wider public
benefits.
Development in the Settlements and the Countryside
5.40. TCE supports the continued use of settlement boundaries as a tool for managing
development. However, settlement boundaries should not become inflexible constraints
that prevent otherwise sustainable opportunities from being properly assessed.
Settlement boundaries should be reviewed alongside the Settlement Hierarchy Review
and Spatial Distribution Report to ensure they reflect the strategy of the new Local Plan.
5.41. The Local Plan should also recognise an important distinction between isolated
countryside locations and sites which are physically related to existing settlements,
strategic transport infrastructure or railway stations.
5.42. Locations which are well connected and relate closely to existing settlements may be
capable of accommodating growth in a way that supports sustainable travel patterns and
strengthens existing communities.
5.43. This will be particularly important in considering the role of rail-connected settlements
and opportunities associated with strategic growth locations around Knutsford and
Plumley.
5.44. TCE supports a positive approach to development associated with sustainable rural
settlements, particularly where such settlements benefit from public transport
connectivity. Plumley represents an example of a settlement capable of accommodating
carefully planned growth due to its railway station and strategic accessibility.
Housing
5.45. TCE supports the Council’s intention to address housing need, affordable housing,
housing mix, older persons housing, specialist accommodation, self-build and custombuild housing, and housing diversification through the new Local Plan.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.46. The Housing Needs Assessment should inform the quantity, type, size and tenure of
housing required across Cheshire East. However, housing policies should be prepared
alongside the spatial strategy, viability evidence and infrastructure planning. Policy
requirements must be ambitious but deliverable.
5.47. Policy PM12 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to set out the
contributions expected from development, including affordable housing and
infrastructure, at a level that allows the planned types of development and sites to be
deliverable. Policy PM13 also requires quantitative standards to be justified,
proportionate and not to have an adverse impact on viability and deliverability.
5.48. TCE supports the objective of increasing affordable housing delivery. However,
affordable housing requirements, including any requirements associated with Green Belt
release, should be tested through robust viability evidence. This will be particularly
important where sites are expected to deliver affordable housing, infrastructure, open
space, biodiversity net gain, sustainable drainage, transport improvements and other
policy requirements.
5.49. TCE’s landholdings offer the potential to deliver a range of housing types and tenures.
Smaller sites at Plumley and Knutsford could contribute to housing choice and earlier
delivery. Larger strategic opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate around Knutsford
could support mixed communities with affordable housing, older persons housing,
specialist accommodation and a range of market housing types where justified by
evidence.
5.50. The August 2026 NPPF also places emphasis on small and medium-sized sites. Policy
HO6 requires local plans to allocate land to accommodate at least 10% of the housing
requirement on sites no larger than one hectare and a further 10% on sites between 1
and 2.5 hectares, unless there are strong reasons why this cannot be achieved.
5.51. The smaller TCE sites at Plumley and around Knutsford should be assessed in this
context. They may provide opportunities to diversify supply, support early delivery, assist
small and medium-sized builders, and contribute to the vitality of smaller settlements.
Employment and Economy
5.52. TCE supports the preparation of updated evidence on economic development needs and
employment land requirements. The Local Plan should ensure that employment land
supply is sufficient to support Cheshire East’s economic growth ambitions and that
housing growth is planned alongside employment growth.
5.53. The Local Plan should consider employment land not only through standalone
employment allocations, but also through mixed-use growth opportunities. Mixed-use
strategic sites can help create balanced communities, provide local jobs, reduce
commuting and support services.
5.54. Opportunities around Knutsford are particularly relevant to the relationship between
housing and employment growth. As a Key Service Centre with strong connections to the
strategic highway network, Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider
Cheshire and Warrington economy, Knutsford is capable of accommodating growth that
supports both housing and employment objectives. The Council should therefore assess
opportunities around the settlement not only in terms of housing delivery but also in
relation to their potential contribution towards employment growth, investment, labour
market accessibility and wider economic objectives.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.55. Opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate may also provide scope for the Council to
consider how housing growth, employment provision, infrastructure investment and
sustainable transport improvements can be planned in a coordinated manner. Whilst the
scale and form of any future development should be informed through the evidence
base, Economic Development Needs Assessment and Employment Land Review, these
opportunities should be assessed having regard to their potential contribution towards
Cheshire East's long-term economic competitiveness, job creation and wider economic
growth objectives.
Transport and Infrastructure
5.56. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that transport and infrastructure will be central to
the delivery of sustainable growth. The new Local Plan should integrate transport,
utilities, education, healthcare, digital infrastructure, green infrastructure and
community facilities with the spatial strategy and site allocation process.
5.57. Policy TR1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires sustainable transport considerations to be
addressed from the earliest stages of plan-making. It requires plans to locate
development where it can support sustainable patterns of movement and make effective
use of existing or proposed transport infrastructure.
5.58. TCE considers that transport accessibility should be a central factor in determining the
spatial strategy. The Council should consider public transport accessibility, rail
connectivity, active travel potential, access to services, relationship to strategic highway
corridors and the ability of development to support infrastructure improvements.
5.59. TCE’s landholdings around Knutsford and the wider Tabley Estate are well related to the
strategic highway network, including the M6 corridor, and to Knutsford’s role as a Key
Service Centre. The Plumley sites are particularly relevant because of their proximity to
Plumley railway station.
5.60. The Local Plan should therefore assess station-related growth opportunities in a positive
and evidence-led way. In particular, Plumley should be assessed not only by reference to
its current settlement classification, but also by reference to its rail connectivity and the
potential for planned growth to support sustainable travel patterns.
5.61. Infrastructure requirements should be viewed not only as constraints, but also as
opportunities. Larger strategic sites can help deliver new infrastructure, green
infrastructure, active travel routes and community facilities in a coordinated way. This is
particularly relevant to TCE’s larger scale land interests around Knutsford and within the
wider Tabley Estate, where the scale of development could support comprehensive
infrastructure planning.
Local Plan Evidence Base
5.62. TCE supports the preparation of a robust, proportionate and up-to-date evidence base.
This will be critical to ensuring that the Local Plan is justified, effective and capable of
meeting development needs.
5.63. TCE considers that the following evidence will be particularly important:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Grey Belt assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Economic Development Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan;
 Viability Assessment;
 Sustainability Appraisal;
 Heritage Assessment;
 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment;
 transport evidence; and
 Environmental and landscape evidence.
5.64. The Council should publish key methodologies and emerging findings at the earliest
appropriate stage to allow meaningful engagement. This is particularly important in
relation to the Green Belt Assessment, Grey Belt findings, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
Land Availability Assessment and Spatial Distribution Report.
5.65. The evidence base should be capable of assessing different site typologies consistently
and fairly. It should not apply a methodology that unintentionally favours only small sites,
only urban sites, or only previously developed land. Existing allocations, safeguarded
land, smaller and medium-sized sites, urban extensions and new settlement options
should all be assessed in a manner appropriate to their scale and potential contribution.
5.66. TCE requests that its landholdings across the Tabley Estate are assessed fully through
this process and that their potential contribution to housing, employment, infrastructure,
environmental enhancement and sustainable transport is considered on a consistent
basis with other promoted sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
6. Proposed Local Plan
Engagement Strategy
Engagement approach and methods
6.1. TCE supports continued engagement with landowners, site promoters, infrastructure
providers, communities and other stakeholders throughout the plan-making process.
Effective engagement will be essential to ensuring that the Local Plan is informed by
realistic evidence on site availability, deliverability, infrastructure requirements and
phasing.
6.2. For strategic sites, engagement should allow promoters to clarify technical evidence,
infrastructure assumptions, access arrangements, phasing, masterplanning principles
and delivery timescales. This will assist the Council in assessing sites accurately and
consistently.
6.3. This is particularly important for larger opportunities such as those within the wider
Tabley Estate, where careful consideration will be required in relation to infrastructure,
transport, landscape, ecology, heritage, phasing and long-term stewardship.
6.4. TCE would welcome continued engagement with Cheshire East Council as the new Local
Plan progresses, including discussions regarding the emerging evidence base, site
assessment methodology, Green Belt Assessment, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
infrastructure requirements and spatial strategy.
Plan programme and timeline
6.5. TCE supports the Council's proposed programme for Local Plan preparation. Given the
scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East and the Council's current housing land
supply position, it is important that the Local Plan continues to progress without
unnecessary delay.
6.6. Delays in plan preparation risk extending the period during which development decisions
are made in the absence of an up-to-date plan-led strategy. The Council should therefore
seek to maintain momentum, ensure that key evidence is prepared and made available
to stakeholders at an early stage, and continue engagement with stakeholders
throughout the process.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
7. Conclusion
7.1. TCE supports the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan for Cheshire East. The new Local Plan is being prepared in a materially changed
planning context, including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s
current housing land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging
Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy and the publication of the August
2026 NPPF during the consultation period.
7.2. TCE considers that the Local Plan should plan to meet the revised standard method
housing requirement as a minimum and should test whether a higher housing
requirement is justified having regard to economic growth, affordable housing need,
infrastructure investment and emerging sub-regional priorities.
7.3. The Local Plan should identify a sufficient supply and mix of deliverable and developable
sites, including brownfield sites, existing allocations, safeguarded land, smaller and
medium-sized sites, sustainable urban extensions, station-related growth and potential
new settlement opportunities. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council
should also adopt a positive interim approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals
on safeguarded land to support short-term housing delivery.
7.4. A review of the Green Belt will be a necessary and important part of the plan-making
process. The Green Belt Assessment should be robust, transparent and sufficiently
detailed to identify variations in Green Belt performance. It should also consider the
sustainability of locations and the ability of development to deliver infrastructure,
services and environmental benefits.
7.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate that opportunities exist across a range of locations and
planning contexts within Cheshire East. These include allocated and safeguarded land
around Knutsford, opportunities around Plumley and larger-scale opportunities within
the wider Tabley Estate. Taken together, these locations provide a range of alternatives
capable of being assessed through the emerging evidence base as the Council considers
how best to accommodate future housing, employment and infrastructure requirements
and establish a sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy. TCE therefore requests that
Cheshire East Council assesses its landholdings fully and positively through the
emerging evidence base, publishes key methodologies and findings early enough to
enable meaningful engagement, and continues direct dialogue with TCE as the Local
Plan progresses. This will help ensure that the Plan is ambitious, deliverable and capable
of meeting Cheshire East’s housing, employment, infrastructure and environmental
objectives over the full plan period.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
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The Crown Estate
Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan
Scoping Consultation 2026
September 2026The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Contents
1. Introduction 3
2. New Local Plan 5
3. Context for the new Local Plan 7
4. Baseline information and spatial portrait 12
5. Scope of the new Local Plan 14
6. Proposed Local Plan Engagement Strategy 23
7. Conclusion 24The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
1. Introduction
1.1. Deloitte LLP is instructed by The Crown Estate ("TCE") to submit representations to the
Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation (2026). TCE welcomes the opportunity to
engage at this early stage in the preparation of the new Cheshire East Local Plan. The
scoping consultation represents an important stage in establishing the matters that the
Local Plan should address, the evidence base required to support it, and the approach to
future engagement with stakeholders.
1.2. The new Local Plan will need to respond to a materially changed planning context,
including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s current housing
land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging Cheshire and
Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, and the publication of the August 2026
National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”) during the consultation period.
1.3. TCE welcomes the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan which meets identified housing and employment needs, supports sustainable
economic growth, and directs development to locations that are, or can be made,
sustainable through appropriate infrastructure provision, public transport accessibility,
active travel connections, environmental enhancement and long-term stewardship.
1.4. In summary, TCE considers that the new Local Plan should:
 meet identified housing and employment needs in full and test whether
additional growth is justified by economic, affordable housing or infrastructure
considerations;
 establish a clear and deliverable spatial strategy informed by a robust
assessment of reasonable alternatives;
 assess Green Belt, Grey Belt and safeguarded land through a transparent and
integrated methodology;
 give appropriate weight to well-connected locations, including Key Service
Centres and rail-connected settlements;
 identify a diverse portfolio of sites capable of contributing across different scales
and timescales; and
 integrate infrastructure, employment, sustainable transport and environmental
enhancement with decisions about the location of growth.
Background and Context
1.5. TCE is a long-term landowner within Cheshire East through its ownership of the Tabley
Estate, with landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley. Its interests include land
allocated for development within the adopted Local Plan, safeguarded land identified
through the adopted Local Plan process, and a wider portfolio of landholdings which
have been submitted through the Council’s recent Call for Sites process.
1.6. As a long-term landowner and steward of public assets, TCE is committed to working
positively with Cheshire East Council throughout preparation of the new Local Plan.
These representations seek to support the preparation of a robust and evidence-ledThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Local Plan and to ensure that a broad range of growth opportunities are appropriately
assessed through the emerging evidence base and site assessment process.
1.7. TCE’s land interests are relevant to the preparation of the emerging Local Plan in a
number of respects. These include:
 Land West of Manchester Road, Knutsford, which comprises land allocated for
residential and employment development within the adopted Local Plan (LPS 36).
A full planning application (ref. 26/1231/FUL) was submitted in March 2026 on
parcel B of the allocation, which is currently being determined. TCE remains
committed to delivering the remainder of the allocation in a timely fashion.
 Land North and South of Tabley Road, Knutsford, comprising safeguarded land
identified in adopted Local Plan policies LPS 39 and LPS 40 as land to meet
longer-term development needs.
 A wider portfolio of landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley, comprising
opportunities of differing scales and characteristics submitted through the
Council’s Call for Sites process. This includes land associated with the potential
future growth of Knutsford as a Key Service Centre, opportunities associated with
the rail-connected settlement of Plumley, and larger landholdings capable of
being considered as part of the Council's assessment of longer-term growth
options.
1.8. Collectively, these land interests comprise a diverse portfolio of opportunities of
different scales and locations within Cheshire East. The emerging Local Plan and
supporting evidence base should therefore assess these interests appropriately as part
of the Council’s consideration of future growth options and the preparation of a
sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy.
1.9. The range of options identified above is particularly relevant given the materially
increased housing requirement and the need for the Local Plan to identify a sufficient and
resilient supply of suitable, available and deliverable sites.
1.10. It is therefore critical that the new Local Plan is prepared positively, quickly and on the
basis of robust evidence. The plan must identify a sufficient supply of suitable, available
and deliverable sites to meet housing and employment needs in full, while providing a
clear framework for infrastructure, environmental enhancement and high-quality
placemaking.
1.11. These representations have been prepared having regard to the NPPF published in
August 2026, which applies to relevant plan-making from 17 August 2026. The Council
should therefore review the consultation responses, evidence base and next stages of
Plan preparation against the final Framework, particularly in relation to Green Belt, Grey
Belt, station-related development, strategic sites, housing delivery, economic growth
and national decision-making policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
2. New Local Plan
Matters addressed in the new Local Plan
2.1. TCE supports the broad range of matters identified by the Council for inclusion within the
new Local Plan. These appropriately cover housing, employment, transport,
infrastructure, climate change, environmental matters, design and placemaking, health
and wellbeing and sustainable economic growth.
2.2. However, TCE considers that the Local Plan should be framed first and foremost around
the need to respond positively to the significant increase in development requirements
now facing Cheshire East. The revised standard method housing need figure, changes to
national policy and the Council's current housing land supply position collectively
indicate that the new Local Plan will require the Council to reconsider the scale and
distribution of growth that informed the adopted Local Plan Strategy.
2.3. In this context, the Local Plan should prioritise the following matters, which will be
central to establishing a positive and deliverable growth strategy:
 meeting housing and employment needs in full;
 establishing a clear and deliverable spatial strategy;
 undertaking an evidence-led review of Green Belt and Grey Belt land where
necessary to meet identified needs;
 identifying a sufficient supply of deliverable and developable sites;
 planning infrastructure alongside growth;
 promoting sustainable transport and well-connected locations; and
 supporting long-term economic competitiveness.
2.4. TCE considers that these issues are intrinsically linked and should not be considered
through separate strategic policy workstreams. Housing, employment, infrastructure,
transport and environmental enhancement should instead form part of a single
integrated growth strategy.
Why prepare a new Local Plan
2.5. TCE strongly supports the preparation of a new Local Plan. The adopted Local Plan was
prepared within a materially different policy and housing context. The increased housing
requirement, national policy changes, the Council’s housing land supply position and the
emerging Cheshire and Warrington strategic context require a new and deliverable
spatial strategy.
2.6. An up-to-date Plan will provide the framework needed to coordinate housing,
employment, infrastructure and environmental improvements. Without it, there is a
greater risk that development will be determined through individual applications and
appeals rather than through a planned spatial strategy.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Developing the new Local Plan
2.7. TCE supports the Council's intention to progress the Local Plan in accordance with the
new plan-making system.
2.8. The emerging Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy (‘SDS’) will form an
important part of the wider strategic planning context, including in relation to broad
growth locations, infrastructure and economic priorities. The Cheshire East Local Plan
should continue without delay while retaining sufficient flexibility to respond to relevant
strategic priorities as the SDS emerges. The NPPF and PPG emphasise the importance of
effective cooperation on strategic planning matters. Given the Combined Authority's role
in coordinating growth, infrastructure and transport priorities across the city region, the
Council should continue to engage closely with the Combined Authority throughout plan
preparation to ensure alignment with wider strategic objectives.
2.9. The Council should ensure that decisions regarding the spatial strategy are informed by a
robust and proportionate evidence base. In particular, the following studies will have a
critical role in shaping future growth options:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan; and
 Viability Assessment.
2.10. TCE considers it important that these documents are prepared and published sufficiently
early to enable meaningful engagement before key strategic decisions become fixed.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3. Context for the new Local
Plan
Increase in housing requirements
3.1. The materially increased housing requirement represents a fundamental change in the
planning context for the new Local Plan. It will require the Council to reconsider the
distribution of growth, the role of different settlements, realistic brownfield capacity, the
need for Green Belt release, and safeguarded land, settlement extensions and strategicscale opportunities.
3.2. Policies HO1 and HO2 of the August 2026 NPPF require the Plan to establish a housing
requirement based on local housing need as a minimum and to consider a higher figure
where justified as necessary to reflect economic growth and infrastructure investment.
TCE considers that the Plan should meet the revised standard method figure as a
minimum and test whether a higher requirement is justified by economic growth,
infrastructure investment, affordable housing need and emerging Cheshire and
Warrington SDS priorities.
3.3. The Council’s current five-year housing land supply position reinforces the need for a
positive and deliverable plan-led strategy. Cheshire East Council’s latest published
Housing Monitoring Update (March 2025) concludes that the Council has 3.3 years’
supply of deliverable housing sites against the required five years. In the absence of a
demonstrable five-year supply, housing delivery is increasingly influenced by
applications and appeals rather than a coordinated spatial strategy. Strong recent
delivery identified through the Housing Delivery Test (August 2026) is welcomed, but it is
not a substitute for a positively prepared Local Plan capable of maintaining housing
delivery through the plan period.
3.4. This shortfall demonstrates that the Local Plan must identify a larger and more resilient
portfolio of deliverable and developable sites. It should not rely on any single source of
supply or any single settlement tier. Instead, it should identify strategic allocations,
urban extensions, station-related opportunities, and smaller and medium-sized sites
capable of supporting delivery across the plan period, whilst also helping to maintain and
enhance the vitality of settlements across the Borough by supporting local services,
facilities, infrastructure and sustainable communities.
3.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate the breadth of opportunities that may be available to
support this approach and should be assessed through the emerging evidence base
alongside other reasonable alternatives.
Changes to Green Belt policy
3.6. TCE supports the Council’s intention to undertake a borough-wide Green Belt
Assessment as part of the Local Plan evidence base. This will be a critical component of
the emerging Plan given the significant extent of Green Belt within Cheshire East and the
scale of development now required.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3.7. The Green Belt is an important planning designation and its purposes should be properly
assessed. However, it should not be treated as a fixed constraint that prevents
consideration of sustainable growth options where development needs cannot otherwise
be met. The August 2026 NPPF provides a clear framework for Green Belt review through
plan-making where exceptional circumstances are evidenced and justified.
3.8. Policy GB3 of the NPPF confirms that exceptional circumstances include situations
where a local planning authority is unable to meet its identified need for homes,
commercial or other development in full, having examined all other reasonable options.
That position is directly relevant to Cheshire East, given the significant increase in
housing need and the Council’s current housing land supply position.
3.9. Policy GB4 requires Green Belt boundary alterations to promote sustainable patterns of
development, giving priority to previously developed land in sustainable locations, then
Grey Belt land in sustainable locations, and then other Green Belt locations where this
would promote a sustainable pattern of development overall. The assessment should
therefore consider not only the Green Belt function of land, but also the sustainability of
the location and the ability of development to support infrastructure, services and
sustainable movement patterns.
3.10. TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be sufficiently detailed to identify
variations in how land performs against Green Belt purposes. Broad-brush assessment
parcels risk obscuring opportunities where land performs a limited Green Belt function,
where defensible boundaries exist, or where development could be planned
comprehensively without undermining the wider function of the Green Belt.
3.11. The assessment should pay particular attention to opportunities around Knutsford. As a
Key Service Centre with a strong range of services, facilities, employment opportunities
and transport connections, the settlement is capable of accommodating growth. The
Green Belt Assessment should therefore consider the extent to which opportunities
around the settlement could contribute towards the Borough’s development
requirements.
3.12. Plumley should be assessed positively in light of its railway station. Its role should not be
judged solely by population size or current settlement classification, but also by its
public transport accessibility and its potential to support sustainable travel, local
services and proportionate housing growth. Opportunities around Plumley should
therefore be assessed through the Settlement Hierarchy Review and Spatial Distribution
Strategy, having regard to their ability to support sustainable travel patterns, local
services and proportionate growth.
3.13. The safeguarded land north and south of Tabley Road (LPS 39 and LPS 40) is an example
of land that has already been identified through the adopted Local Plan as land which
may be required to meet longer-term development needs, and which remains available
to be considered as part of the emerging Local Plan. In the context of the revised housing
requirement and the lack of a five-year housing land supply, the Council should consider
a more general, positive approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals on
safeguarded land in advance of and separate from the completion of the Local Plan
process.
3.14. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council should consider preparing an
interim housing position statement setting out a positive and transparent approach to the
determination of housing proposals on safeguarded land. Such an approach would not
alter the formal designation of the land, which would remain a matter for the Local PlanThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
review, nor displace the statutory priority afforded to the development plan. It would,
however, recognise that policies restricting housing development on safeguarded land
should be applied in light of the Council’s current housing land supply position, the
materially increased housing requirement and the presumption in favour of sustainable
development.
3.15. The approach adopted by Kirklees Council provides a relevant precedent. Its Interim
Housing Position Statement retains the adopted safeguarded-land designation but
recognises that, in the absence of a five-year housing land supply, safeguarded sites may
provide opportunities for early housing development where constraints can be
overcome. Cheshire East should adopt a similarly positive approach, giving substantial
weight to sustainable and deliverable proposals on safeguarded land, particularly where
sites are well related to existing settlements, can be supported by appropriate
infrastructure and are capable of contributing to housing supply within the short term.
Such an approach would provide an appropriate framework for the early consideration of
the safeguarded land relating to LPS 39 and LPS 40, both of which are well related to
Knutsford and capable of contributing to housing delivery in the short term.
3.16. TCE supports a robust Green Belt and Grey Belt assessment but considers that it must
be applied in a manner that enables genuinely sustainable and deliverable sites to be
considered through the plan-making process. Given the central role that Green Belt and
Grey Belt considerations are likely to play in accommodating Cheshire East's future
development needs, TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be treated as
a priority evidence base document and prepared sufficiently early to inform key decisions
regarding the spatial strategy and distribution of growth. This will be essential if the Local
Plan is to meet development needs in full while promoting a sustainable spatial strategy.
Brownfield Development
3.17. TCE supports the effective use of previously developed land where such land is suitable,
available and deliverable. A brownfield-first approach is appropriate and consistent with
national policy.
3.18. However, the scale of housing and employment growth now facing Cheshire East means
that brownfield land alone will not provide a sufficient solution. The Council's own
monitoring evidence demonstrates that a substantial proportion of development has
historically been delivered on greenfield sites, with previously developed land accounting
for only around one-third of housing completions in recent monitoring years. Brownfield
sites can also face constraints relating to ownership, viability, contamination,
infrastructure, market demand and delivery timescales. The Local Plan should therefore
avoid placing undue reliance on brownfield capacity where there is no clear evidence
that it can meet the Borough’s needs in full.
3.19. The Council’s own scoping material identifies that the new Local Plan may need to
consider a range of options, including densification, further development within existing
settlements, edge-of-settlement growth, large-scale urban extensions and new
settlements. TCE supports that broad approach.
3.20. The Local Plan should therefore maximise brownfield opportunities while also identifying
sustainable greenfield and Green Belt locations where these are necessary to meet
housing and employment needs. TCE’s landholdings across the Tabley Estate provide
examples of greenfield and Green Belt opportunities that could deliver new homes,
employment land, infrastructure, open space and environmental benefits in sustainable
locations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Economic Growth
3.21. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that Cheshire East has an important economic
role and that the new Local Plan must plan positively for employment growth, investment
and long-term competitiveness. The emerging Plan should ensure that housing,
employment and infrastructure are planned in a coordinated manner so that growth is
capable of supporting sustainable economic outcomes across the Borough.
3.22. Policy E1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to establish a clear
economic vision and strategy, support business investment, and allocate sites to meet
anticipated employment needs over the plan period. The policy recognises the
importance of providing flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances and
supporting a diverse range of sectors and business activities.
3.23. Housing and employment growth should not be considered separately. A sustainable
spatial strategy should seek to align new homes with employment opportunities,
services, infrastructure and sustainable transport. This will help reduce commuting
distances, support inclusive economic growth and ensure that housing delivery supports
the labour force required by the local economy.
3.24. Given Knutsford's role as a Key Service Centre and its proximity to strategic transport
infrastructure, opportunities around the settlement should be assessed not only in terms
of housing delivery but also in terms of their ability to support employment growth,
investment and wider economic objectives across Cheshire East and the sub-region.
Knutsford benefits from strong connectivity to the strategic highway network,
Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider Cheshire and Warrington
economy. The Council's assessment of growth options around the settlement should
therefore take account of their potential contribution to both housing and employment
needs.
3.25. TCE’s land interests associated with the wider Tabley Estate also provide an opportunity
for the Council to consider how larger-scale growth options could contribute towards
economic objectives over the longer term. In addition to supporting housing delivery,
such opportunities may have the potential to support employment provision,
infrastructure investment, sustainable transport improvements and enhanced
connectivity between homes, jobs and services. The precise scale and form of any such
contribution should be determined through the evidence base and site assessment
process.
3.26. Opportunities around Knutsford, together with other opportunities within the wider
Tabley Estate, should therefore be assessed through the Economic Development Needs
Assessment, Employment Land Review and Spatial Distribution Strategy. This
assessment should consider not only their ability to contribute towards housing delivery,
but also their potential role in supporting labour market accessibility, business growth,
infrastructure investment and wider economic competitiveness.
3.27. More generally, the Local Plan should assess a broad range of growth options and
determine the most appropriate scale and distribution of development having regard to
housing need, employment requirements, infrastructure capacity, sustainability
considerations and long-term economic objectives. The Plan should provide sufficient
flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances whilst ensuring that future
growth contributes positively to Cheshire East's economic success and competitiveness.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Spatial Development Strategy
3.28. TCE notes that Cheshire East is now part of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined
Authority area and that a Spatial Development Strategy will be prepared for Cheshire and
Warrington. TCE supports strategic planning at the sub-regional level, particularly where
it helps align housing, employment, infrastructure, transport and environmental priorities
across administrative boundaries.
3.29. However, preparation of the Cheshire East Local Plan should not be delayed pending the
Spatial Development Strategy. The Local Plan should continue to progress, identify
sufficient land to meet development needs and establish an appropriate spatial strategy,
while retaining flexibility to respond to any relevant strategic priorities that emerge
through the SDS process.
3.30. Policy PM1 of the August 2026 NPPF confirms that Spatial Development Strategies
should identify broad locations for growth and regeneration, including new settlements,
major urban extensions and major cross-boundary development where appropriate. TCE
supports this approach, recognising that large-scale strategic development requires
coordinated planning across administrative boundaries, particularly in relation to
transport, utilities and wider infrastructure capacity and delivery. The Cheshire East
Local Plan should therefore align with any broad growth locations identified through the
forthcoming Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, while retaining
sufficient flexibility to respond to the SDS as it emerges. This alignment will be important
to ensure that strategic sites are planned comprehensively and supported by the
infrastructure necessary for their delivery.
3.31. Opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are of sufficient scale
to warrant assessment through the Local Plan process and, where relevant, the emerging
spatial development strategy. Their potential role should be informed through the
Council's evidence base and considered alongside other reasonable alternatives in
establishing the most appropriate spatial strategy.
National Decision-Making Policies
3.32. TCE supports the Council's recognition that the introduction of National Decision-Making
Policies provides an opportunity for local plans to focus on genuinely local matters.
3.33. The Local Plan should avoid unnecessary duplication of national policy and instead
focus on the issues that are specific to Cheshire East, including the spatial strategy, site
allocations, settlement hierarchy, Green Belt review, affordable housing requirements
and infrastructure planning.
3.34. However, this should not result in an overly narrow plan. The Local Plan remains the
primary mechanism through which Cheshire East will determine how and where future
growth is accommodated and therefore should provide a strategic vision that aligns with
national and regional policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
4. Baseline information and
spatial portrait
Connectivity
4.1. TCE supports the Council's recognition of Cheshire East's strong connectivity and
strategic location. The Borough benefits from excellent connections to regional and
national transport networks, including the M6 and M56 motorways, Manchester Airport
and an extensive rail network.
4.2. Connectivity should form a central part of the future spatial strategy. The Local Plan
should direct growth towards locations which are well connected by public transport or
which have the ability to support improvements to sustainable transport infrastructure.
4.3. The August 2026 NPPF places increased emphasis on locating development where it can
make effective use of existing and proposed transport infrastructure, including through
its support for residential and mixed-use development within reasonable walking
distance of qualifying well-connected railway stations. In this regard, opportunities
around Knutsford, including land associated with the Tabley Estate, should be assessed
in the context of the settlement's role as a Key Service Centre, its relationship with the
strategic highway network and its accessibility to employment and services. Future
growth in this part of the Borough has the potential to support sustainable travel patterns
and infrastructure investment where planned comprehensively.
4.4. Opportunities around Plumley are also relevant in this context. As a rail-connected
settlement, Plumley provides a distinctive opportunity to consider how proportionate
growth can support sustainable travel patterns, reinforce the role of the railway station
and contribute to the long-term vitality of local services and facilities.
4.5. Larger-scale opportunities within TCE's land portfolio may provide scope for transport
and infrastructure requirements to be considered comprehensively alongside
development. The Council should assess not only current accessibility but also the
extent to which growth may support improvements to transport, active travel,
infrastructure and service provision.
Economic contribution
4.6. Cheshire East plays a significant role within the wider North West economy and benefits
from a diverse economic base, strong transport connections and a number of nationally
and regionally important employment centres. The Borough's economic success has
historically been supported by its ability to attract and retain a skilled workforce, provide
a high-quality environment for investment and deliver a range of housing opportunities
across its settlements.
4.7. TCE supports the Council's recognition that economic growth should remain a central
component of the emerging Local Plan. The Local Plan should not treat housing delivery
and economic development as separate policy objectives. Instead, it should recognise
that the two are fundamentally linked and that a sufficient supply of homes is essential toThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
support labour market growth, improve affordability and maintain the competitiveness of
the Borough's economy.
4.8. The emerging evidence base should therefore consider how housing need, employment
growth and infrastructure provision interact. This is particularly important given the
significant increase in housing requirements and the potential implications this may have
for labour supply, commuting patterns and business investment. The Local Plan should
ensure that growth is distributed in a manner that supports both existing employment
centres and future economic opportunities.
4.9. TCE considers that strategic and mixed-use development opportunities can play an
important role in delivering this objective. Larger sites are often capable of supporting
housing, employment, community infrastructure and sustainable transport
improvements through a coordinated and masterplanned approach. Such opportunities
can help create balanced communities, reduce the need to travel and provide greater
certainty regarding infrastructure delivery.
4.10. The Local Plan should therefore positively assess a range of growth options capable of
supporting both housing and economic objectives. This should include consideration of
strategic urban extensions, mixed-use sites and potential longer-term growth
opportunities where these can contribute towards the Borough's economic resilience,
competitiveness and productivity.
4.11. Overall, the Local Plan should seek to establish a clear relationship between housing
growth, employment growth and infrastructure investment, ensuring that future
development supports Cheshire East's role as a sustainable and economically
successful location within the wider region.
4.12. Strategic growth opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are
particularly relevant because they can integrate homes, employment land, transport
improvements, digital infrastructure, utilities and sustainable travel connections through
comprehensive masterplanning. Their relationship with the M6 corridor, Knutsford
railway station and the Mid-Cheshire rail corridor should be assessed as part of the
evidence base, particularly where this could support labour market accessibility,
business connectivity and investment in high-value sectors.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5. Scope of the new Local
Plan
Local Plan Period
5.1. TCE supports the proposed plan period to 2045. However, the Local Plan should also
consider longer-term growth requirements beyond the end of the plan period, particularly
where strategic urban extensions or new settlement opportunities are being assessed.
Larger sites may require delivery across multiple phases and potentially beyond a single
plan period. This should not prevent such opportunities from being considered through
the plan-making process, although their delivery may extend beyond a single plan period.
Vision and Objectives
5.2. TCE supports the preparation of a clear, locally distinctive and deliverable vision for
Cheshire East. The vision should respond directly to the changed planning context,
including the higher housing requirement, current housing land supply shortfall,
economic growth ambitions, the need for Green Belt review and the publication of the
August 2026 NPPF.
5.3. The vision should not simply seek to manage growth. It should explain how Cheshire East
will accommodate growth positively and sustainably, while delivering homes,
employment, infrastructure, environmental enhancement and healthy communities.
5.4. TCE considers that the vision and objectives should include the following priorities:
 meeting housing need in full, as a minimum;
 testing whether a higher housing requirement is justified by economic growth,
affordable housing need or infrastructure investment;
 supporting sustainable economic growth and employment delivery;
 ensuring a sufficient supply of affordable homes and a broad housing mix;
 reviewing Green Belt boundaries where necessary to meet needs;
 testing strategic urban extensions and new settlement options;
 supporting growth at sustainable settlements and rail-connected locations;
 integrating infrastructure planning with site allocation decisions;
 delivering multifunctional green infrastructure, biodiversity net gain and climate
resilience; and
 maintaining a deliverable supply of sites throughout the plan period.
Identifying and assessing sites
5.5. TCE supports the Council’s intention to prepare a robust and evidence-led assessment
of potential development sites. The assessment process will be critical to ensuring thatThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
the Local Plan identifies a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet the Borough’s
development needs.
5.6. Policy PM9 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to be informed by an
assessment of land available to meet development needs, including consideration of
availability, suitability, achievability, likely viability, site capacity and delivery timescales.
5.7. TCE considers that the site assessment methodology should be transparent,
proportionate and capable of assessing different categories of site. It should not be
designed in a way that favours only one type or scale of development. Smaller sites,
safeguarded land, settlement-edge opportunities, strategic urban extensions and new
settlements will all need to be assessed through an appropriate methodology.
5.8. The assessment process should give appropriate weight to:
 land ownership and availability;
 deliverability and likely delivery timescales;
 ability to contribute to five-year housing land supply;
 relationship to existing settlements and services;
 relationship to railway stations and strategic transport corridors;
 potential to deliver housing, employment and community facilities together;
 ability to support affordable housing and housing choice;
 infrastructure requirements and opportunities;
 ability to deliver green infrastructure and biodiversity net gain;
 Green Belt performance, where relevant;
 landscape, heritage, ecology and flood risk considerations; and
 long-term flexibility and phasing.
5.9. The assessment should avoid applying overly restrictive criteria at an early stage. In
particular, strategic sites and new settlement options should not be discounted simply
because they require comprehensive masterplanning or longer delivery periods. Such
sites may be important to maintaining supply over the middle and later parts of the plan
period and may provide opportunities to deliver infrastructure and environmental
benefits at scale.
5.10. TCE’s landholdings are relevant to this assessment because they include sites capable
of contributing across a range of timescales. The allocated land West of Manchester
Road, the safeguarded land at Tabley Road and smaller sites around Knutsford and
Plumley could contribute early in the plan period. Larger scale opportunities within the
wider Tabley Estate provide longer-term strategic options capable of supporting
comprehensive infrastructure-led growth.
5.11. TCE therefore requests that the Council’s site assessment methodology expressly
recognises the different roles that sites can play across the plan period, including early
delivery, settlement-edge growth, rail-connected growth, and strategic urban extensions
and new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Green Belt
5.12. TCE notes the approach set out at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 of the scoping consultation
for determining whether Green Belt boundary changes are required. This exercise should
be integrated with, rather than undertaken separately from, the assessment of sites,
settlement hierarchy and spatial distribution. The Council’s own consultation identifies
site selection, Green Belt, settlement hierarchy and spatial strategy as interrelated
considerations in planning for growth.
5.13. TCE supports the assessment of future development needs and the effective use of
suitable brownfield and underused land. However, the sequential considerations listed
at paragraph 5.17 should not operate as a series of rigid filters through which otherwise
sustainable Green Belt sites are excluded before their comparative merits have been
assessed. In particular, the existence of theoretical capacity outside the Green Belt
should not be treated as sufficient unless that capacity is demonstrated to be suitable,
available, deliverable and capable of supporting a sustainable spatial strategy.
5.14. All reasonable growth options should therefore be assessed through a consistent and
transparent framework. For Green Belt sites, this should bring together:
 the contribution of the land to Green Belt purposes, including whether it
comprises Grey Belt;
 the site’s relationship with the settlement hierarchy and existing settlement form;
 accessibility to services, employment and public transport, including railway
stations;
 infrastructure capacity and the opportunity for development to deliver
improvements;
 availability, deliverability, viability, capacity and likely phasing;
 environmental, landscape, heritage and flood-risk considerations; and
 the ability to deliver housing, employment, community facilities, green
infrastructure and wider public benefits comprehensively.
5.15. This would align the Green Belt exercise with the wider spatial-distribution factors
identified by the Council, which include housing and employment needs, infrastructure,
services, environmental constraints, Green Belt, brownfield availability, site availability,
market attractiveness and viability.
5.16. TCE considers that “considering sites outside the Green Belt first” should mean that
reasonable non-Green Belt alternatives are properly examined; it should not establish an
automatic preference for a less sustainable or less deliverable location solely because it
lies outside the Green Belt. Comparative assessment should consider whether each
option would promote a sustainable pattern of development and contribute effectively to
meeting identified needs.
5.17. Similarly, optimising density and maximising brownfield capacity are important
components of the strategy, but the Council should test whether the resulting capacity is
realistic and deliverable over the plan period. These measures should not be relied upon
to defer the assessment of Green Belt opportunities where additional land may be
required to meet development needs in full and maintain a sufficient and resilient supply
of sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.18. Where exceptional circumstances are identified, decisions on potential Green Belt
release should be made through the wider spatial strategy and site-selection process.
Appropriate weight should be given to opportunities that are well related to existing
settlements or well-connected railway stations, as well as strategic sites capable of
delivering infrastructure, employment provision, sustainable transport, community
facilities and environmental improvements through comprehensive masterplanning. The
Council expressly anticipates testing a range of options, including edge-of-settlement
growth, large-scale urban extensions and new settlements; Green Belt location or site
scale should not prevent those options from being assessed on a comparable basis.
5.19. The land availability methodology should explain clearly how Green Belt considerations
will interact with the initial site sift, scoring and subsequent allocation stages. Sites
should not be filtered out solely because of their existing Green Belt designation before
the Green Belt assessment, settlement hierarchy review, spatial distribution work and
sustainability assessment have been considered together. The Council proposes to
publish its methodology and initial site assessments at the subsequent plan content and
evidence consultation; these should provide a clear audit trail showing how the factors
above have informed each assessment.
5.20. Applied in this way, the approach at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 would enable the Local
Plan to identify the most sustainable and deliverable combination of sites while
protecting Green Belt land that makes the strongest contribution to its purposes. It would
also ensure that smaller releases, safeguarded land, settlement extensions and
strategic-scale opportunities are assessed fairly and through a methodology appropriate
to their scale and potential contribution.
5.21. TCE requests that the Council clearly sets out how the findings of the Green Belt
assessment have informed the assessment of reasonable alternatives and site selection
process, alongside sustainability, deliverability and infrastructure considerations.
5.22. Pending the completion of that process, the Council should also consider an interim
housing position statement establishing a positive and transparent approach to
sustainable and deliverable housing proposals on safeguarded land, as set out earlier in
these representations.
Strategic green gap
5.23. TCE supports the Council's intention to review the Strategic Green Gap designation and
its role within the emerging Local Plan.
5.24. Strategic Green Gaps can play an important role in maintaining the separation and
identity of settlements. However, the review should be evidence based and should
recognise that not all land within a designated gap performs the same function.
5.25. The assessment should identify those locations that make the greatest contribution to
maintaining separation whilst recognising that the scale of development needs now
facing Cheshire East may require a balanced assessment between protecting settlement
identity and accommodating sustainable growth.
5.26. The Strategic Green Gap should therefore not operate as an absolute constraint on
development. Instead, it should form part of a wider planning balance which takes
account of housing need, sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure provision and
landscape considerations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Settlement Hierarchy
5.27. TCE supports the Council’s intention to review the settlement hierarchy as part of the
preparation of the new Local Plan. Given the scale of housing need now facing Cheshire
East, the settlement hierarchy will play a significant role in shaping the distribution of
development and identifying sustainable locations for growth.
5.28. The hierarchy should be informed by an up-to-date assessment of the role and function
of settlements. It should consider access to services and facilities, employment
opportunities, public transport, active travel, strategic infrastructure, settlement form,
market demand, recent growth, infrastructure capacity and the potential for
development to support improvements.
5.29. TCE supports Knutsford continuing to be identified as a Key Service Centre. Knutsford
has a strong range of services, facilities and employment opportunities, and benefits
from a strategically accessible location. It should therefore be considered as a
settlement capable of accommodating a meaningful proportion of future growth.
5.30. The previous Local Plan directed approximately 950 dwellings to Knutsford, which was
lower than the level of growth directed to several other Key Service Centres. In light of the
increased housing requirement and the scale of available land around the settlement,
the new Local Plan should consider whether Knutsford should accommodate a greater
level of growth over the new plan period.
5.31. TCE’s land interests around Knutsford provide a practical basis for assessing this issue.
Land West of Manchester Road is already allocated for mixed-use development. Land
North and South of Tabley Road comprises safeguarded land capable of forming a logical
next phase of growth. Given the Council's current housing land supply position and
increased housing requirement, these sites should be considered not only through the
Local Plan review but also through any interim approach adopted in respect of
safeguarded land proposals. Larger scale opportunities around Knutsford could deliver
homes, employment, services, open space and infrastructure in a comprehensive
manner.
5.32. TCE also considers that the role of Plumley should be reviewed carefully. Plumley
benefits from a railway station and should not be assessed in the same way as more
remote rural settlements with no rail connectivity. The August 2026 NPPF includes
support for development associated with well-connected stations, subject to relevant
criteria.
5.33. The Settlement Hierarchy Review should therefore give appropriate weight to public
transport accessibility and the potential for station-related growth. TCE’s land interests
around Plumley provide examples of opportunities that could contribute to proportionate
growth at a rail-connected settlement.
Spatial Distribution
5.34. TCE considers that the spatial distribution of development is one of the most important
matters for the new Local Plan. The scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East
means that the Council will need to test a broad range of options and should avoid an
overly narrow approach to growth.
5.35. TCE supports a balanced spatial strategy which draws on a variety of site types and
locations. This should include urban regeneration, brownfield land, existing allocations,
safeguarded land, sustainable urban extensions, station-related development, smaller
and medium-sized sites, and potential new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.36. Policies HO3 and HO4 of the August 2026 NPPF support this approach. Policy HO3
requires local plans to identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet or exceed the
housing requirement over the plan period. Policy HO4 recognises the role of strategic
sites, including new settlements and significant extensions to existing settlements,
where they can be supported by infrastructure and can create sustainable communities.
5.37. In TCE’s view, the Local Plan should avoid excessive reliance on either dispersed smallscale development or a limited number of large strategic allocations. A resilient strategy
will require both. Smaller and medium-sized sites can support early delivery and housing
diversity, while larger sites can deliver infrastructure, employment land, community
facilities, green infrastructure and long-term supply.
5.38. TCE’s landholdings illustrate this balanced approach. The allocated land West of
Manchester Road and safeguarded land North and South of Tabley Road could
contribute to earlier delivery at Knutsford, including through any positive interim
approach to safeguarded land in advance of the new Local Plan. Larger scale
opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate could provide longerterm growth options. The Plumley sites could support proportionate growth associated
with a rail-connected settlement.
5.39. The new Local Plan should assess these opportunities as part of a comparative
assessment of reasonable alternatives. This should include consideration of
sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure, Green Belt performance, access to services,
transport connectivity, environmental effects and the ability to deliver wider public
benefits.
Development in the Settlements and the Countryside
5.40. TCE supports the continued use of settlement boundaries as a tool for managing
development. However, settlement boundaries should not become inflexible constraints
that prevent otherwise sustainable opportunities from being properly assessed.
Settlement boundaries should be reviewed alongside the Settlement Hierarchy Review
and Spatial Distribution Report to ensure they reflect the strategy of the new Local Plan.
5.41. The Local Plan should also recognise an important distinction between isolated
countryside locations and sites which are physically related to existing settlements,
strategic transport infrastructure or railway stations.
5.42. Locations which are well connected and relate closely to existing settlements may be
capable of accommodating growth in a way that supports sustainable travel patterns and
strengthens existing communities.
5.43. This will be particularly important in considering the role of rail-connected settlements
and opportunities associated with strategic growth locations around Knutsford and
Plumley.
5.44. TCE supports a positive approach to development associated with sustainable rural
settlements, particularly where such settlements benefit from public transport
connectivity. Plumley represents an example of a settlement capable of accommodating
carefully planned growth due to its railway station and strategic accessibility.
Housing
5.45. TCE supports the Council’s intention to address housing need, affordable housing,
housing mix, older persons housing, specialist accommodation, self-build and custombuild housing, and housing diversification through the new Local Plan.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.46. The Housing Needs Assessment should inform the quantity, type, size and tenure of
housing required across Cheshire East. However, housing policies should be prepared
alongside the spatial strategy, viability evidence and infrastructure planning. Policy
requirements must be ambitious but deliverable.
5.47. Policy PM12 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to set out the
contributions expected from development, including affordable housing and
infrastructure, at a level that allows the planned types of development and sites to be
deliverable. Policy PM13 also requires quantitative standards to be justified,
proportionate and not to have an adverse impact on viability and deliverability.
5.48. TCE supports the objective of increasing affordable housing delivery. However,
affordable housing requirements, including any requirements associated with Green Belt
release, should be tested through robust viability evidence. This will be particularly
important where sites are expected to deliver affordable housing, infrastructure, open
space, biodiversity net gain, sustainable drainage, transport improvements and other
policy requirements.
5.49. TCE’s landholdings offer the potential to deliver a range of housing types and tenures.
Smaller sites at Plumley and Knutsford could contribute to housing choice and earlier
delivery. Larger strategic opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate around Knutsford
could support mixed communities with affordable housing, older persons housing,
specialist accommodation and a range of market housing types where justified by
evidence.
5.50. The August 2026 NPPF also places emphasis on small and medium-sized sites. Policy
HO6 requires local plans to allocate land to accommodate at least 10% of the housing
requirement on sites no larger than one hectare and a further 10% on sites between 1
and 2.5 hectares, unless there are strong reasons why this cannot be achieved.
5.51. The smaller TCE sites at Plumley and around Knutsford should be assessed in this
context. They may provide opportunities to diversify supply, support early delivery, assist
small and medium-sized builders, and contribute to the vitality of smaller settlements.
Employment and Economy
5.52. TCE supports the preparation of updated evidence on economic development needs and
employment land requirements. The Local Plan should ensure that employment land
supply is sufficient to support Cheshire East’s economic growth ambitions and that
housing growth is planned alongside employment growth.
5.53. The Local Plan should consider employment land not only through standalone
employment allocations, but also through mixed-use growth opportunities. Mixed-use
strategic sites can help create balanced communities, provide local jobs, reduce
commuting and support services.
5.54. Opportunities around Knutsford are particularly relevant to the relationship between
housing and employment growth. As a Key Service Centre with strong connections to the
strategic highway network, Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider
Cheshire and Warrington economy, Knutsford is capable of accommodating growth that
supports both housing and employment objectives. The Council should therefore assess
opportunities around the settlement not only in terms of housing delivery but also in
relation to their potential contribution towards employment growth, investment, labour
market accessibility and wider economic objectives.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.55. Opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate may also provide scope for the Council to
consider how housing growth, employment provision, infrastructure investment and
sustainable transport improvements can be planned in a coordinated manner. Whilst the
scale and form of any future development should be informed through the evidence
base, Economic Development Needs Assessment and Employment Land Review, these
opportunities should be assessed having regard to their potential contribution towards
Cheshire East's long-term economic competitiveness, job creation and wider economic
growth objectives.
Transport and Infrastructure
5.56. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that transport and infrastructure will be central to
the delivery of sustainable growth. The new Local Plan should integrate transport,
utilities, education, healthcare, digital infrastructure, green infrastructure and
community facilities with the spatial strategy and site allocation process.
5.57. Policy TR1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires sustainable transport considerations to be
addressed from the earliest stages of plan-making. It requires plans to locate
development where it can support sustainable patterns of movement and make effective
use of existing or proposed transport infrastructure.
5.58. TCE considers that transport accessibility should be a central factor in determining the
spatial strategy. The Council should consider public transport accessibility, rail
connectivity, active travel potential, access to services, relationship to strategic highway
corridors and the ability of development to support infrastructure improvements.
5.59. TCE’s landholdings around Knutsford and the wider Tabley Estate are well related to the
strategic highway network, including the M6 corridor, and to Knutsford’s role as a Key
Service Centre. The Plumley sites are particularly relevant because of their proximity to
Plumley railway station.
5.60. The Local Plan should therefore assess station-related growth opportunities in a positive
and evidence-led way. In particular, Plumley should be assessed not only by reference to
its current settlement classification, but also by reference to its rail connectivity and the
potential for planned growth to support sustainable travel patterns.
5.61. Infrastructure requirements should be viewed not only as constraints, but also as
opportunities. Larger strategic sites can help deliver new infrastructure, green
infrastructure, active travel routes and community facilities in a coordinated way. This is
particularly relevant to TCE’s larger scale land interests around Knutsford and within the
wider Tabley Estate, where the scale of development could support comprehensive
infrastructure planning.
Local Plan Evidence Base
5.62. TCE supports the preparation of a robust, proportionate and up-to-date evidence base.
This will be critical to ensuring that the Local Plan is justified, effective and capable of
meeting development needs.
5.63. TCE considers that the following evidence will be particularly important:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Grey Belt assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Economic Development Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan;
 Viability Assessment;
 Sustainability Appraisal;
 Heritage Assessment;
 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment;
 transport evidence; and
 Environmental and landscape evidence.
5.64. The Council should publish key methodologies and emerging findings at the earliest
appropriate stage to allow meaningful engagement. This is particularly important in
relation to the Green Belt Assessment, Grey Belt findings, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
Land Availability Assessment and Spatial Distribution Report.
5.65. The evidence base should be capable of assessing different site typologies consistently
and fairly. It should not apply a methodology that unintentionally favours only small sites,
only urban sites, or only previously developed land. Existing allocations, safeguarded
land, smaller and medium-sized sites, urban extensions and new settlement options
should all be assessed in a manner appropriate to their scale and potential contribution.
5.66. TCE requests that its landholdings across the Tabley Estate are assessed fully through
this process and that their potential contribution to housing, employment, infrastructure,
environmental enhancement and sustainable transport is considered on a consistent
basis with other promoted sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
6. Proposed Local Plan
Engagement Strategy
Engagement approach and methods
6.1. TCE supports continued engagement with landowners, site promoters, infrastructure
providers, communities and other stakeholders throughout the plan-making process.
Effective engagement will be essential to ensuring that the Local Plan is informed by
realistic evidence on site availability, deliverability, infrastructure requirements and
phasing.
6.2. For strategic sites, engagement should allow promoters to clarify technical evidence,
infrastructure assumptions, access arrangements, phasing, masterplanning principles
and delivery timescales. This will assist the Council in assessing sites accurately and
consistently.
6.3. This is particularly important for larger opportunities such as those within the wider
Tabley Estate, where careful consideration will be required in relation to infrastructure,
transport, landscape, ecology, heritage, phasing and long-term stewardship.
6.4. TCE would welcome continued engagement with Cheshire East Council as the new Local
Plan progresses, including discussions regarding the emerging evidence base, site
assessment methodology, Green Belt Assessment, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
infrastructure requirements and spatial strategy.
Plan programme and timeline
6.5. TCE supports the Council's proposed programme for Local Plan preparation. Given the
scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East and the Council's current housing land
supply position, it is important that the Local Plan continues to progress without
unnecessary delay.
6.6. Delays in plan preparation risk extending the period during which development decisions
are made in the absence of an up-to-date plan-led strategy. The Council should therefore
seek to maintain momentum, ensure that key evidence is prepared and made available
to stakeholders at an early stage, and continue engagement with stakeholders
throughout the process.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
7. Conclusion
7.1. TCE supports the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan for Cheshire East. The new Local Plan is being prepared in a materially changed
planning context, including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s
current housing land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging
Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy and the publication of the August
2026 NPPF during the consultation period.
7.2. TCE considers that the Local Plan should plan to meet the revised standard method
housing requirement as a minimum and should test whether a higher housing
requirement is justified having regard to economic growth, affordable housing need,
infrastructure investment and emerging sub-regional priorities.
7.3. The Local Plan should identify a sufficient supply and mix of deliverable and developable
sites, including brownfield sites, existing allocations, safeguarded land, smaller and
medium-sized sites, sustainable urban extensions, station-related growth and potential
new settlement opportunities. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council
should also adopt a positive interim approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals
on safeguarded land to support short-term housing delivery.
7.4. A review of the Green Belt will be a necessary and important part of the plan-making
process. The Green Belt Assessment should be robust, transparent and sufficiently
detailed to identify variations in Green Belt performance. It should also consider the
sustainability of locations and the ability of development to deliver infrastructure,
services and environmental benefits.
7.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate that opportunities exist across a range of locations and
planning contexts within Cheshire East. These include allocated and safeguarded land
around Knutsford, opportunities around Plumley and larger-scale opportunities within
the wider Tabley Estate. Taken together, these locations provide a range of alternatives
capable of being assessed through the emerging evidence base as the Council considers
how best to accommodate future housing, employment and infrastructure requirements
and establish a sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy. TCE therefore requests that
Cheshire East Council assesses its landholdings fully and positively through the
emerging evidence base, publishes key methodologies and findings early enough to
enable meaningful engagement, and continues direct dialogue with TCE as the Local
Plan progresses. This will help ensure that the Plan is ambitious, deliverable and capable
of meeting Cheshire East’s housing, employment, infrastructure and environmental
objectives over the full plan period.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
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The Crown Estate
Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan
Scoping Consultation 2026
September 2026The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Contents
1. Introduction 3
2. New Local Plan 5
3. Context for the new Local Plan 7
4. Baseline information and spatial portrait 12
5. Scope of the new Local Plan 14
6. Proposed Local Plan Engagement Strategy 23
7. Conclusion 24The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
1. Introduction
1.1. Deloitte LLP is instructed by The Crown Estate ("TCE") to submit representations to the
Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation (2026). TCE welcomes the opportunity to
engage at this early stage in the preparation of the new Cheshire East Local Plan. The
scoping consultation represents an important stage in establishing the matters that the
Local Plan should address, the evidence base required to support it, and the approach to
future engagement with stakeholders.
1.2. The new Local Plan will need to respond to a materially changed planning context,
including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s current housing
land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging Cheshire and
Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, and the publication of the August 2026
National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”) during the consultation period.
1.3. TCE welcomes the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan which meets identified housing and employment needs, supports sustainable
economic growth, and directs development to locations that are, or can be made,
sustainable through appropriate infrastructure provision, public transport accessibility,
active travel connections, environmental enhancement and long-term stewardship.
1.4. In summary, TCE considers that the new Local Plan should:
 meet identified housing and employment needs in full and test whether
additional growth is justified by economic, affordable housing or infrastructure
considerations;
 establish a clear and deliverable spatial strategy informed by a robust
assessment of reasonable alternatives;
 assess Green Belt, Grey Belt and safeguarded land through a transparent and
integrated methodology;
 give appropriate weight to well-connected locations, including Key Service
Centres and rail-connected settlements;
 identify a diverse portfolio of sites capable of contributing across different scales
and timescales; and
 integrate infrastructure, employment, sustainable transport and environmental
enhancement with decisions about the location of growth.
Background and Context
1.5. TCE is a long-term landowner within Cheshire East through its ownership of the Tabley
Estate, with landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley. Its interests include land
allocated for development within the adopted Local Plan, safeguarded land identified
through the adopted Local Plan process, and a wider portfolio of landholdings which
have been submitted through the Council’s recent Call for Sites process.
1.6. As a long-term landowner and steward of public assets, TCE is committed to working
positively with Cheshire East Council throughout preparation of the new Local Plan.
These representations seek to support the preparation of a robust and evidence-ledThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Local Plan and to ensure that a broad range of growth opportunities are appropriately
assessed through the emerging evidence base and site assessment process.
1.7. TCE’s land interests are relevant to the preparation of the emerging Local Plan in a
number of respects. These include:
 Land West of Manchester Road, Knutsford, which comprises land allocated for
residential and employment development within the adopted Local Plan (LPS 36).
A full planning application (ref. 26/1231/FUL) was submitted in March 2026 on
parcel B of the allocation, which is currently being determined. TCE remains
committed to delivering the remainder of the allocation in a timely fashion.
 Land North and South of Tabley Road, Knutsford, comprising safeguarded land
identified in adopted Local Plan policies LPS 39 and LPS 40 as land to meet
longer-term development needs.
 A wider portfolio of landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley, comprising
opportunities of differing scales and characteristics submitted through the
Council’s Call for Sites process. This includes land associated with the potential
future growth of Knutsford as a Key Service Centre, opportunities associated with
the rail-connected settlement of Plumley, and larger landholdings capable of
being considered as part of the Council's assessment of longer-term growth
options.
1.8. Collectively, these land interests comprise a diverse portfolio of opportunities of
different scales and locations within Cheshire East. The emerging Local Plan and
supporting evidence base should therefore assess these interests appropriately as part
of the Council’s consideration of future growth options and the preparation of a
sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy.
1.9. The range of options identified above is particularly relevant given the materially
increased housing requirement and the need for the Local Plan to identify a sufficient and
resilient supply of suitable, available and deliverable sites.
1.10. It is therefore critical that the new Local Plan is prepared positively, quickly and on the
basis of robust evidence. The plan must identify a sufficient supply of suitable, available
and deliverable sites to meet housing and employment needs in full, while providing a
clear framework for infrastructure, environmental enhancement and high-quality
placemaking.
1.11. These representations have been prepared having regard to the NPPF published in
August 2026, which applies to relevant plan-making from 17 August 2026. The Council
should therefore review the consultation responses, evidence base and next stages of
Plan preparation against the final Framework, particularly in relation to Green Belt, Grey
Belt, station-related development, strategic sites, housing delivery, economic growth
and national decision-making policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
2. New Local Plan
Matters addressed in the new Local Plan
2.1. TCE supports the broad range of matters identified by the Council for inclusion within the
new Local Plan. These appropriately cover housing, employment, transport,
infrastructure, climate change, environmental matters, design and placemaking, health
and wellbeing and sustainable economic growth.
2.2. However, TCE considers that the Local Plan should be framed first and foremost around
the need to respond positively to the significant increase in development requirements
now facing Cheshire East. The revised standard method housing need figure, changes to
national policy and the Council's current housing land supply position collectively
indicate that the new Local Plan will require the Council to reconsider the scale and
distribution of growth that informed the adopted Local Plan Strategy.
2.3. In this context, the Local Plan should prioritise the following matters, which will be
central to establishing a positive and deliverable growth strategy:
 meeting housing and employment needs in full;
 establishing a clear and deliverable spatial strategy;
 undertaking an evidence-led review of Green Belt and Grey Belt land where
necessary to meet identified needs;
 identifying a sufficient supply of deliverable and developable sites;
 planning infrastructure alongside growth;
 promoting sustainable transport and well-connected locations; and
 supporting long-term economic competitiveness.
2.4. TCE considers that these issues are intrinsically linked and should not be considered
through separate strategic policy workstreams. Housing, employment, infrastructure,
transport and environmental enhancement should instead form part of a single
integrated growth strategy.
Why prepare a new Local Plan
2.5. TCE strongly supports the preparation of a new Local Plan. The adopted Local Plan was
prepared within a materially different policy and housing context. The increased housing
requirement, national policy changes, the Council’s housing land supply position and the
emerging Cheshire and Warrington strategic context require a new and deliverable
spatial strategy.
2.6. An up-to-date Plan will provide the framework needed to coordinate housing,
employment, infrastructure and environmental improvements. Without it, there is a
greater risk that development will be determined through individual applications and
appeals rather than through a planned spatial strategy.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Developing the new Local Plan
2.7. TCE supports the Council's intention to progress the Local Plan in accordance with the
new plan-making system.
2.8. The emerging Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy (‘SDS’) will form an
important part of the wider strategic planning context, including in relation to broad
growth locations, infrastructure and economic priorities. The Cheshire East Local Plan
should continue without delay while retaining sufficient flexibility to respond to relevant
strategic priorities as the SDS emerges. The NPPF and PPG emphasise the importance of
effective cooperation on strategic planning matters. Given the Combined Authority's role
in coordinating growth, infrastructure and transport priorities across the city region, the
Council should continue to engage closely with the Combined Authority throughout plan
preparation to ensure alignment with wider strategic objectives.
2.9. The Council should ensure that decisions regarding the spatial strategy are informed by a
robust and proportionate evidence base. In particular, the following studies will have a
critical role in shaping future growth options:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan; and
 Viability Assessment.
2.10. TCE considers it important that these documents are prepared and published sufficiently
early to enable meaningful engagement before key strategic decisions become fixed.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3. Context for the new Local
Plan
Increase in housing requirements
3.1. The materially increased housing requirement represents a fundamental change in the
planning context for the new Local Plan. It will require the Council to reconsider the
distribution of growth, the role of different settlements, realistic brownfield capacity, the
need for Green Belt release, and safeguarded land, settlement extensions and strategicscale opportunities.
3.2. Policies HO1 and HO2 of the August 2026 NPPF require the Plan to establish a housing
requirement based on local housing need as a minimum and to consider a higher figure
where justified as necessary to reflect economic growth and infrastructure investment.
TCE considers that the Plan should meet the revised standard method figure as a
minimum and test whether a higher requirement is justified by economic growth,
infrastructure investment, affordable housing need and emerging Cheshire and
Warrington SDS priorities.
3.3. The Council’s current five-year housing land supply position reinforces the need for a
positive and deliverable plan-led strategy. Cheshire East Council’s latest published
Housing Monitoring Update (March 2025) concludes that the Council has 3.3 years’
supply of deliverable housing sites against the required five years. In the absence of a
demonstrable five-year supply, housing delivery is increasingly influenced by
applications and appeals rather than a coordinated spatial strategy. Strong recent
delivery identified through the Housing Delivery Test (August 2026) is welcomed, but it is
not a substitute for a positively prepared Local Plan capable of maintaining housing
delivery through the plan period.
3.4. This shortfall demonstrates that the Local Plan must identify a larger and more resilient
portfolio of deliverable and developable sites. It should not rely on any single source of
supply or any single settlement tier. Instead, it should identify strategic allocations,
urban extensions, station-related opportunities, and smaller and medium-sized sites
capable of supporting delivery across the plan period, whilst also helping to maintain and
enhance the vitality of settlements across the Borough by supporting local services,
facilities, infrastructure and sustainable communities.
3.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate the breadth of opportunities that may be available to
support this approach and should be assessed through the emerging evidence base
alongside other reasonable alternatives.
Changes to Green Belt policy
3.6. TCE supports the Council’s intention to undertake a borough-wide Green Belt
Assessment as part of the Local Plan evidence base. This will be a critical component of
the emerging Plan given the significant extent of Green Belt within Cheshire East and the
scale of development now required.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3.7. The Green Belt is an important planning designation and its purposes should be properly
assessed. However, it should not be treated as a fixed constraint that prevents
consideration of sustainable growth options where development needs cannot otherwise
be met. The August 2026 NPPF provides a clear framework for Green Belt review through
plan-making where exceptional circumstances are evidenced and justified.
3.8. Policy GB3 of the NPPF confirms that exceptional circumstances include situations
where a local planning authority is unable to meet its identified need for homes,
commercial or other development in full, having examined all other reasonable options.
That position is directly relevant to Cheshire East, given the significant increase in
housing need and the Council’s current housing land supply position.
3.9. Policy GB4 requires Green Belt boundary alterations to promote sustainable patterns of
development, giving priority to previously developed land in sustainable locations, then
Grey Belt land in sustainable locations, and then other Green Belt locations where this
would promote a sustainable pattern of development overall. The assessment should
therefore consider not only the Green Belt function of land, but also the sustainability of
the location and the ability of development to support infrastructure, services and
sustainable movement patterns.
3.10. TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be sufficiently detailed to identify
variations in how land performs against Green Belt purposes. Broad-brush assessment
parcels risk obscuring opportunities where land performs a limited Green Belt function,
where defensible boundaries exist, or where development could be planned
comprehensively without undermining the wider function of the Green Belt.
3.11. The assessment should pay particular attention to opportunities around Knutsford. As a
Key Service Centre with a strong range of services, facilities, employment opportunities
and transport connections, the settlement is capable of accommodating growth. The
Green Belt Assessment should therefore consider the extent to which opportunities
around the settlement could contribute towards the Borough’s development
requirements.
3.12. Plumley should be assessed positively in light of its railway station. Its role should not be
judged solely by population size or current settlement classification, but also by its
public transport accessibility and its potential to support sustainable travel, local
services and proportionate housing growth. Opportunities around Plumley should
therefore be assessed through the Settlement Hierarchy Review and Spatial Distribution
Strategy, having regard to their ability to support sustainable travel patterns, local
services and proportionate growth.
3.13. The safeguarded land north and south of Tabley Road (LPS 39 and LPS 40) is an example
of land that has already been identified through the adopted Local Plan as land which
may be required to meet longer-term development needs, and which remains available
to be considered as part of the emerging Local Plan. In the context of the revised housing
requirement and the lack of a five-year housing land supply, the Council should consider
a more general, positive approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals on
safeguarded land in advance of and separate from the completion of the Local Plan
process.
3.14. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council should consider preparing an
interim housing position statement setting out a positive and transparent approach to the
determination of housing proposals on safeguarded land. Such an approach would not
alter the formal designation of the land, which would remain a matter for the Local PlanThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
review, nor displace the statutory priority afforded to the development plan. It would,
however, recognise that policies restricting housing development on safeguarded land
should be applied in light of the Council’s current housing land supply position, the
materially increased housing requirement and the presumption in favour of sustainable
development.
3.15. The approach adopted by Kirklees Council provides a relevant precedent. Its Interim
Housing Position Statement retains the adopted safeguarded-land designation but
recognises that, in the absence of a five-year housing land supply, safeguarded sites may
provide opportunities for early housing development where constraints can be
overcome. Cheshire East should adopt a similarly positive approach, giving substantial
weight to sustainable and deliverable proposals on safeguarded land, particularly where
sites are well related to existing settlements, can be supported by appropriate
infrastructure and are capable of contributing to housing supply within the short term.
Such an approach would provide an appropriate framework for the early consideration of
the safeguarded land relating to LPS 39 and LPS 40, both of which are well related to
Knutsford and capable of contributing to housing delivery in the short term.
3.16. TCE supports a robust Green Belt and Grey Belt assessment but considers that it must
be applied in a manner that enables genuinely sustainable and deliverable sites to be
considered through the plan-making process. Given the central role that Green Belt and
Grey Belt considerations are likely to play in accommodating Cheshire East's future
development needs, TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be treated as
a priority evidence base document and prepared sufficiently early to inform key decisions
regarding the spatial strategy and distribution of growth. This will be essential if the Local
Plan is to meet development needs in full while promoting a sustainable spatial strategy.
Brownfield Development
3.17. TCE supports the effective use of previously developed land where such land is suitable,
available and deliverable. A brownfield-first approach is appropriate and consistent with
national policy.
3.18. However, the scale of housing and employment growth now facing Cheshire East means
that brownfield land alone will not provide a sufficient solution. The Council's own
monitoring evidence demonstrates that a substantial proportion of development has
historically been delivered on greenfield sites, with previously developed land accounting
for only around one-third of housing completions in recent monitoring years. Brownfield
sites can also face constraints relating to ownership, viability, contamination,
infrastructure, market demand and delivery timescales. The Local Plan should therefore
avoid placing undue reliance on brownfield capacity where there is no clear evidence
that it can meet the Borough’s needs in full.
3.19. The Council’s own scoping material identifies that the new Local Plan may need to
consider a range of options, including densification, further development within existing
settlements, edge-of-settlement growth, large-scale urban extensions and new
settlements. TCE supports that broad approach.
3.20. The Local Plan should therefore maximise brownfield opportunities while also identifying
sustainable greenfield and Green Belt locations where these are necessary to meet
housing and employment needs. TCE’s landholdings across the Tabley Estate provide
examples of greenfield and Green Belt opportunities that could deliver new homes,
employment land, infrastructure, open space and environmental benefits in sustainable
locations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Economic Growth
3.21. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that Cheshire East has an important economic
role and that the new Local Plan must plan positively for employment growth, investment
and long-term competitiveness. The emerging Plan should ensure that housing,
employment and infrastructure are planned in a coordinated manner so that growth is
capable of supporting sustainable economic outcomes across the Borough.
3.22. Policy E1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to establish a clear
economic vision and strategy, support business investment, and allocate sites to meet
anticipated employment needs over the plan period. The policy recognises the
importance of providing flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances and
supporting a diverse range of sectors and business activities.
3.23. Housing and employment growth should not be considered separately. A sustainable
spatial strategy should seek to align new homes with employment opportunities,
services, infrastructure and sustainable transport. This will help reduce commuting
distances, support inclusive economic growth and ensure that housing delivery supports
the labour force required by the local economy.
3.24. Given Knutsford's role as a Key Service Centre and its proximity to strategic transport
infrastructure, opportunities around the settlement should be assessed not only in terms
of housing delivery but also in terms of their ability to support employment growth,
investment and wider economic objectives across Cheshire East and the sub-region.
Knutsford benefits from strong connectivity to the strategic highway network,
Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider Cheshire and Warrington
economy. The Council's assessment of growth options around the settlement should
therefore take account of their potential contribution to both housing and employment
needs.
3.25. TCE’s land interests associated with the wider Tabley Estate also provide an opportunity
for the Council to consider how larger-scale growth options could contribute towards
economic objectives over the longer term. In addition to supporting housing delivery,
such opportunities may have the potential to support employment provision,
infrastructure investment, sustainable transport improvements and enhanced
connectivity between homes, jobs and services. The precise scale and form of any such
contribution should be determined through the evidence base and site assessment
process.
3.26. Opportunities around Knutsford, together with other opportunities within the wider
Tabley Estate, should therefore be assessed through the Economic Development Needs
Assessment, Employment Land Review and Spatial Distribution Strategy. This
assessment should consider not only their ability to contribute towards housing delivery,
but also their potential role in supporting labour market accessibility, business growth,
infrastructure investment and wider economic competitiveness.
3.27. More generally, the Local Plan should assess a broad range of growth options and
determine the most appropriate scale and distribution of development having regard to
housing need, employment requirements, infrastructure capacity, sustainability
considerations and long-term economic objectives. The Plan should provide sufficient
flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances whilst ensuring that future
growth contributes positively to Cheshire East's economic success and competitiveness.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Spatial Development Strategy
3.28. TCE notes that Cheshire East is now part of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined
Authority area and that a Spatial Development Strategy will be prepared for Cheshire and
Warrington. TCE supports strategic planning at the sub-regional level, particularly where
it helps align housing, employment, infrastructure, transport and environmental priorities
across administrative boundaries.
3.29. However, preparation of the Cheshire East Local Plan should not be delayed pending the
Spatial Development Strategy. The Local Plan should continue to progress, identify
sufficient land to meet development needs and establish an appropriate spatial strategy,
while retaining flexibility to respond to any relevant strategic priorities that emerge
through the SDS process.
3.30. Policy PM1 of the August 2026 NPPF confirms that Spatial Development Strategies
should identify broad locations for growth and regeneration, including new settlements,
major urban extensions and major cross-boundary development where appropriate. TCE
supports this approach, recognising that large-scale strategic development requires
coordinated planning across administrative boundaries, particularly in relation to
transport, utilities and wider infrastructure capacity and delivery. The Cheshire East
Local Plan should therefore align with any broad growth locations identified through the
forthcoming Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, while retaining
sufficient flexibility to respond to the SDS as it emerges. This alignment will be important
to ensure that strategic sites are planned comprehensively and supported by the
infrastructure necessary for their delivery.
3.31. Opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are of sufficient scale
to warrant assessment through the Local Plan process and, where relevant, the emerging
spatial development strategy. Their potential role should be informed through the
Council's evidence base and considered alongside other reasonable alternatives in
establishing the most appropriate spatial strategy.
National Decision-Making Policies
3.32. TCE supports the Council's recognition that the introduction of National Decision-Making
Policies provides an opportunity for local plans to focus on genuinely local matters.
3.33. The Local Plan should avoid unnecessary duplication of national policy and instead
focus on the issues that are specific to Cheshire East, including the spatial strategy, site
allocations, settlement hierarchy, Green Belt review, affordable housing requirements
and infrastructure planning.
3.34. However, this should not result in an overly narrow plan. The Local Plan remains the
primary mechanism through which Cheshire East will determine how and where future
growth is accommodated and therefore should provide a strategic vision that aligns with
national and regional policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
4. Baseline information and
spatial portrait
Connectivity
4.1. TCE supports the Council's recognition of Cheshire East's strong connectivity and
strategic location. The Borough benefits from excellent connections to regional and
national transport networks, including the M6 and M56 motorways, Manchester Airport
and an extensive rail network.
4.2. Connectivity should form a central part of the future spatial strategy. The Local Plan
should direct growth towards locations which are well connected by public transport or
which have the ability to support improvements to sustainable transport infrastructure.
4.3. The August 2026 NPPF places increased emphasis on locating development where it can
make effective use of existing and proposed transport infrastructure, including through
its support for residential and mixed-use development within reasonable walking
distance of qualifying well-connected railway stations. In this regard, opportunities
around Knutsford, including land associated with the Tabley Estate, should be assessed
in the context of the settlement's role as a Key Service Centre, its relationship with the
strategic highway network and its accessibility to employment and services. Future
growth in this part of the Borough has the potential to support sustainable travel patterns
and infrastructure investment where planned comprehensively.
4.4. Opportunities around Plumley are also relevant in this context. As a rail-connected
settlement, Plumley provides a distinctive opportunity to consider how proportionate
growth can support sustainable travel patterns, reinforce the role of the railway station
and contribute to the long-term vitality of local services and facilities.
4.5. Larger-scale opportunities within TCE's land portfolio may provide scope for transport
and infrastructure requirements to be considered comprehensively alongside
development. The Council should assess not only current accessibility but also the
extent to which growth may support improvements to transport, active travel,
infrastructure and service provision.
Economic contribution
4.6. Cheshire East plays a significant role within the wider North West economy and benefits
from a diverse economic base, strong transport connections and a number of nationally
and regionally important employment centres. The Borough's economic success has
historically been supported by its ability to attract and retain a skilled workforce, provide
a high-quality environment for investment and deliver a range of housing opportunities
across its settlements.
4.7. TCE supports the Council's recognition that economic growth should remain a central
component of the emerging Local Plan. The Local Plan should not treat housing delivery
and economic development as separate policy objectives. Instead, it should recognise
that the two are fundamentally linked and that a sufficient supply of homes is essential toThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
support labour market growth, improve affordability and maintain the competitiveness of
the Borough's economy.
4.8. The emerging evidence base should therefore consider how housing need, employment
growth and infrastructure provision interact. This is particularly important given the
significant increase in housing requirements and the potential implications this may have
for labour supply, commuting patterns and business investment. The Local Plan should
ensure that growth is distributed in a manner that supports both existing employment
centres and future economic opportunities.
4.9. TCE considers that strategic and mixed-use development opportunities can play an
important role in delivering this objective. Larger sites are often capable of supporting
housing, employment, community infrastructure and sustainable transport
improvements through a coordinated and masterplanned approach. Such opportunities
can help create balanced communities, reduce the need to travel and provide greater
certainty regarding infrastructure delivery.
4.10. The Local Plan should therefore positively assess a range of growth options capable of
supporting both housing and economic objectives. This should include consideration of
strategic urban extensions, mixed-use sites and potential longer-term growth
opportunities where these can contribute towards the Borough's economic resilience,
competitiveness and productivity.
4.11. Overall, the Local Plan should seek to establish a clear relationship between housing
growth, employment growth and infrastructure investment, ensuring that future
development supports Cheshire East's role as a sustainable and economically
successful location within the wider region.
4.12. Strategic growth opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are
particularly relevant because they can integrate homes, employment land, transport
improvements, digital infrastructure, utilities and sustainable travel connections through
comprehensive masterplanning. Their relationship with the M6 corridor, Knutsford
railway station and the Mid-Cheshire rail corridor should be assessed as part of the
evidence base, particularly where this could support labour market accessibility,
business connectivity and investment in high-value sectors.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5. Scope of the new Local
Plan
Local Plan Period
5.1. TCE supports the proposed plan period to 2045. However, the Local Plan should also
consider longer-term growth requirements beyond the end of the plan period, particularly
where strategic urban extensions or new settlement opportunities are being assessed.
Larger sites may require delivery across multiple phases and potentially beyond a single
plan period. This should not prevent such opportunities from being considered through
the plan-making process, although their delivery may extend beyond a single plan period.
Vision and Objectives
5.2. TCE supports the preparation of a clear, locally distinctive and deliverable vision for
Cheshire East. The vision should respond directly to the changed planning context,
including the higher housing requirement, current housing land supply shortfall,
economic growth ambitions, the need for Green Belt review and the publication of the
August 2026 NPPF.
5.3. The vision should not simply seek to manage growth. It should explain how Cheshire East
will accommodate growth positively and sustainably, while delivering homes,
employment, infrastructure, environmental enhancement and healthy communities.
5.4. TCE considers that the vision and objectives should include the following priorities:
 meeting housing need in full, as a minimum;
 testing whether a higher housing requirement is justified by economic growth,
affordable housing need or infrastructure investment;
 supporting sustainable economic growth and employment delivery;
 ensuring a sufficient supply of affordable homes and a broad housing mix;
 reviewing Green Belt boundaries where necessary to meet needs;
 testing strategic urban extensions and new settlement options;
 supporting growth at sustainable settlements and rail-connected locations;
 integrating infrastructure planning with site allocation decisions;
 delivering multifunctional green infrastructure, biodiversity net gain and climate
resilience; and
 maintaining a deliverable supply of sites throughout the plan period.
Identifying and assessing sites
5.5. TCE supports the Council’s intention to prepare a robust and evidence-led assessment
of potential development sites. The assessment process will be critical to ensuring thatThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
the Local Plan identifies a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet the Borough’s
development needs.
5.6. Policy PM9 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to be informed by an
assessment of land available to meet development needs, including consideration of
availability, suitability, achievability, likely viability, site capacity and delivery timescales.
5.7. TCE considers that the site assessment methodology should be transparent,
proportionate and capable of assessing different categories of site. It should not be
designed in a way that favours only one type or scale of development. Smaller sites,
safeguarded land, settlement-edge opportunities, strategic urban extensions and new
settlements will all need to be assessed through an appropriate methodology.
5.8. The assessment process should give appropriate weight to:
 land ownership and availability;
 deliverability and likely delivery timescales;
 ability to contribute to five-year housing land supply;
 relationship to existing settlements and services;
 relationship to railway stations and strategic transport corridors;
 potential to deliver housing, employment and community facilities together;
 ability to support affordable housing and housing choice;
 infrastructure requirements and opportunities;
 ability to deliver green infrastructure and biodiversity net gain;
 Green Belt performance, where relevant;
 landscape, heritage, ecology and flood risk considerations; and
 long-term flexibility and phasing.
5.9. The assessment should avoid applying overly restrictive criteria at an early stage. In
particular, strategic sites and new settlement options should not be discounted simply
because they require comprehensive masterplanning or longer delivery periods. Such
sites may be important to maintaining supply over the middle and later parts of the plan
period and may provide opportunities to deliver infrastructure and environmental
benefits at scale.
5.10. TCE’s landholdings are relevant to this assessment because they include sites capable
of contributing across a range of timescales. The allocated land West of Manchester
Road, the safeguarded land at Tabley Road and smaller sites around Knutsford and
Plumley could contribute early in the plan period. Larger scale opportunities within the
wider Tabley Estate provide longer-term strategic options capable of supporting
comprehensive infrastructure-led growth.
5.11. TCE therefore requests that the Council’s site assessment methodology expressly
recognises the different roles that sites can play across the plan period, including early
delivery, settlement-edge growth, rail-connected growth, and strategic urban extensions
and new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Green Belt
5.12. TCE notes the approach set out at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 of the scoping consultation
for determining whether Green Belt boundary changes are required. This exercise should
be integrated with, rather than undertaken separately from, the assessment of sites,
settlement hierarchy and spatial distribution. The Council’s own consultation identifies
site selection, Green Belt, settlement hierarchy and spatial strategy as interrelated
considerations in planning for growth.
5.13. TCE supports the assessment of future development needs and the effective use of
suitable brownfield and underused land. However, the sequential considerations listed
at paragraph 5.17 should not operate as a series of rigid filters through which otherwise
sustainable Green Belt sites are excluded before their comparative merits have been
assessed. In particular, the existence of theoretical capacity outside the Green Belt
should not be treated as sufficient unless that capacity is demonstrated to be suitable,
available, deliverable and capable of supporting a sustainable spatial strategy.
5.14. All reasonable growth options should therefore be assessed through a consistent and
transparent framework. For Green Belt sites, this should bring together:
 the contribution of the land to Green Belt purposes, including whether it
comprises Grey Belt;
 the site’s relationship with the settlement hierarchy and existing settlement form;
 accessibility to services, employment and public transport, including railway
stations;
 infrastructure capacity and the opportunity for development to deliver
improvements;
 availability, deliverability, viability, capacity and likely phasing;
 environmental, landscape, heritage and flood-risk considerations; and
 the ability to deliver housing, employment, community facilities, green
infrastructure and wider public benefits comprehensively.
5.15. This would align the Green Belt exercise with the wider spatial-distribution factors
identified by the Council, which include housing and employment needs, infrastructure,
services, environmental constraints, Green Belt, brownfield availability, site availability,
market attractiveness and viability.
5.16. TCE considers that “considering sites outside the Green Belt first” should mean that
reasonable non-Green Belt alternatives are properly examined; it should not establish an
automatic preference for a less sustainable or less deliverable location solely because it
lies outside the Green Belt. Comparative assessment should consider whether each
option would promote a sustainable pattern of development and contribute effectively to
meeting identified needs.
5.17. Similarly, optimising density and maximising brownfield capacity are important
components of the strategy, but the Council should test whether the resulting capacity is
realistic and deliverable over the plan period. These measures should not be relied upon
to defer the assessment of Green Belt opportunities where additional land may be
required to meet development needs in full and maintain a sufficient and resilient supply
of sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.18. Where exceptional circumstances are identified, decisions on potential Green Belt
release should be made through the wider spatial strategy and site-selection process.
Appropriate weight should be given to opportunities that are well related to existing
settlements or well-connected railway stations, as well as strategic sites capable of
delivering infrastructure, employment provision, sustainable transport, community
facilities and environmental improvements through comprehensive masterplanning. The
Council expressly anticipates testing a range of options, including edge-of-settlement
growth, large-scale urban extensions and new settlements; Green Belt location or site
scale should not prevent those options from being assessed on a comparable basis.
5.19. The land availability methodology should explain clearly how Green Belt considerations
will interact with the initial site sift, scoring and subsequent allocation stages. Sites
should not be filtered out solely because of their existing Green Belt designation before
the Green Belt assessment, settlement hierarchy review, spatial distribution work and
sustainability assessment have been considered together. The Council proposes to
publish its methodology and initial site assessments at the subsequent plan content and
evidence consultation; these should provide a clear audit trail showing how the factors
above have informed each assessment.
5.20. Applied in this way, the approach at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 would enable the Local
Plan to identify the most sustainable and deliverable combination of sites while
protecting Green Belt land that makes the strongest contribution to its purposes. It would
also ensure that smaller releases, safeguarded land, settlement extensions and
strategic-scale opportunities are assessed fairly and through a methodology appropriate
to their scale and potential contribution.
5.21. TCE requests that the Council clearly sets out how the findings of the Green Belt
assessment have informed the assessment of reasonable alternatives and site selection
process, alongside sustainability, deliverability and infrastructure considerations.
5.22. Pending the completion of that process, the Council should also consider an interim
housing position statement establishing a positive and transparent approach to
sustainable and deliverable housing proposals on safeguarded land, as set out earlier in
these representations.
Strategic green gap
5.23. TCE supports the Council's intention to review the Strategic Green Gap designation and
its role within the emerging Local Plan.
5.24. Strategic Green Gaps can play an important role in maintaining the separation and
identity of settlements. However, the review should be evidence based and should
recognise that not all land within a designated gap performs the same function.
5.25. The assessment should identify those locations that make the greatest contribution to
maintaining separation whilst recognising that the scale of development needs now
facing Cheshire East may require a balanced assessment between protecting settlement
identity and accommodating sustainable growth.
5.26. The Strategic Green Gap should therefore not operate as an absolute constraint on
development. Instead, it should form part of a wider planning balance which takes
account of housing need, sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure provision and
landscape considerations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Settlement Hierarchy
5.27. TCE supports the Council’s intention to review the settlement hierarchy as part of the
preparation of the new Local Plan. Given the scale of housing need now facing Cheshire
East, the settlement hierarchy will play a significant role in shaping the distribution of
development and identifying sustainable locations for growth.
5.28. The hierarchy should be informed by an up-to-date assessment of the role and function
of settlements. It should consider access to services and facilities, employment
opportunities, public transport, active travel, strategic infrastructure, settlement form,
market demand, recent growth, infrastructure capacity and the potential for
development to support improvements.
5.29. TCE supports Knutsford continuing to be identified as a Key Service Centre. Knutsford
has a strong range of services, facilities and employment opportunities, and benefits
from a strategically accessible location. It should therefore be considered as a
settlement capable of accommodating a meaningful proportion of future growth.
5.30. The previous Local Plan directed approximately 950 dwellings to Knutsford, which was
lower than the level of growth directed to several other Key Service Centres. In light of the
increased housing requirement and the scale of available land around the settlement,
the new Local Plan should consider whether Knutsford should accommodate a greater
level of growth over the new plan period.
5.31. TCE’s land interests around Knutsford provide a practical basis for assessing this issue.
Land West of Manchester Road is already allocated for mixed-use development. Land
North and South of Tabley Road comprises safeguarded land capable of forming a logical
next phase of growth. Given the Council's current housing land supply position and
increased housing requirement, these sites should be considered not only through the
Local Plan review but also through any interim approach adopted in respect of
safeguarded land proposals. Larger scale opportunities around Knutsford could deliver
homes, employment, services, open space and infrastructure in a comprehensive
manner.
5.32. TCE also considers that the role of Plumley should be reviewed carefully. Plumley
benefits from a railway station and should not be assessed in the same way as more
remote rural settlements with no rail connectivity. The August 2026 NPPF includes
support for development associated with well-connected stations, subject to relevant
criteria.
5.33. The Settlement Hierarchy Review should therefore give appropriate weight to public
transport accessibility and the potential for station-related growth. TCE’s land interests
around Plumley provide examples of opportunities that could contribute to proportionate
growth at a rail-connected settlement.
Spatial Distribution
5.34. TCE considers that the spatial distribution of development is one of the most important
matters for the new Local Plan. The scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East
means that the Council will need to test a broad range of options and should avoid an
overly narrow approach to growth.
5.35. TCE supports a balanced spatial strategy which draws on a variety of site types and
locations. This should include urban regeneration, brownfield land, existing allocations,
safeguarded land, sustainable urban extensions, station-related development, smaller
and medium-sized sites, and potential new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.36. Policies HO3 and HO4 of the August 2026 NPPF support this approach. Policy HO3
requires local plans to identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet or exceed the
housing requirement over the plan period. Policy HO4 recognises the role of strategic
sites, including new settlements and significant extensions to existing settlements,
where they can be supported by infrastructure and can create sustainable communities.
5.37. In TCE’s view, the Local Plan should avoid excessive reliance on either dispersed smallscale development or a limited number of large strategic allocations. A resilient strategy
will require both. Smaller and medium-sized sites can support early delivery and housing
diversity, while larger sites can deliver infrastructure, employment land, community
facilities, green infrastructure and long-term supply.
5.38. TCE’s landholdings illustrate this balanced approach. The allocated land West of
Manchester Road and safeguarded land North and South of Tabley Road could
contribute to earlier delivery at Knutsford, including through any positive interim
approach to safeguarded land in advance of the new Local Plan. Larger scale
opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate could provide longerterm growth options. The Plumley sites could support proportionate growth associated
with a rail-connected settlement.
5.39. The new Local Plan should assess these opportunities as part of a comparative
assessment of reasonable alternatives. This should include consideration of
sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure, Green Belt performance, access to services,
transport connectivity, environmental effects and the ability to deliver wider public
benefits.
Development in the Settlements and the Countryside
5.40. TCE supports the continued use of settlement boundaries as a tool for managing
development. However, settlement boundaries should not become inflexible constraints
that prevent otherwise sustainable opportunities from being properly assessed.
Settlement boundaries should be reviewed alongside the Settlement Hierarchy Review
and Spatial Distribution Report to ensure they reflect the strategy of the new Local Plan.
5.41. The Local Plan should also recognise an important distinction between isolated
countryside locations and sites which are physically related to existing settlements,
strategic transport infrastructure or railway stations.
5.42. Locations which are well connected and relate closely to existing settlements may be
capable of accommodating growth in a way that supports sustainable travel patterns and
strengthens existing communities.
5.43. This will be particularly important in considering the role of rail-connected settlements
and opportunities associated with strategic growth locations around Knutsford and
Plumley.
5.44. TCE supports a positive approach to development associated with sustainable rural
settlements, particularly where such settlements benefit from public transport
connectivity. Plumley represents an example of a settlement capable of accommodating
carefully planned growth due to its railway station and strategic accessibility.
Housing
5.45. TCE supports the Council’s intention to address housing need, affordable housing,
housing mix, older persons housing, specialist accommodation, self-build and custombuild housing, and housing diversification through the new Local Plan.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.46. The Housing Needs Assessment should inform the quantity, type, size and tenure of
housing required across Cheshire East. However, housing policies should be prepared
alongside the spatial strategy, viability evidence and infrastructure planning. Policy
requirements must be ambitious but deliverable.
5.47. Policy PM12 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to set out the
contributions expected from development, including affordable housing and
infrastructure, at a level that allows the planned types of development and sites to be
deliverable. Policy PM13 also requires quantitative standards to be justified,
proportionate and not to have an adverse impact on viability and deliverability.
5.48. TCE supports the objective of increasing affordable housing delivery. However,
affordable housing requirements, including any requirements associated with Green Belt
release, should be tested through robust viability evidence. This will be particularly
important where sites are expected to deliver affordable housing, infrastructure, open
space, biodiversity net gain, sustainable drainage, transport improvements and other
policy requirements.
5.49. TCE’s landholdings offer the potential to deliver a range of housing types and tenures.
Smaller sites at Plumley and Knutsford could contribute to housing choice and earlier
delivery. Larger strategic opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate around Knutsford
could support mixed communities with affordable housing, older persons housing,
specialist accommodation and a range of market housing types where justified by
evidence.
5.50. The August 2026 NPPF also places emphasis on small and medium-sized sites. Policy
HO6 requires local plans to allocate land to accommodate at least 10% of the housing
requirement on sites no larger than one hectare and a further 10% on sites between 1
and 2.5 hectares, unless there are strong reasons why this cannot be achieved.
5.51. The smaller TCE sites at Plumley and around Knutsford should be assessed in this
context. They may provide opportunities to diversify supply, support early delivery, assist
small and medium-sized builders, and contribute to the vitality of smaller settlements.
Employment and Economy
5.52. TCE supports the preparation of updated evidence on economic development needs and
employment land requirements. The Local Plan should ensure that employment land
supply is sufficient to support Cheshire East’s economic growth ambitions and that
housing growth is planned alongside employment growth.
5.53. The Local Plan should consider employment land not only through standalone
employment allocations, but also through mixed-use growth opportunities. Mixed-use
strategic sites can help create balanced communities, provide local jobs, reduce
commuting and support services.
5.54. Opportunities around Knutsford are particularly relevant to the relationship between
housing and employment growth. As a Key Service Centre with strong connections to the
strategic highway network, Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider
Cheshire and Warrington economy, Knutsford is capable of accommodating growth that
supports both housing and employment objectives. The Council should therefore assess
opportunities around the settlement not only in terms of housing delivery but also in
relation to their potential contribution towards employment growth, investment, labour
market accessibility and wider economic objectives.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.55. Opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate may also provide scope for the Council to
consider how housing growth, employment provision, infrastructure investment and
sustainable transport improvements can be planned in a coordinated manner. Whilst the
scale and form of any future development should be informed through the evidence
base, Economic Development Needs Assessment and Employment Land Review, these
opportunities should be assessed having regard to their potential contribution towards
Cheshire East's long-term economic competitiveness, job creation and wider economic
growth objectives.
Transport and Infrastructure
5.56. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that transport and infrastructure will be central to
the delivery of sustainable growth. The new Local Plan should integrate transport,
utilities, education, healthcare, digital infrastructure, green infrastructure and
community facilities with the spatial strategy and site allocation process.
5.57. Policy TR1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires sustainable transport considerations to be
addressed from the earliest stages of plan-making. It requires plans to locate
development where it can support sustainable patterns of movement and make effective
use of existing or proposed transport infrastructure.
5.58. TCE considers that transport accessibility should be a central factor in determining the
spatial strategy. The Council should consider public transport accessibility, rail
connectivity, active travel potential, access to services, relationship to strategic highway
corridors and the ability of development to support infrastructure improvements.
5.59. TCE’s landholdings around Knutsford and the wider Tabley Estate are well related to the
strategic highway network, including the M6 corridor, and to Knutsford’s role as a Key
Service Centre. The Plumley sites are particularly relevant because of their proximity to
Plumley railway station.
5.60. The Local Plan should therefore assess station-related growth opportunities in a positive
and evidence-led way. In particular, Plumley should be assessed not only by reference to
its current settlement classification, but also by reference to its rail connectivity and the
potential for planned growth to support sustainable travel patterns.
5.61. Infrastructure requirements should be viewed not only as constraints, but also as
opportunities. Larger strategic sites can help deliver new infrastructure, green
infrastructure, active travel routes and community facilities in a coordinated way. This is
particularly relevant to TCE’s larger scale land interests around Knutsford and within the
wider Tabley Estate, where the scale of development could support comprehensive
infrastructure planning.
Local Plan Evidence Base
5.62. TCE supports the preparation of a robust, proportionate and up-to-date evidence base.
This will be critical to ensuring that the Local Plan is justified, effective and capable of
meeting development needs.
5.63. TCE considers that the following evidence will be particularly important:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Grey Belt assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Economic Development Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan;
 Viability Assessment;
 Sustainability Appraisal;
 Heritage Assessment;
 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment;
 transport evidence; and
 Environmental and landscape evidence.
5.64. The Council should publish key methodologies and emerging findings at the earliest
appropriate stage to allow meaningful engagement. This is particularly important in
relation to the Green Belt Assessment, Grey Belt findings, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
Land Availability Assessment and Spatial Distribution Report.
5.65. The evidence base should be capable of assessing different site typologies consistently
and fairly. It should not apply a methodology that unintentionally favours only small sites,
only urban sites, or only previously developed land. Existing allocations, safeguarded
land, smaller and medium-sized sites, urban extensions and new settlement options
should all be assessed in a manner appropriate to their scale and potential contribution.
5.66. TCE requests that its landholdings across the Tabley Estate are assessed fully through
this process and that their potential contribution to housing, employment, infrastructure,
environmental enhancement and sustainable transport is considered on a consistent
basis with other promoted sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
6. Proposed Local Plan
Engagement Strategy
Engagement approach and methods
6.1. TCE supports continued engagement with landowners, site promoters, infrastructure
providers, communities and other stakeholders throughout the plan-making process.
Effective engagement will be essential to ensuring that the Local Plan is informed by
realistic evidence on site availability, deliverability, infrastructure requirements and
phasing.
6.2. For strategic sites, engagement should allow promoters to clarify technical evidence,
infrastructure assumptions, access arrangements, phasing, masterplanning principles
and delivery timescales. This will assist the Council in assessing sites accurately and
consistently.
6.3. This is particularly important for larger opportunities such as those within the wider
Tabley Estate, where careful consideration will be required in relation to infrastructure,
transport, landscape, ecology, heritage, phasing and long-term stewardship.
6.4. TCE would welcome continued engagement with Cheshire East Council as the new Local
Plan progresses, including discussions regarding the emerging evidence base, site
assessment methodology, Green Belt Assessment, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
infrastructure requirements and spatial strategy.
Plan programme and timeline
6.5. TCE supports the Council's proposed programme for Local Plan preparation. Given the
scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East and the Council's current housing land
supply position, it is important that the Local Plan continues to progress without
unnecessary delay.
6.6. Delays in plan preparation risk extending the period during which development decisions
are made in the absence of an up-to-date plan-led strategy. The Council should therefore
seek to maintain momentum, ensure that key evidence is prepared and made available
to stakeholders at an early stage, and continue engagement with stakeholders
throughout the process.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
7. Conclusion
7.1. TCE supports the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan for Cheshire East. The new Local Plan is being prepared in a materially changed
planning context, including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s
current housing land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging
Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy and the publication of the August
2026 NPPF during the consultation period.
7.2. TCE considers that the Local Plan should plan to meet the revised standard method
housing requirement as a minimum and should test whether a higher housing
requirement is justified having regard to economic growth, affordable housing need,
infrastructure investment and emerging sub-regional priorities.
7.3. The Local Plan should identify a sufficient supply and mix of deliverable and developable
sites, including brownfield sites, existing allocations, safeguarded land, smaller and
medium-sized sites, sustainable urban extensions, station-related growth and potential
new settlement opportunities. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council
should also adopt a positive interim approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals
on safeguarded land to support short-term housing delivery.
7.4. A review of the Green Belt will be a necessary and important part of the plan-making
process. The Green Belt Assessment should be robust, transparent and sufficiently
detailed to identify variations in Green Belt performance. It should also consider the
sustainability of locations and the ability of development to deliver infrastructure,
services and environmental benefits.
7.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate that opportunities exist across a range of locations and
planning contexts within Cheshire East. These include allocated and safeguarded land
around Knutsford, opportunities around Plumley and larger-scale opportunities within
the wider Tabley Estate. Taken together, these locations provide a range of alternatives
capable of being assessed through the emerging evidence base as the Council considers
how best to accommodate future housing, employment and infrastructure requirements
and establish a sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy. TCE therefore requests that
Cheshire East Council assesses its landholdings fully and positively through the
emerging evidence base, publishes key methodologies and findings early enough to
enable meaningful engagement, and continues direct dialogue with TCE as the Local
Plan progresses. This will help ensure that the Plan is ambitious, deliverable and capable
of meeting Cheshire East’s housing, employment, infrastructure and environmental
objectives over the full plan period.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
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The Crown Estate
Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan
Scoping Consultation 2026
September 2026The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Contents
1. Introduction 3
2. New Local Plan 5
3. Context for the new Local Plan 7
4. Baseline information and spatial portrait 12
5. Scope of the new Local Plan 14
6. Proposed Local Plan Engagement Strategy 23
7. Conclusion 24The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
1. Introduction
1.1. Deloitte LLP is instructed by The Crown Estate ("TCE") to submit representations to the
Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation (2026). TCE welcomes the opportunity to
engage at this early stage in the preparation of the new Cheshire East Local Plan. The
scoping consultation represents an important stage in establishing the matters that the
Local Plan should address, the evidence base required to support it, and the approach to
future engagement with stakeholders.
1.2. The new Local Plan will need to respond to a materially changed planning context,
including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s current housing
land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging Cheshire and
Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, and the publication of the August 2026
National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”) during the consultation period.
1.3. TCE welcomes the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan which meets identified housing and employment needs, supports sustainable
economic growth, and directs development to locations that are, or can be made,
sustainable through appropriate infrastructure provision, public transport accessibility,
active travel connections, environmental enhancement and long-term stewardship.
1.4. In summary, TCE considers that the new Local Plan should:
 meet identified housing and employment needs in full and test whether
additional growth is justified by economic, affordable housing or infrastructure
considerations;
 establish a clear and deliverable spatial strategy informed by a robust
assessment of reasonable alternatives;
 assess Green Belt, Grey Belt and safeguarded land through a transparent and
integrated methodology;
 give appropriate weight to well-connected locations, including Key Service
Centres and rail-connected settlements;
 identify a diverse portfolio of sites capable of contributing across different scales
and timescales; and
 integrate infrastructure, employment, sustainable transport and environmental
enhancement with decisions about the location of growth.
Background and Context
1.5. TCE is a long-term landowner within Cheshire East through its ownership of the Tabley
Estate, with landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley. Its interests include land
allocated for development within the adopted Local Plan, safeguarded land identified
through the adopted Local Plan process, and a wider portfolio of landholdings which
have been submitted through the Council’s recent Call for Sites process.
1.6. As a long-term landowner and steward of public assets, TCE is committed to working
positively with Cheshire East Council throughout preparation of the new Local Plan.
These representations seek to support the preparation of a robust and evidence-ledThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Local Plan and to ensure that a broad range of growth opportunities are appropriately
assessed through the emerging evidence base and site assessment process.
1.7. TCE’s land interests are relevant to the preparation of the emerging Local Plan in a
number of respects. These include:
 Land West of Manchester Road, Knutsford, which comprises land allocated for
residential and employment development within the adopted Local Plan (LPS 36).
A full planning application (ref. 26/1231/FUL) was submitted in March 2026 on
parcel B of the allocation, which is currently being determined. TCE remains
committed to delivering the remainder of the allocation in a timely fashion.
 Land North and South of Tabley Road, Knutsford, comprising safeguarded land
identified in adopted Local Plan policies LPS 39 and LPS 40 as land to meet
longer-term development needs.
 A wider portfolio of landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley, comprising
opportunities of differing scales and characteristics submitted through the
Council’s Call for Sites process. This includes land associated with the potential
future growth of Knutsford as a Key Service Centre, opportunities associated with
the rail-connected settlement of Plumley, and larger landholdings capable of
being considered as part of the Council's assessment of longer-term growth
options.
1.8. Collectively, these land interests comprise a diverse portfolio of opportunities of
different scales and locations within Cheshire East. The emerging Local Plan and
supporting evidence base should therefore assess these interests appropriately as part
of the Council’s consideration of future growth options and the preparation of a
sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy.
1.9. The range of options identified above is particularly relevant given the materially
increased housing requirement and the need for the Local Plan to identify a sufficient and
resilient supply of suitable, available and deliverable sites.
1.10. It is therefore critical that the new Local Plan is prepared positively, quickly and on the
basis of robust evidence. The plan must identify a sufficient supply of suitable, available
and deliverable sites to meet housing and employment needs in full, while providing a
clear framework for infrastructure, environmental enhancement and high-quality
placemaking.
1.11. These representations have been prepared having regard to the NPPF published in
August 2026, which applies to relevant plan-making from 17 August 2026. The Council
should therefore review the consultation responses, evidence base and next stages of
Plan preparation against the final Framework, particularly in relation to Green Belt, Grey
Belt, station-related development, strategic sites, housing delivery, economic growth
and national decision-making policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
2. New Local Plan
Matters addressed in the new Local Plan
2.1. TCE supports the broad range of matters identified by the Council for inclusion within the
new Local Plan. These appropriately cover housing, employment, transport,
infrastructure, climate change, environmental matters, design and placemaking, health
and wellbeing and sustainable economic growth.
2.2. However, TCE considers that the Local Plan should be framed first and foremost around
the need to respond positively to the significant increase in development requirements
now facing Cheshire East. The revised standard method housing need figure, changes to
national policy and the Council's current housing land supply position collectively
indicate that the new Local Plan will require the Council to reconsider the scale and
distribution of growth that informed the adopted Local Plan Strategy.
2.3. In this context, the Local Plan should prioritise the following matters, which will be
central to establishing a positive and deliverable growth strategy:
 meeting housing and employment needs in full;
 establishing a clear and deliverable spatial strategy;
 undertaking an evidence-led review of Green Belt and Grey Belt land where
necessary to meet identified needs;
 identifying a sufficient supply of deliverable and developable sites;
 planning infrastructure alongside growth;
 promoting sustainable transport and well-connected locations; and
 supporting long-term economic competitiveness.
2.4. TCE considers that these issues are intrinsically linked and should not be considered
through separate strategic policy workstreams. Housing, employment, infrastructure,
transport and environmental enhancement should instead form part of a single
integrated growth strategy.
Why prepare a new Local Plan
2.5. TCE strongly supports the preparation of a new Local Plan. The adopted Local Plan was
prepared within a materially different policy and housing context. The increased housing
requirement, national policy changes, the Council’s housing land supply position and the
emerging Cheshire and Warrington strategic context require a new and deliverable
spatial strategy.
2.6. An up-to-date Plan will provide the framework needed to coordinate housing,
employment, infrastructure and environmental improvements. Without it, there is a
greater risk that development will be determined through individual applications and
appeals rather than through a planned spatial strategy.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Developing the new Local Plan
2.7. TCE supports the Council's intention to progress the Local Plan in accordance with the
new plan-making system.
2.8. The emerging Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy (‘SDS’) will form an
important part of the wider strategic planning context, including in relation to broad
growth locations, infrastructure and economic priorities. The Cheshire East Local Plan
should continue without delay while retaining sufficient flexibility to respond to relevant
strategic priorities as the SDS emerges. The NPPF and PPG emphasise the importance of
effective cooperation on strategic planning matters. Given the Combined Authority's role
in coordinating growth, infrastructure and transport priorities across the city region, the
Council should continue to engage closely with the Combined Authority throughout plan
preparation to ensure alignment with wider strategic objectives.
2.9. The Council should ensure that decisions regarding the spatial strategy are informed by a
robust and proportionate evidence base. In particular, the following studies will have a
critical role in shaping future growth options:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan; and
 Viability Assessment.
2.10. TCE considers it important that these documents are prepared and published sufficiently
early to enable meaningful engagement before key strategic decisions become fixed.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3. Context for the new Local
Plan
Increase in housing requirements
3.1. The materially increased housing requirement represents a fundamental change in the
planning context for the new Local Plan. It will require the Council to reconsider the
distribution of growth, the role of different settlements, realistic brownfield capacity, the
need for Green Belt release, and safeguarded land, settlement extensions and strategicscale opportunities.
3.2. Policies HO1 and HO2 of the August 2026 NPPF require the Plan to establish a housing
requirement based on local housing need as a minimum and to consider a higher figure
where justified as necessary to reflect economic growth and infrastructure investment.
TCE considers that the Plan should meet the revised standard method figure as a
minimum and test whether a higher requirement is justified by economic growth,
infrastructure investment, affordable housing need and emerging Cheshire and
Warrington SDS priorities.
3.3. The Council’s current five-year housing land supply position reinforces the need for a
positive and deliverable plan-led strategy. Cheshire East Council’s latest published
Housing Monitoring Update (March 2025) concludes that the Council has 3.3 years’
supply of deliverable housing sites against the required five years. In the absence of a
demonstrable five-year supply, housing delivery is increasingly influenced by
applications and appeals rather than a coordinated spatial strategy. Strong recent
delivery identified through the Housing Delivery Test (August 2026) is welcomed, but it is
not a substitute for a positively prepared Local Plan capable of maintaining housing
delivery through the plan period.
3.4. This shortfall demonstrates that the Local Plan must identify a larger and more resilient
portfolio of deliverable and developable sites. It should not rely on any single source of
supply or any single settlement tier. Instead, it should identify strategic allocations,
urban extensions, station-related opportunities, and smaller and medium-sized sites
capable of supporting delivery across the plan period, whilst also helping to maintain and
enhance the vitality of settlements across the Borough by supporting local services,
facilities, infrastructure and sustainable communities.
3.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate the breadth of opportunities that may be available to
support this approach and should be assessed through the emerging evidence base
alongside other reasonable alternatives.
Changes to Green Belt policy
3.6. TCE supports the Council’s intention to undertake a borough-wide Green Belt
Assessment as part of the Local Plan evidence base. This will be a critical component of
the emerging Plan given the significant extent of Green Belt within Cheshire East and the
scale of development now required.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3.7. The Green Belt is an important planning designation and its purposes should be properly
assessed. However, it should not be treated as a fixed constraint that prevents
consideration of sustainable growth options where development needs cannot otherwise
be met. The August 2026 NPPF provides a clear framework for Green Belt review through
plan-making where exceptional circumstances are evidenced and justified.
3.8. Policy GB3 of the NPPF confirms that exceptional circumstances include situations
where a local planning authority is unable to meet its identified need for homes,
commercial or other development in full, having examined all other reasonable options.
That position is directly relevant to Cheshire East, given the significant increase in
housing need and the Council’s current housing land supply position.
3.9. Policy GB4 requires Green Belt boundary alterations to promote sustainable patterns of
development, giving priority to previously developed land in sustainable locations, then
Grey Belt land in sustainable locations, and then other Green Belt locations where this
would promote a sustainable pattern of development overall. The assessment should
therefore consider not only the Green Belt function of land, but also the sustainability of
the location and the ability of development to support infrastructure, services and
sustainable movement patterns.
3.10. TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be sufficiently detailed to identify
variations in how land performs against Green Belt purposes. Broad-brush assessment
parcels risk obscuring opportunities where land performs a limited Green Belt function,
where defensible boundaries exist, or where development could be planned
comprehensively without undermining the wider function of the Green Belt.
3.11. The assessment should pay particular attention to opportunities around Knutsford. As a
Key Service Centre with a strong range of services, facilities, employment opportunities
and transport connections, the settlement is capable of accommodating growth. The
Green Belt Assessment should therefore consider the extent to which opportunities
around the settlement could contribute towards the Borough’s development
requirements.
3.12. Plumley should be assessed positively in light of its railway station. Its role should not be
judged solely by population size or current settlement classification, but also by its
public transport accessibility and its potential to support sustainable travel, local
services and proportionate housing growth. Opportunities around Plumley should
therefore be assessed through the Settlement Hierarchy Review and Spatial Distribution
Strategy, having regard to their ability to support sustainable travel patterns, local
services and proportionate growth.
3.13. The safeguarded land north and south of Tabley Road (LPS 39 and LPS 40) is an example
of land that has already been identified through the adopted Local Plan as land which
may be required to meet longer-term development needs, and which remains available
to be considered as part of the emerging Local Plan. In the context of the revised housing
requirement and the lack of a five-year housing land supply, the Council should consider
a more general, positive approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals on
safeguarded land in advance of and separate from the completion of the Local Plan
process.
3.14. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council should consider preparing an
interim housing position statement setting out a positive and transparent approach to the
determination of housing proposals on safeguarded land. Such an approach would not
alter the formal designation of the land, which would remain a matter for the Local PlanThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
review, nor displace the statutory priority afforded to the development plan. It would,
however, recognise that policies restricting housing development on safeguarded land
should be applied in light of the Council’s current housing land supply position, the
materially increased housing requirement and the presumption in favour of sustainable
development.
3.15. The approach adopted by Kirklees Council provides a relevant precedent. Its Interim
Housing Position Statement retains the adopted safeguarded-land designation but
recognises that, in the absence of a five-year housing land supply, safeguarded sites may
provide opportunities for early housing development where constraints can be
overcome. Cheshire East should adopt a similarly positive approach, giving substantial
weight to sustainable and deliverable proposals on safeguarded land, particularly where
sites are well related to existing settlements, can be supported by appropriate
infrastructure and are capable of contributing to housing supply within the short term.
Such an approach would provide an appropriate framework for the early consideration of
the safeguarded land relating to LPS 39 and LPS 40, both of which are well related to
Knutsford and capable of contributing to housing delivery in the short term.
3.16. TCE supports a robust Green Belt and Grey Belt assessment but considers that it must
be applied in a manner that enables genuinely sustainable and deliverable sites to be
considered through the plan-making process. Given the central role that Green Belt and
Grey Belt considerations are likely to play in accommodating Cheshire East's future
development needs, TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be treated as
a priority evidence base document and prepared sufficiently early to inform key decisions
regarding the spatial strategy and distribution of growth. This will be essential if the Local
Plan is to meet development needs in full while promoting a sustainable spatial strategy.
Brownfield Development
3.17. TCE supports the effective use of previously developed land where such land is suitable,
available and deliverable. A brownfield-first approach is appropriate and consistent with
national policy.
3.18. However, the scale of housing and employment growth now facing Cheshire East means
that brownfield land alone will not provide a sufficient solution. The Council's own
monitoring evidence demonstrates that a substantial proportion of development has
historically been delivered on greenfield sites, with previously developed land accounting
for only around one-third of housing completions in recent monitoring years. Brownfield
sites can also face constraints relating to ownership, viability, contamination,
infrastructure, market demand and delivery timescales. The Local Plan should therefore
avoid placing undue reliance on brownfield capacity where there is no clear evidence
that it can meet the Borough’s needs in full.
3.19. The Council’s own scoping material identifies that the new Local Plan may need to
consider a range of options, including densification, further development within existing
settlements, edge-of-settlement growth, large-scale urban extensions and new
settlements. TCE supports that broad approach.
3.20. The Local Plan should therefore maximise brownfield opportunities while also identifying
sustainable greenfield and Green Belt locations where these are necessary to meet
housing and employment needs. TCE’s landholdings across the Tabley Estate provide
examples of greenfield and Green Belt opportunities that could deliver new homes,
employment land, infrastructure, open space and environmental benefits in sustainable
locations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Economic Growth
3.21. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that Cheshire East has an important economic
role and that the new Local Plan must plan positively for employment growth, investment
and long-term competitiveness. The emerging Plan should ensure that housing,
employment and infrastructure are planned in a coordinated manner so that growth is
capable of supporting sustainable economic outcomes across the Borough.
3.22. Policy E1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to establish a clear
economic vision and strategy, support business investment, and allocate sites to meet
anticipated employment needs over the plan period. The policy recognises the
importance of providing flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances and
supporting a diverse range of sectors and business activities.
3.23. Housing and employment growth should not be considered separately. A sustainable
spatial strategy should seek to align new homes with employment opportunities,
services, infrastructure and sustainable transport. This will help reduce commuting
distances, support inclusive economic growth and ensure that housing delivery supports
the labour force required by the local economy.
3.24. Given Knutsford's role as a Key Service Centre and its proximity to strategic transport
infrastructure, opportunities around the settlement should be assessed not only in terms
of housing delivery but also in terms of their ability to support employment growth,
investment and wider economic objectives across Cheshire East and the sub-region.
Knutsford benefits from strong connectivity to the strategic highway network,
Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider Cheshire and Warrington
economy. The Council's assessment of growth options around the settlement should
therefore take account of their potential contribution to both housing and employment
needs.
3.25. TCE’s land interests associated with the wider Tabley Estate also provide an opportunity
for the Council to consider how larger-scale growth options could contribute towards
economic objectives over the longer term. In addition to supporting housing delivery,
such opportunities may have the potential to support employment provision,
infrastructure investment, sustainable transport improvements and enhanced
connectivity between homes, jobs and services. The precise scale and form of any such
contribution should be determined through the evidence base and site assessment
process.
3.26. Opportunities around Knutsford, together with other opportunities within the wider
Tabley Estate, should therefore be assessed through the Economic Development Needs
Assessment, Employment Land Review and Spatial Distribution Strategy. This
assessment should consider not only their ability to contribute towards housing delivery,
but also their potential role in supporting labour market accessibility, business growth,
infrastructure investment and wider economic competitiveness.
3.27. More generally, the Local Plan should assess a broad range of growth options and
determine the most appropriate scale and distribution of development having regard to
housing need, employment requirements, infrastructure capacity, sustainability
considerations and long-term economic objectives. The Plan should provide sufficient
flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances whilst ensuring that future
growth contributes positively to Cheshire East's economic success and competitiveness.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Spatial Development Strategy
3.28. TCE notes that Cheshire East is now part of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined
Authority area and that a Spatial Development Strategy will be prepared for Cheshire and
Warrington. TCE supports strategic planning at the sub-regional level, particularly where
it helps align housing, employment, infrastructure, transport and environmental priorities
across administrative boundaries.
3.29. However, preparation of the Cheshire East Local Plan should not be delayed pending the
Spatial Development Strategy. The Local Plan should continue to progress, identify
sufficient land to meet development needs and establish an appropriate spatial strategy,
while retaining flexibility to respond to any relevant strategic priorities that emerge
through the SDS process.
3.30. Policy PM1 of the August 2026 NPPF confirms that Spatial Development Strategies
should identify broad locations for growth and regeneration, including new settlements,
major urban extensions and major cross-boundary development where appropriate. TCE
supports this approach, recognising that large-scale strategic development requires
coordinated planning across administrative boundaries, particularly in relation to
transport, utilities and wider infrastructure capacity and delivery. The Cheshire East
Local Plan should therefore align with any broad growth locations identified through the
forthcoming Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, while retaining
sufficient flexibility to respond to the SDS as it emerges. This alignment will be important
to ensure that strategic sites are planned comprehensively and supported by the
infrastructure necessary for their delivery.
3.31. Opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are of sufficient scale
to warrant assessment through the Local Plan process and, where relevant, the emerging
spatial development strategy. Their potential role should be informed through the
Council's evidence base and considered alongside other reasonable alternatives in
establishing the most appropriate spatial strategy.
National Decision-Making Policies
3.32. TCE supports the Council's recognition that the introduction of National Decision-Making
Policies provides an opportunity for local plans to focus on genuinely local matters.
3.33. The Local Plan should avoid unnecessary duplication of national policy and instead
focus on the issues that are specific to Cheshire East, including the spatial strategy, site
allocations, settlement hierarchy, Green Belt review, affordable housing requirements
and infrastructure planning.
3.34. However, this should not result in an overly narrow plan. The Local Plan remains the
primary mechanism through which Cheshire East will determine how and where future
growth is accommodated and therefore should provide a strategic vision that aligns with
national and regional policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
4. Baseline information and
spatial portrait
Connectivity
4.1. TCE supports the Council's recognition of Cheshire East's strong connectivity and
strategic location. The Borough benefits from excellent connections to regional and
national transport networks, including the M6 and M56 motorways, Manchester Airport
and an extensive rail network.
4.2. Connectivity should form a central part of the future spatial strategy. The Local Plan
should direct growth towards locations which are well connected by public transport or
which have the ability to support improvements to sustainable transport infrastructure.
4.3. The August 2026 NPPF places increased emphasis on locating development where it can
make effective use of existing and proposed transport infrastructure, including through
its support for residential and mixed-use development within reasonable walking
distance of qualifying well-connected railway stations. In this regard, opportunities
around Knutsford, including land associated with the Tabley Estate, should be assessed
in the context of the settlement's role as a Key Service Centre, its relationship with the
strategic highway network and its accessibility to employment and services. Future
growth in this part of the Borough has the potential to support sustainable travel patterns
and infrastructure investment where planned comprehensively.
4.4. Opportunities around Plumley are also relevant in this context. As a rail-connected
settlement, Plumley provides a distinctive opportunity to consider how proportionate
growth can support sustainable travel patterns, reinforce the role of the railway station
and contribute to the long-term vitality of local services and facilities.
4.5. Larger-scale opportunities within TCE's land portfolio may provide scope for transport
and infrastructure requirements to be considered comprehensively alongside
development. The Council should assess not only current accessibility but also the
extent to which growth may support improvements to transport, active travel,
infrastructure and service provision.
Economic contribution
4.6. Cheshire East plays a significant role within the wider North West economy and benefits
from a diverse economic base, strong transport connections and a number of nationally
and regionally important employment centres. The Borough's economic success has
historically been supported by its ability to attract and retain a skilled workforce, provide
a high-quality environment for investment and deliver a range of housing opportunities
across its settlements.
4.7. TCE supports the Council's recognition that economic growth should remain a central
component of the emerging Local Plan. The Local Plan should not treat housing delivery
and economic development as separate policy objectives. Instead, it should recognise
that the two are fundamentally linked and that a sufficient supply of homes is essential toThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
support labour market growth, improve affordability and maintain the competitiveness of
the Borough's economy.
4.8. The emerging evidence base should therefore consider how housing need, employment
growth and infrastructure provision interact. This is particularly important given the
significant increase in housing requirements and the potential implications this may have
for labour supply, commuting patterns and business investment. The Local Plan should
ensure that growth is distributed in a manner that supports both existing employment
centres and future economic opportunities.
4.9. TCE considers that strategic and mixed-use development opportunities can play an
important role in delivering this objective. Larger sites are often capable of supporting
housing, employment, community infrastructure and sustainable transport
improvements through a coordinated and masterplanned approach. Such opportunities
can help create balanced communities, reduce the need to travel and provide greater
certainty regarding infrastructure delivery.
4.10. The Local Plan should therefore positively assess a range of growth options capable of
supporting both housing and economic objectives. This should include consideration of
strategic urban extensions, mixed-use sites and potential longer-term growth
opportunities where these can contribute towards the Borough's economic resilience,
competitiveness and productivity.
4.11. Overall, the Local Plan should seek to establish a clear relationship between housing
growth, employment growth and infrastructure investment, ensuring that future
development supports Cheshire East's role as a sustainable and economically
successful location within the wider region.
4.12. Strategic growth opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are
particularly relevant because they can integrate homes, employment land, transport
improvements, digital infrastructure, utilities and sustainable travel connections through
comprehensive masterplanning. Their relationship with the M6 corridor, Knutsford
railway station and the Mid-Cheshire rail corridor should be assessed as part of the
evidence base, particularly where this could support labour market accessibility,
business connectivity and investment in high-value sectors.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5. Scope of the new Local
Plan
Local Plan Period
5.1. TCE supports the proposed plan period to 2045. However, the Local Plan should also
consider longer-term growth requirements beyond the end of the plan period, particularly
where strategic urban extensions or new settlement opportunities are being assessed.
Larger sites may require delivery across multiple phases and potentially beyond a single
plan period. This should not prevent such opportunities from being considered through
the plan-making process, although their delivery may extend beyond a single plan period.
Vision and Objectives
5.2. TCE supports the preparation of a clear, locally distinctive and deliverable vision for
Cheshire East. The vision should respond directly to the changed planning context,
including the higher housing requirement, current housing land supply shortfall,
economic growth ambitions, the need for Green Belt review and the publication of the
August 2026 NPPF.
5.3. The vision should not simply seek to manage growth. It should explain how Cheshire East
will accommodate growth positively and sustainably, while delivering homes,
employment, infrastructure, environmental enhancement and healthy communities.
5.4. TCE considers that the vision and objectives should include the following priorities:
 meeting housing need in full, as a minimum;
 testing whether a higher housing requirement is justified by economic growth,
affordable housing need or infrastructure investment;
 supporting sustainable economic growth and employment delivery;
 ensuring a sufficient supply of affordable homes and a broad housing mix;
 reviewing Green Belt boundaries where necessary to meet needs;
 testing strategic urban extensions and new settlement options;
 supporting growth at sustainable settlements and rail-connected locations;
 integrating infrastructure planning with site allocation decisions;
 delivering multifunctional green infrastructure, biodiversity net gain and climate
resilience; and
 maintaining a deliverable supply of sites throughout the plan period.
Identifying and assessing sites
5.5. TCE supports the Council’s intention to prepare a robust and evidence-led assessment
of potential development sites. The assessment process will be critical to ensuring thatThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
the Local Plan identifies a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet the Borough’s
development needs.
5.6. Policy PM9 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to be informed by an
assessment of land available to meet development needs, including consideration of
availability, suitability, achievability, likely viability, site capacity and delivery timescales.
5.7. TCE considers that the site assessment methodology should be transparent,
proportionate and capable of assessing different categories of site. It should not be
designed in a way that favours only one type or scale of development. Smaller sites,
safeguarded land, settlement-edge opportunities, strategic urban extensions and new
settlements will all need to be assessed through an appropriate methodology.
5.8. The assessment process should give appropriate weight to:
 land ownership and availability;
 deliverability and likely delivery timescales;
 ability to contribute to five-year housing land supply;
 relationship to existing settlements and services;
 relationship to railway stations and strategic transport corridors;
 potential to deliver housing, employment and community facilities together;
 ability to support affordable housing and housing choice;
 infrastructure requirements and opportunities;
 ability to deliver green infrastructure and biodiversity net gain;
 Green Belt performance, where relevant;
 landscape, heritage, ecology and flood risk considerations; and
 long-term flexibility and phasing.
5.9. The assessment should avoid applying overly restrictive criteria at an early stage. In
particular, strategic sites and new settlement options should not be discounted simply
because they require comprehensive masterplanning or longer delivery periods. Such
sites may be important to maintaining supply over the middle and later parts of the plan
period and may provide opportunities to deliver infrastructure and environmental
benefits at scale.
5.10. TCE’s landholdings are relevant to this assessment because they include sites capable
of contributing across a range of timescales. The allocated land West of Manchester
Road, the safeguarded land at Tabley Road and smaller sites around Knutsford and
Plumley could contribute early in the plan period. Larger scale opportunities within the
wider Tabley Estate provide longer-term strategic options capable of supporting
comprehensive infrastructure-led growth.
5.11. TCE therefore requests that the Council’s site assessment methodology expressly
recognises the different roles that sites can play across the plan period, including early
delivery, settlement-edge growth, rail-connected growth, and strategic urban extensions
and new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Green Belt
5.12. TCE notes the approach set out at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 of the scoping consultation
for determining whether Green Belt boundary changes are required. This exercise should
be integrated with, rather than undertaken separately from, the assessment of sites,
settlement hierarchy and spatial distribution. The Council’s own consultation identifies
site selection, Green Belt, settlement hierarchy and spatial strategy as interrelated
considerations in planning for growth.
5.13. TCE supports the assessment of future development needs and the effective use of
suitable brownfield and underused land. However, the sequential considerations listed
at paragraph 5.17 should not operate as a series of rigid filters through which otherwise
sustainable Green Belt sites are excluded before their comparative merits have been
assessed. In particular, the existence of theoretical capacity outside the Green Belt
should not be treated as sufficient unless that capacity is demonstrated to be suitable,
available, deliverable and capable of supporting a sustainable spatial strategy.
5.14. All reasonable growth options should therefore be assessed through a consistent and
transparent framework. For Green Belt sites, this should bring together:
 the contribution of the land to Green Belt purposes, including whether it
comprises Grey Belt;
 the site’s relationship with the settlement hierarchy and existing settlement form;
 accessibility to services, employment and public transport, including railway
stations;
 infrastructure capacity and the opportunity for development to deliver
improvements;
 availability, deliverability, viability, capacity and likely phasing;
 environmental, landscape, heritage and flood-risk considerations; and
 the ability to deliver housing, employment, community facilities, green
infrastructure and wider public benefits comprehensively.
5.15. This would align the Green Belt exercise with the wider spatial-distribution factors
identified by the Council, which include housing and employment needs, infrastructure,
services, environmental constraints, Green Belt, brownfield availability, site availability,
market attractiveness and viability.
5.16. TCE considers that “considering sites outside the Green Belt first” should mean that
reasonable non-Green Belt alternatives are properly examined; it should not establish an
automatic preference for a less sustainable or less deliverable location solely because it
lies outside the Green Belt. Comparative assessment should consider whether each
option would promote a sustainable pattern of development and contribute effectively to
meeting identified needs.
5.17. Similarly, optimising density and maximising brownfield capacity are important
components of the strategy, but the Council should test whether the resulting capacity is
realistic and deliverable over the plan period. These measures should not be relied upon
to defer the assessment of Green Belt opportunities where additional land may be
required to meet development needs in full and maintain a sufficient and resilient supply
of sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.18. Where exceptional circumstances are identified, decisions on potential Green Belt
release should be made through the wider spatial strategy and site-selection process.
Appropriate weight should be given to opportunities that are well related to existing
settlements or well-connected railway stations, as well as strategic sites capable of
delivering infrastructure, employment provision, sustainable transport, community
facilities and environmental improvements through comprehensive masterplanning. The
Council expressly anticipates testing a range of options, including edge-of-settlement
growth, large-scale urban extensions and new settlements; Green Belt location or site
scale should not prevent those options from being assessed on a comparable basis.
5.19. The land availability methodology should explain clearly how Green Belt considerations
will interact with the initial site sift, scoring and subsequent allocation stages. Sites
should not be filtered out solely because of their existing Green Belt designation before
the Green Belt assessment, settlement hierarchy review, spatial distribution work and
sustainability assessment have been considered together. The Council proposes to
publish its methodology and initial site assessments at the subsequent plan content and
evidence consultation; these should provide a clear audit trail showing how the factors
above have informed each assessment.
5.20. Applied in this way, the approach at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 would enable the Local
Plan to identify the most sustainable and deliverable combination of sites while
protecting Green Belt land that makes the strongest contribution to its purposes. It would
also ensure that smaller releases, safeguarded land, settlement extensions and
strategic-scale opportunities are assessed fairly and through a methodology appropriate
to their scale and potential contribution.
5.21. TCE requests that the Council clearly sets out how the findings of the Green Belt
assessment have informed the assessment of reasonable alternatives and site selection
process, alongside sustainability, deliverability and infrastructure considerations.
5.22. Pending the completion of that process, the Council should also consider an interim
housing position statement establishing a positive and transparent approach to
sustainable and deliverable housing proposals on safeguarded land, as set out earlier in
these representations.
Strategic green gap
5.23. TCE supports the Council's intention to review the Strategic Green Gap designation and
its role within the emerging Local Plan.
5.24. Strategic Green Gaps can play an important role in maintaining the separation and
identity of settlements. However, the review should be evidence based and should
recognise that not all land within a designated gap performs the same function.
5.25. The assessment should identify those locations that make the greatest contribution to
maintaining separation whilst recognising that the scale of development needs now
facing Cheshire East may require a balanced assessment between protecting settlement
identity and accommodating sustainable growth.
5.26. The Strategic Green Gap should therefore not operate as an absolute constraint on
development. Instead, it should form part of a wider planning balance which takes
account of housing need, sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure provision and
landscape considerations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Settlement Hierarchy
5.27. TCE supports the Council’s intention to review the settlement hierarchy as part of the
preparation of the new Local Plan. Given the scale of housing need now facing Cheshire
East, the settlement hierarchy will play a significant role in shaping the distribution of
development and identifying sustainable locations for growth.
5.28. The hierarchy should be informed by an up-to-date assessment of the role and function
of settlements. It should consider access to services and facilities, employment
opportunities, public transport, active travel, strategic infrastructure, settlement form,
market demand, recent growth, infrastructure capacity and the potential for
development to support improvements.
5.29. TCE supports Knutsford continuing to be identified as a Key Service Centre. Knutsford
has a strong range of services, facilities and employment opportunities, and benefits
from a strategically accessible location. It should therefore be considered as a
settlement capable of accommodating a meaningful proportion of future growth.
5.30. The previous Local Plan directed approximately 950 dwellings to Knutsford, which was
lower than the level of growth directed to several other Key Service Centres. In light of the
increased housing requirement and the scale of available land around the settlement,
the new Local Plan should consider whether Knutsford should accommodate a greater
level of growth over the new plan period.
5.31. TCE’s land interests around Knutsford provide a practical basis for assessing this issue.
Land West of Manchester Road is already allocated for mixed-use development. Land
North and South of Tabley Road comprises safeguarded land capable of forming a logical
next phase of growth. Given the Council's current housing land supply position and
increased housing requirement, these sites should be considered not only through the
Local Plan review but also through any interim approach adopted in respect of
safeguarded land proposals. Larger scale opportunities around Knutsford could deliver
homes, employment, services, open space and infrastructure in a comprehensive
manner.
5.32. TCE also considers that the role of Plumley should be reviewed carefully. Plumley
benefits from a railway station and should not be assessed in the same way as more
remote rural settlements with no rail connectivity. The August 2026 NPPF includes
support for development associated with well-connected stations, subject to relevant
criteria.
5.33. The Settlement Hierarchy Review should therefore give appropriate weight to public
transport accessibility and the potential for station-related growth. TCE’s land interests
around Plumley provide examples of opportunities that could contribute to proportionate
growth at a rail-connected settlement.
Spatial Distribution
5.34. TCE considers that the spatial distribution of development is one of the most important
matters for the new Local Plan. The scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East
means that the Council will need to test a broad range of options and should avoid an
overly narrow approach to growth.
5.35. TCE supports a balanced spatial strategy which draws on a variety of site types and
locations. This should include urban regeneration, brownfield land, existing allocations,
safeguarded land, sustainable urban extensions, station-related development, smaller
and medium-sized sites, and potential new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.36. Policies HO3 and HO4 of the August 2026 NPPF support this approach. Policy HO3
requires local plans to identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet or exceed the
housing requirement over the plan period. Policy HO4 recognises the role of strategic
sites, including new settlements and significant extensions to existing settlements,
where they can be supported by infrastructure and can create sustainable communities.
5.37. In TCE’s view, the Local Plan should avoid excessive reliance on either dispersed smallscale development or a limited number of large strategic allocations. A resilient strategy
will require both. Smaller and medium-sized sites can support early delivery and housing
diversity, while larger sites can deliver infrastructure, employment land, community
facilities, green infrastructure and long-term supply.
5.38. TCE’s landholdings illustrate this balanced approach. The allocated land West of
Manchester Road and safeguarded land North and South of Tabley Road could
contribute to earlier delivery at Knutsford, including through any positive interim
approach to safeguarded land in advance of the new Local Plan. Larger scale
opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate could provide longerterm growth options. The Plumley sites could support proportionate growth associated
with a rail-connected settlement.
5.39. The new Local Plan should assess these opportunities as part of a comparative
assessment of reasonable alternatives. This should include consideration of
sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure, Green Belt performance, access to services,
transport connectivity, environmental effects and the ability to deliver wider public
benefits.
Development in the Settlements and the Countryside
5.40. TCE supports the continued use of settlement boundaries as a tool for managing
development. However, settlement boundaries should not become inflexible constraints
that prevent otherwise sustainable opportunities from being properly assessed.
Settlement boundaries should be reviewed alongside the Settlement Hierarchy Review
and Spatial Distribution Report to ensure they reflect the strategy of the new Local Plan.
5.41. The Local Plan should also recognise an important distinction between isolated
countryside locations and sites which are physically related to existing settlements,
strategic transport infrastructure or railway stations.
5.42. Locations which are well connected and relate closely to existing settlements may be
capable of accommodating growth in a way that supports sustainable travel patterns and
strengthens existing communities.
5.43. This will be particularly important in considering the role of rail-connected settlements
and opportunities associated with strategic growth locations around Knutsford and
Plumley.
5.44. TCE supports a positive approach to development associated with sustainable rural
settlements, particularly where such settlements benefit from public transport
connectivity. Plumley represents an example of a settlement capable of accommodating
carefully planned growth due to its railway station and strategic accessibility.
Housing
5.45. TCE supports the Council’s intention to address housing need, affordable housing,
housing mix, older persons housing, specialist accommodation, self-build and custombuild housing, and housing diversification through the new Local Plan.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.46. The Housing Needs Assessment should inform the quantity, type, size and tenure of
housing required across Cheshire East. However, housing policies should be prepared
alongside the spatial strategy, viability evidence and infrastructure planning. Policy
requirements must be ambitious but deliverable.
5.47. Policy PM12 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to set out the
contributions expected from development, including affordable housing and
infrastructure, at a level that allows the planned types of development and sites to be
deliverable. Policy PM13 also requires quantitative standards to be justified,
proportionate and not to have an adverse impact on viability and deliverability.
5.48. TCE supports the objective of increasing affordable housing delivery. However,
affordable housing requirements, including any requirements associated with Green Belt
release, should be tested through robust viability evidence. This will be particularly
important where sites are expected to deliver affordable housing, infrastructure, open
space, biodiversity net gain, sustainable drainage, transport improvements and other
policy requirements.
5.49. TCE’s landholdings offer the potential to deliver a range of housing types and tenures.
Smaller sites at Plumley and Knutsford could contribute to housing choice and earlier
delivery. Larger strategic opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate around Knutsford
could support mixed communities with affordable housing, older persons housing,
specialist accommodation and a range of market housing types where justified by
evidence.
5.50. The August 2026 NPPF also places emphasis on small and medium-sized sites. Policy
HO6 requires local plans to allocate land to accommodate at least 10% of the housing
requirement on sites no larger than one hectare and a further 10% on sites between 1
and 2.5 hectares, unless there are strong reasons why this cannot be achieved.
5.51. The smaller TCE sites at Plumley and around Knutsford should be assessed in this
context. They may provide opportunities to diversify supply, support early delivery, assist
small and medium-sized builders, and contribute to the vitality of smaller settlements.
Employment and Economy
5.52. TCE supports the preparation of updated evidence on economic development needs and
employment land requirements. The Local Plan should ensure that employment land
supply is sufficient to support Cheshire East’s economic growth ambitions and that
housing growth is planned alongside employment growth.
5.53. The Local Plan should consider employment land not only through standalone
employment allocations, but also through mixed-use growth opportunities. Mixed-use
strategic sites can help create balanced communities, provide local jobs, reduce
commuting and support services.
5.54. Opportunities around Knutsford are particularly relevant to the relationship between
housing and employment growth. As a Key Service Centre with strong connections to the
strategic highway network, Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider
Cheshire and Warrington economy, Knutsford is capable of accommodating growth that
supports both housing and employment objectives. The Council should therefore assess
opportunities around the settlement not only in terms of housing delivery but also in
relation to their potential contribution towards employment growth, investment, labour
market accessibility and wider economic objectives.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.55. Opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate may also provide scope for the Council to
consider how housing growth, employment provision, infrastructure investment and
sustainable transport improvements can be planned in a coordinated manner. Whilst the
scale and form of any future development should be informed through the evidence
base, Economic Development Needs Assessment and Employment Land Review, these
opportunities should be assessed having regard to their potential contribution towards
Cheshire East's long-term economic competitiveness, job creation and wider economic
growth objectives.
Transport and Infrastructure
5.56. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that transport and infrastructure will be central to
the delivery of sustainable growth. The new Local Plan should integrate transport,
utilities, education, healthcare, digital infrastructure, green infrastructure and
community facilities with the spatial strategy and site allocation process.
5.57. Policy TR1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires sustainable transport considerations to be
addressed from the earliest stages of plan-making. It requires plans to locate
development where it can support sustainable patterns of movement and make effective
use of existing or proposed transport infrastructure.
5.58. TCE considers that transport accessibility should be a central factor in determining the
spatial strategy. The Council should consider public transport accessibility, rail
connectivity, active travel potential, access to services, relationship to strategic highway
corridors and the ability of development to support infrastructure improvements.
5.59. TCE’s landholdings around Knutsford and the wider Tabley Estate are well related to the
strategic highway network, including the M6 corridor, and to Knutsford’s role as a Key
Service Centre. The Plumley sites are particularly relevant because of their proximity to
Plumley railway station.
5.60. The Local Plan should therefore assess station-related growth opportunities in a positive
and evidence-led way. In particular, Plumley should be assessed not only by reference to
its current settlement classification, but also by reference to its rail connectivity and the
potential for planned growth to support sustainable travel patterns.
5.61. Infrastructure requirements should be viewed not only as constraints, but also as
opportunities. Larger strategic sites can help deliver new infrastructure, green
infrastructure, active travel routes and community facilities in a coordinated way. This is
particularly relevant to TCE’s larger scale land interests around Knutsford and within the
wider Tabley Estate, where the scale of development could support comprehensive
infrastructure planning.
Local Plan Evidence Base
5.62. TCE supports the preparation of a robust, proportionate and up-to-date evidence base.
This will be critical to ensuring that the Local Plan is justified, effective and capable of
meeting development needs.
5.63. TCE considers that the following evidence will be particularly important:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Grey Belt assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Economic Development Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan;
 Viability Assessment;
 Sustainability Appraisal;
 Heritage Assessment;
 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment;
 transport evidence; and
 Environmental and landscape evidence.
5.64. The Council should publish key methodologies and emerging findings at the earliest
appropriate stage to allow meaningful engagement. This is particularly important in
relation to the Green Belt Assessment, Grey Belt findings, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
Land Availability Assessment and Spatial Distribution Report.
5.65. The evidence base should be capable of assessing different site typologies consistently
and fairly. It should not apply a methodology that unintentionally favours only small sites,
only urban sites, or only previously developed land. Existing allocations, safeguarded
land, smaller and medium-sized sites, urban extensions and new settlement options
should all be assessed in a manner appropriate to their scale and potential contribution.
5.66. TCE requests that its landholdings across the Tabley Estate are assessed fully through
this process and that their potential contribution to housing, employment, infrastructure,
environmental enhancement and sustainable transport is considered on a consistent
basis with other promoted sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
6. Proposed Local Plan
Engagement Strategy
Engagement approach and methods
6.1. TCE supports continued engagement with landowners, site promoters, infrastructure
providers, communities and other stakeholders throughout the plan-making process.
Effective engagement will be essential to ensuring that the Local Plan is informed by
realistic evidence on site availability, deliverability, infrastructure requirements and
phasing.
6.2. For strategic sites, engagement should allow promoters to clarify technical evidence,
infrastructure assumptions, access arrangements, phasing, masterplanning principles
and delivery timescales. This will assist the Council in assessing sites accurately and
consistently.
6.3. This is particularly important for larger opportunities such as those within the wider
Tabley Estate, where careful consideration will be required in relation to infrastructure,
transport, landscape, ecology, heritage, phasing and long-term stewardship.
6.4. TCE would welcome continued engagement with Cheshire East Council as the new Local
Plan progresses, including discussions regarding the emerging evidence base, site
assessment methodology, Green Belt Assessment, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
infrastructure requirements and spatial strategy.
Plan programme and timeline
6.5. TCE supports the Council's proposed programme for Local Plan preparation. Given the
scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East and the Council's current housing land
supply position, it is important that the Local Plan continues to progress without
unnecessary delay.
6.6. Delays in plan preparation risk extending the period during which development decisions
are made in the absence of an up-to-date plan-led strategy. The Council should therefore
seek to maintain momentum, ensure that key evidence is prepared and made available
to stakeholders at an early stage, and continue engagement with stakeholders
throughout the process.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
7. Conclusion
7.1. TCE supports the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan for Cheshire East. The new Local Plan is being prepared in a materially changed
planning context, including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s
current housing land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging
Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy and the publication of the August
2026 NPPF during the consultation period.
7.2. TCE considers that the Local Plan should plan to meet the revised standard method
housing requirement as a minimum and should test whether a higher housing
requirement is justified having regard to economic growth, affordable housing need,
infrastructure investment and emerging sub-regional priorities.
7.3. The Local Plan should identify a sufficient supply and mix of deliverable and developable
sites, including brownfield sites, existing allocations, safeguarded land, smaller and
medium-sized sites, sustainable urban extensions, station-related growth and potential
new settlement opportunities. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council
should also adopt a positive interim approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals
on safeguarded land to support short-term housing delivery.
7.4. A review of the Green Belt will be a necessary and important part of the plan-making
process. The Green Belt Assessment should be robust, transparent and sufficiently
detailed to identify variations in Green Belt performance. It should also consider the
sustainability of locations and the ability of development to deliver infrastructure,
services and environmental benefits.
7.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate that opportunities exist across a range of locations and
planning contexts within Cheshire East. These include allocated and safeguarded land
around Knutsford, opportunities around Plumley and larger-scale opportunities within
the wider Tabley Estate. Taken together, these locations provide a range of alternatives
capable of being assessed through the emerging evidence base as the Council considers
how best to accommodate future housing, employment and infrastructure requirements
and establish a sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy. TCE therefore requests that
Cheshire East Council assesses its landholdings fully and positively through the
emerging evidence base, publishes key methodologies and findings early enough to
enable meaningful engagement, and continues direct dialogue with TCE as the Local
Plan progresses. This will help ensure that the Plan is ambitious, deliverable and capable
of meeting Cheshire East’s housing, employment, infrastructure and environmental
objectives over the full plan period.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
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The Crown Estate
Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan
Scoping Consultation 2026
September 2026The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Contents
1. Introduction 3
2. New Local Plan 5
3. Context for the new Local Plan 7
4. Baseline information and spatial portrait 12
5. Scope of the new Local Plan 14
6. Proposed Local Plan Engagement Strategy 23
7. Conclusion 24The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
1. Introduction
1.1. Deloitte LLP is instructed by The Crown Estate ("TCE") to submit representations to the
Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation (2026). TCE welcomes the opportunity to
engage at this early stage in the preparation of the new Cheshire East Local Plan. The
scoping consultation represents an important stage in establishing the matters that the
Local Plan should address, the evidence base required to support it, and the approach to
future engagement with stakeholders.
1.2. The new Local Plan will need to respond to a materially changed planning context,
including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s current housing
land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging Cheshire and
Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, and the publication of the August 2026
National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”) during the consultation period.
1.3. TCE welcomes the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan which meets identified housing and employment needs, supports sustainable
economic growth, and directs development to locations that are, or can be made,
sustainable through appropriate infrastructure provision, public transport accessibility,
active travel connections, environmental enhancement and long-term stewardship.
1.4. In summary, TCE considers that the new Local Plan should:
 meet identified housing and employment needs in full and test whether
additional growth is justified by economic, affordable housing or infrastructure
considerations;
 establish a clear and deliverable spatial strategy informed by a robust
assessment of reasonable alternatives;
 assess Green Belt, Grey Belt and safeguarded land through a transparent and
integrated methodology;
 give appropriate weight to well-connected locations, including Key Service
Centres and rail-connected settlements;
 identify a diverse portfolio of sites capable of contributing across different scales
and timescales; and
 integrate infrastructure, employment, sustainable transport and environmental
enhancement with decisions about the location of growth.
Background and Context
1.5. TCE is a long-term landowner within Cheshire East through its ownership of the Tabley
Estate, with landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley. Its interests include land
allocated for development within the adopted Local Plan, safeguarded land identified
through the adopted Local Plan process, and a wider portfolio of landholdings which
have been submitted through the Council’s recent Call for Sites process.
1.6. As a long-term landowner and steward of public assets, TCE is committed to working
positively with Cheshire East Council throughout preparation of the new Local Plan.
These representations seek to support the preparation of a robust and evidence-ledThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Local Plan and to ensure that a broad range of growth opportunities are appropriately
assessed through the emerging evidence base and site assessment process.
1.7. TCE’s land interests are relevant to the preparation of the emerging Local Plan in a
number of respects. These include:
 Land West of Manchester Road, Knutsford, which comprises land allocated for
residential and employment development within the adopted Local Plan (LPS 36).
A full planning application (ref. 26/1231/FUL) was submitted in March 2026 on
parcel B of the allocation, which is currently being determined. TCE remains
committed to delivering the remainder of the allocation in a timely fashion.
 Land North and South of Tabley Road, Knutsford, comprising safeguarded land
identified in adopted Local Plan policies LPS 39 and LPS 40 as land to meet
longer-term development needs.
 A wider portfolio of landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley, comprising
opportunities of differing scales and characteristics submitted through the
Council’s Call for Sites process. This includes land associated with the potential
future growth of Knutsford as a Key Service Centre, opportunities associated with
the rail-connected settlement of Plumley, and larger landholdings capable of
being considered as part of the Council's assessment of longer-term growth
options.
1.8. Collectively, these land interests comprise a diverse portfolio of opportunities of
different scales and locations within Cheshire East. The emerging Local Plan and
supporting evidence base should therefore assess these interests appropriately as part
of the Council’s consideration of future growth options and the preparation of a
sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy.
1.9. The range of options identified above is particularly relevant given the materially
increased housing requirement and the need for the Local Plan to identify a sufficient and
resilient supply of suitable, available and deliverable sites.
1.10. It is therefore critical that the new Local Plan is prepared positively, quickly and on the
basis of robust evidence. The plan must identify a sufficient supply of suitable, available
and deliverable sites to meet housing and employment needs in full, while providing a
clear framework for infrastructure, environmental enhancement and high-quality
placemaking.
1.11. These representations have been prepared having regard to the NPPF published in
August 2026, which applies to relevant plan-making from 17 August 2026. The Council
should therefore review the consultation responses, evidence base and next stages of
Plan preparation against the final Framework, particularly in relation to Green Belt, Grey
Belt, station-related development, strategic sites, housing delivery, economic growth
and national decision-making policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
2. New Local Plan
Matters addressed in the new Local Plan
2.1. TCE supports the broad range of matters identified by the Council for inclusion within the
new Local Plan. These appropriately cover housing, employment, transport,
infrastructure, climate change, environmental matters, design and placemaking, health
and wellbeing and sustainable economic growth.
2.2. However, TCE considers that the Local Plan should be framed first and foremost around
the need to respond positively to the significant increase in development requirements
now facing Cheshire East. The revised standard method housing need figure, changes to
national policy and the Council's current housing land supply position collectively
indicate that the new Local Plan will require the Council to reconsider the scale and
distribution of growth that informed the adopted Local Plan Strategy.
2.3. In this context, the Local Plan should prioritise the following matters, which will be
central to establishing a positive and deliverable growth strategy:
 meeting housing and employment needs in full;
 establishing a clear and deliverable spatial strategy;
 undertaking an evidence-led review of Green Belt and Grey Belt land where
necessary to meet identified needs;
 identifying a sufficient supply of deliverable and developable sites;
 planning infrastructure alongside growth;
 promoting sustainable transport and well-connected locations; and
 supporting long-term economic competitiveness.
2.4. TCE considers that these issues are intrinsically linked and should not be considered
through separate strategic policy workstreams. Housing, employment, infrastructure,
transport and environmental enhancement should instead form part of a single
integrated growth strategy.
Why prepare a new Local Plan
2.5. TCE strongly supports the preparation of a new Local Plan. The adopted Local Plan was
prepared within a materially different policy and housing context. The increased housing
requirement, national policy changes, the Council’s housing land supply position and the
emerging Cheshire and Warrington strategic context require a new and deliverable
spatial strategy.
2.6. An up-to-date Plan will provide the framework needed to coordinate housing,
employment, infrastructure and environmental improvements. Without it, there is a
greater risk that development will be determined through individual applications and
appeals rather than through a planned spatial strategy.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Developing the new Local Plan
2.7. TCE supports the Council's intention to progress the Local Plan in accordance with the
new plan-making system.
2.8. The emerging Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy (‘SDS’) will form an
important part of the wider strategic planning context, including in relation to broad
growth locations, infrastructure and economic priorities. The Cheshire East Local Plan
should continue without delay while retaining sufficient flexibility to respond to relevant
strategic priorities as the SDS emerges. The NPPF and PPG emphasise the importance of
effective cooperation on strategic planning matters. Given the Combined Authority's role
in coordinating growth, infrastructure and transport priorities across the city region, the
Council should continue to engage closely with the Combined Authority throughout plan
preparation to ensure alignment with wider strategic objectives.
2.9. The Council should ensure that decisions regarding the spatial strategy are informed by a
robust and proportionate evidence base. In particular, the following studies will have a
critical role in shaping future growth options:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan; and
 Viability Assessment.
2.10. TCE considers it important that these documents are prepared and published sufficiently
early to enable meaningful engagement before key strategic decisions become fixed.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3. Context for the new Local
Plan
Increase in housing requirements
3.1. The materially increased housing requirement represents a fundamental change in the
planning context for the new Local Plan. It will require the Council to reconsider the
distribution of growth, the role of different settlements, realistic brownfield capacity, the
need for Green Belt release, and safeguarded land, settlement extensions and strategicscale opportunities.
3.2. Policies HO1 and HO2 of the August 2026 NPPF require the Plan to establish a housing
requirement based on local housing need as a minimum and to consider a higher figure
where justified as necessary to reflect economic growth and infrastructure investment.
TCE considers that the Plan should meet the revised standard method figure as a
minimum and test whether a higher requirement is justified by economic growth,
infrastructure investment, affordable housing need and emerging Cheshire and
Warrington SDS priorities.
3.3. The Council’s current five-year housing land supply position reinforces the need for a
positive and deliverable plan-led strategy. Cheshire East Council’s latest published
Housing Monitoring Update (March 2025) concludes that the Council has 3.3 years’
supply of deliverable housing sites against the required five years. In the absence of a
demonstrable five-year supply, housing delivery is increasingly influenced by
applications and appeals rather than a coordinated spatial strategy. Strong recent
delivery identified through the Housing Delivery Test (August 2026) is welcomed, but it is
not a substitute for a positively prepared Local Plan capable of maintaining housing
delivery through the plan period.
3.4. This shortfall demonstrates that the Local Plan must identify a larger and more resilient
portfolio of deliverable and developable sites. It should not rely on any single source of
supply or any single settlement tier. Instead, it should identify strategic allocations,
urban extensions, station-related opportunities, and smaller and medium-sized sites
capable of supporting delivery across the plan period, whilst also helping to maintain and
enhance the vitality of settlements across the Borough by supporting local services,
facilities, infrastructure and sustainable communities.
3.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate the breadth of opportunities that may be available to
support this approach and should be assessed through the emerging evidence base
alongside other reasonable alternatives.
Changes to Green Belt policy
3.6. TCE supports the Council’s intention to undertake a borough-wide Green Belt
Assessment as part of the Local Plan evidence base. This will be a critical component of
the emerging Plan given the significant extent of Green Belt within Cheshire East and the
scale of development now required.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3.7. The Green Belt is an important planning designation and its purposes should be properly
assessed. However, it should not be treated as a fixed constraint that prevents
consideration of sustainable growth options where development needs cannot otherwise
be met. The August 2026 NPPF provides a clear framework for Green Belt review through
plan-making where exceptional circumstances are evidenced and justified.
3.8. Policy GB3 of the NPPF confirms that exceptional circumstances include situations
where a local planning authority is unable to meet its identified need for homes,
commercial or other development in full, having examined all other reasonable options.
That position is directly relevant to Cheshire East, given the significant increase in
housing need and the Council’s current housing land supply position.
3.9. Policy GB4 requires Green Belt boundary alterations to promote sustainable patterns of
development, giving priority to previously developed land in sustainable locations, then
Grey Belt land in sustainable locations, and then other Green Belt locations where this
would promote a sustainable pattern of development overall. The assessment should
therefore consider not only the Green Belt function of land, but also the sustainability of
the location and the ability of development to support infrastructure, services and
sustainable movement patterns.
3.10. TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be sufficiently detailed to identify
variations in how land performs against Green Belt purposes. Broad-brush assessment
parcels risk obscuring opportunities where land performs a limited Green Belt function,
where defensible boundaries exist, or where development could be planned
comprehensively without undermining the wider function of the Green Belt.
3.11. The assessment should pay particular attention to opportunities around Knutsford. As a
Key Service Centre with a strong range of services, facilities, employment opportunities
and transport connections, the settlement is capable of accommodating growth. The
Green Belt Assessment should therefore consider the extent to which opportunities
around the settlement could contribute towards the Borough’s development
requirements.
3.12. Plumley should be assessed positively in light of its railway station. Its role should not be
judged solely by population size or current settlement classification, but also by its
public transport accessibility and its potential to support sustainable travel, local
services and proportionate housing growth. Opportunities around Plumley should
therefore be assessed through the Settlement Hierarchy Review and Spatial Distribution
Strategy, having regard to their ability to support sustainable travel patterns, local
services and proportionate growth.
3.13. The safeguarded land north and south of Tabley Road (LPS 39 and LPS 40) is an example
of land that has already been identified through the adopted Local Plan as land which
may be required to meet longer-term development needs, and which remains available
to be considered as part of the emerging Local Plan. In the context of the revised housing
requirement and the lack of a five-year housing land supply, the Council should consider
a more general, positive approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals on
safeguarded land in advance of and separate from the completion of the Local Plan
process.
3.14. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council should consider preparing an
interim housing position statement setting out a positive and transparent approach to the
determination of housing proposals on safeguarded land. Such an approach would not
alter the formal designation of the land, which would remain a matter for the Local PlanThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
review, nor displace the statutory priority afforded to the development plan. It would,
however, recognise that policies restricting housing development on safeguarded land
should be applied in light of the Council’s current housing land supply position, the
materially increased housing requirement and the presumption in favour of sustainable
development.
3.15. The approach adopted by Kirklees Council provides a relevant precedent. Its Interim
Housing Position Statement retains the adopted safeguarded-land designation but
recognises that, in the absence of a five-year housing land supply, safeguarded sites may
provide opportunities for early housing development where constraints can be
overcome. Cheshire East should adopt a similarly positive approach, giving substantial
weight to sustainable and deliverable proposals on safeguarded land, particularly where
sites are well related to existing settlements, can be supported by appropriate
infrastructure and are capable of contributing to housing supply within the short term.
Such an approach would provide an appropriate framework for the early consideration of
the safeguarded land relating to LPS 39 and LPS 40, both of which are well related to
Knutsford and capable of contributing to housing delivery in the short term.
3.16. TCE supports a robust Green Belt and Grey Belt assessment but considers that it must
be applied in a manner that enables genuinely sustainable and deliverable sites to be
considered through the plan-making process. Given the central role that Green Belt and
Grey Belt considerations are likely to play in accommodating Cheshire East's future
development needs, TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be treated as
a priority evidence base document and prepared sufficiently early to inform key decisions
regarding the spatial strategy and distribution of growth. This will be essential if the Local
Plan is to meet development needs in full while promoting a sustainable spatial strategy.
Brownfield Development
3.17. TCE supports the effective use of previously developed land where such land is suitable,
available and deliverable. A brownfield-first approach is appropriate and consistent with
national policy.
3.18. However, the scale of housing and employment growth now facing Cheshire East means
that brownfield land alone will not provide a sufficient solution. The Council's own
monitoring evidence demonstrates that a substantial proportion of development has
historically been delivered on greenfield sites, with previously developed land accounting
for only around one-third of housing completions in recent monitoring years. Brownfield
sites can also face constraints relating to ownership, viability, contamination,
infrastructure, market demand and delivery timescales. The Local Plan should therefore
avoid placing undue reliance on brownfield capacity where there is no clear evidence
that it can meet the Borough’s needs in full.
3.19. The Council’s own scoping material identifies that the new Local Plan may need to
consider a range of options, including densification, further development within existing
settlements, edge-of-settlement growth, large-scale urban extensions and new
settlements. TCE supports that broad approach.
3.20. The Local Plan should therefore maximise brownfield opportunities while also identifying
sustainable greenfield and Green Belt locations where these are necessary to meet
housing and employment needs. TCE’s landholdings across the Tabley Estate provide
examples of greenfield and Green Belt opportunities that could deliver new homes,
employment land, infrastructure, open space and environmental benefits in sustainable
locations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Economic Growth
3.21. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that Cheshire East has an important economic
role and that the new Local Plan must plan positively for employment growth, investment
and long-term competitiveness. The emerging Plan should ensure that housing,
employment and infrastructure are planned in a coordinated manner so that growth is
capable of supporting sustainable economic outcomes across the Borough.
3.22. Policy E1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to establish a clear
economic vision and strategy, support business investment, and allocate sites to meet
anticipated employment needs over the plan period. The policy recognises the
importance of providing flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances and
supporting a diverse range of sectors and business activities.
3.23. Housing and employment growth should not be considered separately. A sustainable
spatial strategy should seek to align new homes with employment opportunities,
services, infrastructure and sustainable transport. This will help reduce commuting
distances, support inclusive economic growth and ensure that housing delivery supports
the labour force required by the local economy.
3.24. Given Knutsford's role as a Key Service Centre and its proximity to strategic transport
infrastructure, opportunities around the settlement should be assessed not only in terms
of housing delivery but also in terms of their ability to support employment growth,
investment and wider economic objectives across Cheshire East and the sub-region.
Knutsford benefits from strong connectivity to the strategic highway network,
Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider Cheshire and Warrington
economy. The Council's assessment of growth options around the settlement should
therefore take account of their potential contribution to both housing and employment
needs.
3.25. TCE’s land interests associated with the wider Tabley Estate also provide an opportunity
for the Council to consider how larger-scale growth options could contribute towards
economic objectives over the longer term. In addition to supporting housing delivery,
such opportunities may have the potential to support employment provision,
infrastructure investment, sustainable transport improvements and enhanced
connectivity between homes, jobs and services. The precise scale and form of any such
contribution should be determined through the evidence base and site assessment
process.
3.26. Opportunities around Knutsford, together with other opportunities within the wider
Tabley Estate, should therefore be assessed through the Economic Development Needs
Assessment, Employment Land Review and Spatial Distribution Strategy. This
assessment should consider not only their ability to contribute towards housing delivery,
but also their potential role in supporting labour market accessibility, business growth,
infrastructure investment and wider economic competitiveness.
3.27. More generally, the Local Plan should assess a broad range of growth options and
determine the most appropriate scale and distribution of development having regard to
housing need, employment requirements, infrastructure capacity, sustainability
considerations and long-term economic objectives. The Plan should provide sufficient
flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances whilst ensuring that future
growth contributes positively to Cheshire East's economic success and competitiveness.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Spatial Development Strategy
3.28. TCE notes that Cheshire East is now part of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined
Authority area and that a Spatial Development Strategy will be prepared for Cheshire and
Warrington. TCE supports strategic planning at the sub-regional level, particularly where
it helps align housing, employment, infrastructure, transport and environmental priorities
across administrative boundaries.
3.29. However, preparation of the Cheshire East Local Plan should not be delayed pending the
Spatial Development Strategy. The Local Plan should continue to progress, identify
sufficient land to meet development needs and establish an appropriate spatial strategy,
while retaining flexibility to respond to any relevant strategic priorities that emerge
through the SDS process.
3.30. Policy PM1 of the August 2026 NPPF confirms that Spatial Development Strategies
should identify broad locations for growth and regeneration, including new settlements,
major urban extensions and major cross-boundary development where appropriate. TCE
supports this approach, recognising that large-scale strategic development requires
coordinated planning across administrative boundaries, particularly in relation to
transport, utilities and wider infrastructure capacity and delivery. The Cheshire East
Local Plan should therefore align with any broad growth locations identified through the
forthcoming Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, while retaining
sufficient flexibility to respond to the SDS as it emerges. This alignment will be important
to ensure that strategic sites are planned comprehensively and supported by the
infrastructure necessary for their delivery.
3.31. Opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are of sufficient scale
to warrant assessment through the Local Plan process and, where relevant, the emerging
spatial development strategy. Their potential role should be informed through the
Council's evidence base and considered alongside other reasonable alternatives in
establishing the most appropriate spatial strategy.
National Decision-Making Policies
3.32. TCE supports the Council's recognition that the introduction of National Decision-Making
Policies provides an opportunity for local plans to focus on genuinely local matters.
3.33. The Local Plan should avoid unnecessary duplication of national policy and instead
focus on the issues that are specific to Cheshire East, including the spatial strategy, site
allocations, settlement hierarchy, Green Belt review, affordable housing requirements
and infrastructure planning.
3.34. However, this should not result in an overly narrow plan. The Local Plan remains the
primary mechanism through which Cheshire East will determine how and where future
growth is accommodated and therefore should provide a strategic vision that aligns with
national and regional policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
4. Baseline information and
spatial portrait
Connectivity
4.1. TCE supports the Council's recognition of Cheshire East's strong connectivity and
strategic location. The Borough benefits from excellent connections to regional and
national transport networks, including the M6 and M56 motorways, Manchester Airport
and an extensive rail network.
4.2. Connectivity should form a central part of the future spatial strategy. The Local Plan
should direct growth towards locations which are well connected by public transport or
which have the ability to support improvements to sustainable transport infrastructure.
4.3. The August 2026 NPPF places increased emphasis on locating development where it can
make effective use of existing and proposed transport infrastructure, including through
its support for residential and mixed-use development within reasonable walking
distance of qualifying well-connected railway stations. In this regard, opportunities
around Knutsford, including land associated with the Tabley Estate, should be assessed
in the context of the settlement's role as a Key Service Centre, its relationship with the
strategic highway network and its accessibility to employment and services. Future
growth in this part of the Borough has the potential to support sustainable travel patterns
and infrastructure investment where planned comprehensively.
4.4. Opportunities around Plumley are also relevant in this context. As a rail-connected
settlement, Plumley provides a distinctive opportunity to consider how proportionate
growth can support sustainable travel patterns, reinforce the role of the railway station
and contribute to the long-term vitality of local services and facilities.
4.5. Larger-scale opportunities within TCE's land portfolio may provide scope for transport
and infrastructure requirements to be considered comprehensively alongside
development. The Council should assess not only current accessibility but also the
extent to which growth may support improvements to transport, active travel,
infrastructure and service provision.
Economic contribution
4.6. Cheshire East plays a significant role within the wider North West economy and benefits
from a diverse economic base, strong transport connections and a number of nationally
and regionally important employment centres. The Borough's economic success has
historically been supported by its ability to attract and retain a skilled workforce, provide
a high-quality environment for investment and deliver a range of housing opportunities
across its settlements.
4.7. TCE supports the Council's recognition that economic growth should remain a central
component of the emerging Local Plan. The Local Plan should not treat housing delivery
and economic development as separate policy objectives. Instead, it should recognise
that the two are fundamentally linked and that a sufficient supply of homes is essential toThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
support labour market growth, improve affordability and maintain the competitiveness of
the Borough's economy.
4.8. The emerging evidence base should therefore consider how housing need, employment
growth and infrastructure provision interact. This is particularly important given the
significant increase in housing requirements and the potential implications this may have
for labour supply, commuting patterns and business investment. The Local Plan should
ensure that growth is distributed in a manner that supports both existing employment
centres and future economic opportunities.
4.9. TCE considers that strategic and mixed-use development opportunities can play an
important role in delivering this objective. Larger sites are often capable of supporting
housing, employment, community infrastructure and sustainable transport
improvements through a coordinated and masterplanned approach. Such opportunities
can help create balanced communities, reduce the need to travel and provide greater
certainty regarding infrastructure delivery.
4.10. The Local Plan should therefore positively assess a range of growth options capable of
supporting both housing and economic objectives. This should include consideration of
strategic urban extensions, mixed-use sites and potential longer-term growth
opportunities where these can contribute towards the Borough's economic resilience,
competitiveness and productivity.
4.11. Overall, the Local Plan should seek to establish a clear relationship between housing
growth, employment growth and infrastructure investment, ensuring that future
development supports Cheshire East's role as a sustainable and economically
successful location within the wider region.
4.12. Strategic growth opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are
particularly relevant because they can integrate homes, employment land, transport
improvements, digital infrastructure, utilities and sustainable travel connections through
comprehensive masterplanning. Their relationship with the M6 corridor, Knutsford
railway station and the Mid-Cheshire rail corridor should be assessed as part of the
evidence base, particularly where this could support labour market accessibility,
business connectivity and investment in high-value sectors.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5. Scope of the new Local
Plan
Local Plan Period
5.1. TCE supports the proposed plan period to 2045. However, the Local Plan should also
consider longer-term growth requirements beyond the end of the plan period, particularly
where strategic urban extensions or new settlement opportunities are being assessed.
Larger sites may require delivery across multiple phases and potentially beyond a single
plan period. This should not prevent such opportunities from being considered through
the plan-making process, although their delivery may extend beyond a single plan period.
Vision and Objectives
5.2. TCE supports the preparation of a clear, locally distinctive and deliverable vision for
Cheshire East. The vision should respond directly to the changed planning context,
including the higher housing requirement, current housing land supply shortfall,
economic growth ambitions, the need for Green Belt review and the publication of the
August 2026 NPPF.
5.3. The vision should not simply seek to manage growth. It should explain how Cheshire East
will accommodate growth positively and sustainably, while delivering homes,
employment, infrastructure, environmental enhancement and healthy communities.
5.4. TCE considers that the vision and objectives should include the following priorities:
 meeting housing need in full, as a minimum;
 testing whether a higher housing requirement is justified by economic growth,
affordable housing need or infrastructure investment;
 supporting sustainable economic growth and employment delivery;
 ensuring a sufficient supply of affordable homes and a broad housing mix;
 reviewing Green Belt boundaries where necessary to meet needs;
 testing strategic urban extensions and new settlement options;
 supporting growth at sustainable settlements and rail-connected locations;
 integrating infrastructure planning with site allocation decisions;
 delivering multifunctional green infrastructure, biodiversity net gain and climate
resilience; and
 maintaining a deliverable supply of sites throughout the plan period.
Identifying and assessing sites
5.5. TCE supports the Council’s intention to prepare a robust and evidence-led assessment
of potential development sites. The assessment process will be critical to ensuring thatThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
the Local Plan identifies a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet the Borough’s
development needs.
5.6. Policy PM9 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to be informed by an
assessment of land available to meet development needs, including consideration of
availability, suitability, achievability, likely viability, site capacity and delivery timescales.
5.7. TCE considers that the site assessment methodology should be transparent,
proportionate and capable of assessing different categories of site. It should not be
designed in a way that favours only one type or scale of development. Smaller sites,
safeguarded land, settlement-edge opportunities, strategic urban extensions and new
settlements will all need to be assessed through an appropriate methodology.
5.8. The assessment process should give appropriate weight to:
 land ownership and availability;
 deliverability and likely delivery timescales;
 ability to contribute to five-year housing land supply;
 relationship to existing settlements and services;
 relationship to railway stations and strategic transport corridors;
 potential to deliver housing, employment and community facilities together;
 ability to support affordable housing and housing choice;
 infrastructure requirements and opportunities;
 ability to deliver green infrastructure and biodiversity net gain;
 Green Belt performance, where relevant;
 landscape, heritage, ecology and flood risk considerations; and
 long-term flexibility and phasing.
5.9. The assessment should avoid applying overly restrictive criteria at an early stage. In
particular, strategic sites and new settlement options should not be discounted simply
because they require comprehensive masterplanning or longer delivery periods. Such
sites may be important to maintaining supply over the middle and later parts of the plan
period and may provide opportunities to deliver infrastructure and environmental
benefits at scale.
5.10. TCE’s landholdings are relevant to this assessment because they include sites capable
of contributing across a range of timescales. The allocated land West of Manchester
Road, the safeguarded land at Tabley Road and smaller sites around Knutsford and
Plumley could contribute early in the plan period. Larger scale opportunities within the
wider Tabley Estate provide longer-term strategic options capable of supporting
comprehensive infrastructure-led growth.
5.11. TCE therefore requests that the Council’s site assessment methodology expressly
recognises the different roles that sites can play across the plan period, including early
delivery, settlement-edge growth, rail-connected growth, and strategic urban extensions
and new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Green Belt
5.12. TCE notes the approach set out at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 of the scoping consultation
for determining whether Green Belt boundary changes are required. This exercise should
be integrated with, rather than undertaken separately from, the assessment of sites,
settlement hierarchy and spatial distribution. The Council’s own consultation identifies
site selection, Green Belt, settlement hierarchy and spatial strategy as interrelated
considerations in planning for growth.
5.13. TCE supports the assessment of future development needs and the effective use of
suitable brownfield and underused land. However, the sequential considerations listed
at paragraph 5.17 should not operate as a series of rigid filters through which otherwise
sustainable Green Belt sites are excluded before their comparative merits have been
assessed. In particular, the existence of theoretical capacity outside the Green Belt
should not be treated as sufficient unless that capacity is demonstrated to be suitable,
available, deliverable and capable of supporting a sustainable spatial strategy.
5.14. All reasonable growth options should therefore be assessed through a consistent and
transparent framework. For Green Belt sites, this should bring together:
 the contribution of the land to Green Belt purposes, including whether it
comprises Grey Belt;
 the site’s relationship with the settlement hierarchy and existing settlement form;
 accessibility to services, employment and public transport, including railway
stations;
 infrastructure capacity and the opportunity for development to deliver
improvements;
 availability, deliverability, viability, capacity and likely phasing;
 environmental, landscape, heritage and flood-risk considerations; and
 the ability to deliver housing, employment, community facilities, green
infrastructure and wider public benefits comprehensively.
5.15. This would align the Green Belt exercise with the wider spatial-distribution factors
identified by the Council, which include housing and employment needs, infrastructure,
services, environmental constraints, Green Belt, brownfield availability, site availability,
market attractiveness and viability.
5.16. TCE considers that “considering sites outside the Green Belt first” should mean that
reasonable non-Green Belt alternatives are properly examined; it should not establish an
automatic preference for a less sustainable or less deliverable location solely because it
lies outside the Green Belt. Comparative assessment should consider whether each
option would promote a sustainable pattern of development and contribute effectively to
meeting identified needs.
5.17. Similarly, optimising density and maximising brownfield capacity are important
components of the strategy, but the Council should test whether the resulting capacity is
realistic and deliverable over the plan period. These measures should not be relied upon
to defer the assessment of Green Belt opportunities where additional land may be
required to meet development needs in full and maintain a sufficient and resilient supply
of sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.18. Where exceptional circumstances are identified, decisions on potential Green Belt
release should be made through the wider spatial strategy and site-selection process.
Appropriate weight should be given to opportunities that are well related to existing
settlements or well-connected railway stations, as well as strategic sites capable of
delivering infrastructure, employment provision, sustainable transport, community
facilities and environmental improvements through comprehensive masterplanning. The
Council expressly anticipates testing a range of options, including edge-of-settlement
growth, large-scale urban extensions and new settlements; Green Belt location or site
scale should not prevent those options from being assessed on a comparable basis.
5.19. The land availability methodology should explain clearly how Green Belt considerations
will interact with the initial site sift, scoring and subsequent allocation stages. Sites
should not be filtered out solely because of their existing Green Belt designation before
the Green Belt assessment, settlement hierarchy review, spatial distribution work and
sustainability assessment have been considered together. The Council proposes to
publish its methodology and initial site assessments at the subsequent plan content and
evidence consultation; these should provide a clear audit trail showing how the factors
above have informed each assessment.
5.20. Applied in this way, the approach at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 would enable the Local
Plan to identify the most sustainable and deliverable combination of sites while
protecting Green Belt land that makes the strongest contribution to its purposes. It would
also ensure that smaller releases, safeguarded land, settlement extensions and
strategic-scale opportunities are assessed fairly and through a methodology appropriate
to their scale and potential contribution.
5.21. TCE requests that the Council clearly sets out how the findings of the Green Belt
assessment have informed the assessment of reasonable alternatives and site selection
process, alongside sustainability, deliverability and infrastructure considerations.
5.22. Pending the completion of that process, the Council should also consider an interim
housing position statement establishing a positive and transparent approach to
sustainable and deliverable housing proposals on safeguarded land, as set out earlier in
these representations.
Strategic green gap
5.23. TCE supports the Council's intention to review the Strategic Green Gap designation and
its role within the emerging Local Plan.
5.24. Strategic Green Gaps can play an important role in maintaining the separation and
identity of settlements. However, the review should be evidence based and should
recognise that not all land within a designated gap performs the same function.
5.25. The assessment should identify those locations that make the greatest contribution to
maintaining separation whilst recognising that the scale of development needs now
facing Cheshire East may require a balanced assessment between protecting settlement
identity and accommodating sustainable growth.
5.26. The Strategic Green Gap should therefore not operate as an absolute constraint on
development. Instead, it should form part of a wider planning balance which takes
account of housing need, sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure provision and
landscape considerations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Settlement Hierarchy
5.27. TCE supports the Council’s intention to review the settlement hierarchy as part of the
preparation of the new Local Plan. Given the scale of housing need now facing Cheshire
East, the settlement hierarchy will play a significant role in shaping the distribution of
development and identifying sustainable locations for growth.
5.28. The hierarchy should be informed by an up-to-date assessment of the role and function
of settlements. It should consider access to services and facilities, employment
opportunities, public transport, active travel, strategic infrastructure, settlement form,
market demand, recent growth, infrastructure capacity and the potential for
development to support improvements.
5.29. TCE supports Knutsford continuing to be identified as a Key Service Centre. Knutsford
has a strong range of services, facilities and employment opportunities, and benefits
from a strategically accessible location. It should therefore be considered as a
settlement capable of accommodating a meaningful proportion of future growth.
5.30. The previous Local Plan directed approximately 950 dwellings to Knutsford, which was
lower than the level of growth directed to several other Key Service Centres. In light of the
increased housing requirement and the scale of available land around the settlement,
the new Local Plan should consider whether Knutsford should accommodate a greater
level of growth over the new plan period.
5.31. TCE’s land interests around Knutsford provide a practical basis for assessing this issue.
Land West of Manchester Road is already allocated for mixed-use development. Land
North and South of Tabley Road comprises safeguarded land capable of forming a logical
next phase of growth. Given the Council's current housing land supply position and
increased housing requirement, these sites should be considered not only through the
Local Plan review but also through any interim approach adopted in respect of
safeguarded land proposals. Larger scale opportunities around Knutsford could deliver
homes, employment, services, open space and infrastructure in a comprehensive
manner.
5.32. TCE also considers that the role of Plumley should be reviewed carefully. Plumley
benefits from a railway station and should not be assessed in the same way as more
remote rural settlements with no rail connectivity. The August 2026 NPPF includes
support for development associated with well-connected stations, subject to relevant
criteria.
5.33. The Settlement Hierarchy Review should therefore give appropriate weight to public
transport accessibility and the potential for station-related growth. TCE’s land interests
around Plumley provide examples of opportunities that could contribute to proportionate
growth at a rail-connected settlement.
Spatial Distribution
5.34. TCE considers that the spatial distribution of development is one of the most important
matters for the new Local Plan. The scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East
means that the Council will need to test a broad range of options and should avoid an
overly narrow approach to growth.
5.35. TCE supports a balanced spatial strategy which draws on a variety of site types and
locations. This should include urban regeneration, brownfield land, existing allocations,
safeguarded land, sustainable urban extensions, station-related development, smaller
and medium-sized sites, and potential new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.36. Policies HO3 and HO4 of the August 2026 NPPF support this approach. Policy HO3
requires local plans to identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet or exceed the
housing requirement over the plan period. Policy HO4 recognises the role of strategic
sites, including new settlements and significant extensions to existing settlements,
where they can be supported by infrastructure and can create sustainable communities.
5.37. In TCE’s view, the Local Plan should avoid excessive reliance on either dispersed smallscale development or a limited number of large strategic allocations. A resilient strategy
will require both. Smaller and medium-sized sites can support early delivery and housing
diversity, while larger sites can deliver infrastructure, employment land, community
facilities, green infrastructure and long-term supply.
5.38. TCE’s landholdings illustrate this balanced approach. The allocated land West of
Manchester Road and safeguarded land North and South of Tabley Road could
contribute to earlier delivery at Knutsford, including through any positive interim
approach to safeguarded land in advance of the new Local Plan. Larger scale
opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate could provide longerterm growth options. The Plumley sites could support proportionate growth associated
with a rail-connected settlement.
5.39. The new Local Plan should assess these opportunities as part of a comparative
assessment of reasonable alternatives. This should include consideration of
sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure, Green Belt performance, access to services,
transport connectivity, environmental effects and the ability to deliver wider public
benefits.
Development in the Settlements and the Countryside
5.40. TCE supports the continued use of settlement boundaries as a tool for managing
development. However, settlement boundaries should not become inflexible constraints
that prevent otherwise sustainable opportunities from being properly assessed.
Settlement boundaries should be reviewed alongside the Settlement Hierarchy Review
and Spatial Distribution Report to ensure they reflect the strategy of the new Local Plan.
5.41. The Local Plan should also recognise an important distinction between isolated
countryside locations and sites which are physically related to existing settlements,
strategic transport infrastructure or railway stations.
5.42. Locations which are well connected and relate closely to existing settlements may be
capable of accommodating growth in a way that supports sustainable travel patterns and
strengthens existing communities.
5.43. This will be particularly important in considering the role of rail-connected settlements
and opportunities associated with strategic growth locations around Knutsford and
Plumley.
5.44. TCE supports a positive approach to development associated with sustainable rural
settlements, particularly where such settlements benefit from public transport
connectivity. Plumley represents an example of a settlement capable of accommodating
carefully planned growth due to its railway station and strategic accessibility.
Housing
5.45. TCE supports the Council’s intention to address housing need, affordable housing,
housing mix, older persons housing, specialist accommodation, self-build and custombuild housing, and housing diversification through the new Local Plan.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.46. The Housing Needs Assessment should inform the quantity, type, size and tenure of
housing required across Cheshire East. However, housing policies should be prepared
alongside the spatial strategy, viability evidence and infrastructure planning. Policy
requirements must be ambitious but deliverable.
5.47. Policy PM12 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to set out the
contributions expected from development, including affordable housing and
infrastructure, at a level that allows the planned types of development and sites to be
deliverable. Policy PM13 also requires quantitative standards to be justified,
proportionate and not to have an adverse impact on viability and deliverability.
5.48. TCE supports the objective of increasing affordable housing delivery. However,
affordable housing requirements, including any requirements associated with Green Belt
release, should be tested through robust viability evidence. This will be particularly
important where sites are expected to deliver affordable housing, infrastructure, open
space, biodiversity net gain, sustainable drainage, transport improvements and other
policy requirements.
5.49. TCE’s landholdings offer the potential to deliver a range of housing types and tenures.
Smaller sites at Plumley and Knutsford could contribute to housing choice and earlier
delivery. Larger strategic opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate around Knutsford
could support mixed communities with affordable housing, older persons housing,
specialist accommodation and a range of market housing types where justified by
evidence.
5.50. The August 2026 NPPF also places emphasis on small and medium-sized sites. Policy
HO6 requires local plans to allocate land to accommodate at least 10% of the housing
requirement on sites no larger than one hectare and a further 10% on sites between 1
and 2.5 hectares, unless there are strong reasons why this cannot be achieved.
5.51. The smaller TCE sites at Plumley and around Knutsford should be assessed in this
context. They may provide opportunities to diversify supply, support early delivery, assist
small and medium-sized builders, and contribute to the vitality of smaller settlements.
Employment and Economy
5.52. TCE supports the preparation of updated evidence on economic development needs and
employment land requirements. The Local Plan should ensure that employment land
supply is sufficient to support Cheshire East’s economic growth ambitions and that
housing growth is planned alongside employment growth.
5.53. The Local Plan should consider employment land not only through standalone
employment allocations, but also through mixed-use growth opportunities. Mixed-use
strategic sites can help create balanced communities, provide local jobs, reduce
commuting and support services.
5.54. Opportunities around Knutsford are particularly relevant to the relationship between
housing and employment growth. As a Key Service Centre with strong connections to the
strategic highway network, Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider
Cheshire and Warrington economy, Knutsford is capable of accommodating growth that
supports both housing and employment objectives. The Council should therefore assess
opportunities around the settlement not only in terms of housing delivery but also in
relation to their potential contribution towards employment growth, investment, labour
market accessibility and wider economic objectives.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.55. Opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate may also provide scope for the Council to
consider how housing growth, employment provision, infrastructure investment and
sustainable transport improvements can be planned in a coordinated manner. Whilst the
scale and form of any future development should be informed through the evidence
base, Economic Development Needs Assessment and Employment Land Review, these
opportunities should be assessed having regard to their potential contribution towards
Cheshire East's long-term economic competitiveness, job creation and wider economic
growth objectives.
Transport and Infrastructure
5.56. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that transport and infrastructure will be central to
the delivery of sustainable growth. The new Local Plan should integrate transport,
utilities, education, healthcare, digital infrastructure, green infrastructure and
community facilities with the spatial strategy and site allocation process.
5.57. Policy TR1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires sustainable transport considerations to be
addressed from the earliest stages of plan-making. It requires plans to locate
development where it can support sustainable patterns of movement and make effective
use of existing or proposed transport infrastructure.
5.58. TCE considers that transport accessibility should be a central factor in determining the
spatial strategy. The Council should consider public transport accessibility, rail
connectivity, active travel potential, access to services, relationship to strategic highway
corridors and the ability of development to support infrastructure improvements.
5.59. TCE’s landholdings around Knutsford and the wider Tabley Estate are well related to the
strategic highway network, including the M6 corridor, and to Knutsford’s role as a Key
Service Centre. The Plumley sites are particularly relevant because of their proximity to
Plumley railway station.
5.60. The Local Plan should therefore assess station-related growth opportunities in a positive
and evidence-led way. In particular, Plumley should be assessed not only by reference to
its current settlement classification, but also by reference to its rail connectivity and the
potential for planned growth to support sustainable travel patterns.
5.61. Infrastructure requirements should be viewed not only as constraints, but also as
opportunities. Larger strategic sites can help deliver new infrastructure, green
infrastructure, active travel routes and community facilities in a coordinated way. This is
particularly relevant to TCE’s larger scale land interests around Knutsford and within the
wider Tabley Estate, where the scale of development could support comprehensive
infrastructure planning.
Local Plan Evidence Base
5.62. TCE supports the preparation of a robust, proportionate and up-to-date evidence base.
This will be critical to ensuring that the Local Plan is justified, effective and capable of
meeting development needs.
5.63. TCE considers that the following evidence will be particularly important:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Grey Belt assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Economic Development Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan;
 Viability Assessment;
 Sustainability Appraisal;
 Heritage Assessment;
 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment;
 transport evidence; and
 Environmental and landscape evidence.
5.64. The Council should publish key methodologies and emerging findings at the earliest
appropriate stage to allow meaningful engagement. This is particularly important in
relation to the Green Belt Assessment, Grey Belt findings, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
Land Availability Assessment and Spatial Distribution Report.
5.65. The evidence base should be capable of assessing different site typologies consistently
and fairly. It should not apply a methodology that unintentionally favours only small sites,
only urban sites, or only previously developed land. Existing allocations, safeguarded
land, smaller and medium-sized sites, urban extensions and new settlement options
should all be assessed in a manner appropriate to their scale and potential contribution.
5.66. TCE requests that its landholdings across the Tabley Estate are assessed fully through
this process and that their potential contribution to housing, employment, infrastructure,
environmental enhancement and sustainable transport is considered on a consistent
basis with other promoted sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
6. Proposed Local Plan
Engagement Strategy
Engagement approach and methods
6.1. TCE supports continued engagement with landowners, site promoters, infrastructure
providers, communities and other stakeholders throughout the plan-making process.
Effective engagement will be essential to ensuring that the Local Plan is informed by
realistic evidence on site availability, deliverability, infrastructure requirements and
phasing.
6.2. For strategic sites, engagement should allow promoters to clarify technical evidence,
infrastructure assumptions, access arrangements, phasing, masterplanning principles
and delivery timescales. This will assist the Council in assessing sites accurately and
consistently.
6.3. This is particularly important for larger opportunities such as those within the wider
Tabley Estate, where careful consideration will be required in relation to infrastructure,
transport, landscape, ecology, heritage, phasing and long-term stewardship.
6.4. TCE would welcome continued engagement with Cheshire East Council as the new Local
Plan progresses, including discussions regarding the emerging evidence base, site
assessment methodology, Green Belt Assessment, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
infrastructure requirements and spatial strategy.
Plan programme and timeline
6.5. TCE supports the Council's proposed programme for Local Plan preparation. Given the
scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East and the Council's current housing land
supply position, it is important that the Local Plan continues to progress without
unnecessary delay.
6.6. Delays in plan preparation risk extending the period during which development decisions
are made in the absence of an up-to-date plan-led strategy. The Council should therefore
seek to maintain momentum, ensure that key evidence is prepared and made available
to stakeholders at an early stage, and continue engagement with stakeholders
throughout the process.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
7. Conclusion
7.1. TCE supports the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan for Cheshire East. The new Local Plan is being prepared in a materially changed
planning context, including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s
current housing land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging
Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy and the publication of the August
2026 NPPF during the consultation period.
7.2. TCE considers that the Local Plan should plan to meet the revised standard method
housing requirement as a minimum and should test whether a higher housing
requirement is justified having regard to economic growth, affordable housing need,
infrastructure investment and emerging sub-regional priorities.
7.3. The Local Plan should identify a sufficient supply and mix of deliverable and developable
sites, including brownfield sites, existing allocations, safeguarded land, smaller and
medium-sized sites, sustainable urban extensions, station-related growth and potential
new settlement opportunities. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council
should also adopt a positive interim approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals
on safeguarded land to support short-term housing delivery.
7.4. A review of the Green Belt will be a necessary and important part of the plan-making
process. The Green Belt Assessment should be robust, transparent and sufficiently
detailed to identify variations in Green Belt performance. It should also consider the
sustainability of locations and the ability of development to deliver infrastructure,
services and environmental benefits.
7.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate that opportunities exist across a range of locations and
planning contexts within Cheshire East. These include allocated and safeguarded land
around Knutsford, opportunities around Plumley and larger-scale opportunities within
the wider Tabley Estate. Taken together, these locations provide a range of alternatives
capable of being assessed through the emerging evidence base as the Council considers
how best to accommodate future housing, employment and infrastructure requirements
and establish a sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy. TCE therefore requests that
Cheshire East Council assesses its landholdings fully and positively through the
emerging evidence base, publishes key methodologies and findings early enough to
enable meaningful engagement, and continues direct dialogue with TCE as the Local
Plan progresses. This will help ensure that the Plan is ambitious, deliverable and capable
of meeting Cheshire East’s housing, employment, infrastructure and environmental
objectives over the full plan period.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
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The Crown Estate
Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan
Scoping Consultation 2026
September 2026The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Contents
1. Introduction 3
2. New Local Plan 5
3. Context for the new Local Plan 7
4. Baseline information and spatial portrait 12
5. Scope of the new Local Plan 14
6. Proposed Local Plan Engagement Strategy 23
7. Conclusion 24The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
1. Introduction
1.1. Deloitte LLP is instructed by The Crown Estate ("TCE") to submit representations to the
Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation (2026). TCE welcomes the opportunity to
engage at this early stage in the preparation of the new Cheshire East Local Plan. The
scoping consultation represents an important stage in establishing the matters that the
Local Plan should address, the evidence base required to support it, and the approach to
future engagement with stakeholders.
1.2. The new Local Plan will need to respond to a materially changed planning context,
including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s current housing
land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging Cheshire and
Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, and the publication of the August 2026
National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”) during the consultation period.
1.3. TCE welcomes the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan which meets identified housing and employment needs, supports sustainable
economic growth, and directs development to locations that are, or can be made,
sustainable through appropriate infrastructure provision, public transport accessibility,
active travel connections, environmental enhancement and long-term stewardship.
1.4. In summary, TCE considers that the new Local Plan should:
 meet identified housing and employment needs in full and test whether
additional growth is justified by economic, affordable housing or infrastructure
considerations;
 establish a clear and deliverable spatial strategy informed by a robust
assessment of reasonable alternatives;
 assess Green Belt, Grey Belt and safeguarded land through a transparent and
integrated methodology;
 give appropriate weight to well-connected locations, including Key Service
Centres and rail-connected settlements;
 identify a diverse portfolio of sites capable of contributing across different scales
and timescales; and
 integrate infrastructure, employment, sustainable transport and environmental
enhancement with decisions about the location of growth.
Background and Context
1.5. TCE is a long-term landowner within Cheshire East through its ownership of the Tabley
Estate, with landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley. Its interests include land
allocated for development within the adopted Local Plan, safeguarded land identified
through the adopted Local Plan process, and a wider portfolio of landholdings which
have been submitted through the Council’s recent Call for Sites process.
1.6. As a long-term landowner and steward of public assets, TCE is committed to working
positively with Cheshire East Council throughout preparation of the new Local Plan.
These representations seek to support the preparation of a robust and evidence-ledThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Local Plan and to ensure that a broad range of growth opportunities are appropriately
assessed through the emerging evidence base and site assessment process.
1.7. TCE’s land interests are relevant to the preparation of the emerging Local Plan in a
number of respects. These include:
 Land West of Manchester Road, Knutsford, which comprises land allocated for
residential and employment development within the adopted Local Plan (LPS 36).
A full planning application (ref. 26/1231/FUL) was submitted in March 2026 on
parcel B of the allocation, which is currently being determined. TCE remains
committed to delivering the remainder of the allocation in a timely fashion.
 Land North and South of Tabley Road, Knutsford, comprising safeguarded land
identified in adopted Local Plan policies LPS 39 and LPS 40 as land to meet
longer-term development needs.
 A wider portfolio of landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley, comprising
opportunities of differing scales and characteristics submitted through the
Council’s Call for Sites process. This includes land associated with the potential
future growth of Knutsford as a Key Service Centre, opportunities associated with
the rail-connected settlement of Plumley, and larger landholdings capable of
being considered as part of the Council's assessment of longer-term growth
options.
1.8. Collectively, these land interests comprise a diverse portfolio of opportunities of
different scales and locations within Cheshire East. The emerging Local Plan and
supporting evidence base should therefore assess these interests appropriately as part
of the Council’s consideration of future growth options and the preparation of a
sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy.
1.9. The range of options identified above is particularly relevant given the materially
increased housing requirement and the need for the Local Plan to identify a sufficient and
resilient supply of suitable, available and deliverable sites.
1.10. It is therefore critical that the new Local Plan is prepared positively, quickly and on the
basis of robust evidence. The plan must identify a sufficient supply of suitable, available
and deliverable sites to meet housing and employment needs in full, while providing a
clear framework for infrastructure, environmental enhancement and high-quality
placemaking.
1.11. These representations have been prepared having regard to the NPPF published in
August 2026, which applies to relevant plan-making from 17 August 2026. The Council
should therefore review the consultation responses, evidence base and next stages of
Plan preparation against the final Framework, particularly in relation to Green Belt, Grey
Belt, station-related development, strategic sites, housing delivery, economic growth
and national decision-making policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
2. New Local Plan
Matters addressed in the new Local Plan
2.1. TCE supports the broad range of matters identified by the Council for inclusion within the
new Local Plan. These appropriately cover housing, employment, transport,
infrastructure, climate change, environmental matters, design and placemaking, health
and wellbeing and sustainable economic growth.
2.2. However, TCE considers that the Local Plan should be framed first and foremost around
the need to respond positively to the significant increase in development requirements
now facing Cheshire East. The revised standard method housing need figure, changes to
national policy and the Council's current housing land supply position collectively
indicate that the new Local Plan will require the Council to reconsider the scale and
distribution of growth that informed the adopted Local Plan Strategy.
2.3. In this context, the Local Plan should prioritise the following matters, which will be
central to establishing a positive and deliverable growth strategy:
 meeting housing and employment needs in full;
 establishing a clear and deliverable spatial strategy;
 undertaking an evidence-led review of Green Belt and Grey Belt land where
necessary to meet identified needs;
 identifying a sufficient supply of deliverable and developable sites;
 planning infrastructure alongside growth;
 promoting sustainable transport and well-connected locations; and
 supporting long-term economic competitiveness.
2.4. TCE considers that these issues are intrinsically linked and should not be considered
through separate strategic policy workstreams. Housing, employment, infrastructure,
transport and environmental enhancement should instead form part of a single
integrated growth strategy.
Why prepare a new Local Plan
2.5. TCE strongly supports the preparation of a new Local Plan. The adopted Local Plan was
prepared within a materially different policy and housing context. The increased housing
requirement, national policy changes, the Council’s housing land supply position and the
emerging Cheshire and Warrington strategic context require a new and deliverable
spatial strategy.
2.6. An up-to-date Plan will provide the framework needed to coordinate housing,
employment, infrastructure and environmental improvements. Without it, there is a
greater risk that development will be determined through individual applications and
appeals rather than through a planned spatial strategy.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Developing the new Local Plan
2.7. TCE supports the Council's intention to progress the Local Plan in accordance with the
new plan-making system.
2.8. The emerging Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy (‘SDS’) will form an
important part of the wider strategic planning context, including in relation to broad
growth locations, infrastructure and economic priorities. The Cheshire East Local Plan
should continue without delay while retaining sufficient flexibility to respond to relevant
strategic priorities as the SDS emerges. The NPPF and PPG emphasise the importance of
effective cooperation on strategic planning matters. Given the Combined Authority's role
in coordinating growth, infrastructure and transport priorities across the city region, the
Council should continue to engage closely with the Combined Authority throughout plan
preparation to ensure alignment with wider strategic objectives.
2.9. The Council should ensure that decisions regarding the spatial strategy are informed by a
robust and proportionate evidence base. In particular, the following studies will have a
critical role in shaping future growth options:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan; and
 Viability Assessment.
2.10. TCE considers it important that these documents are prepared and published sufficiently
early to enable meaningful engagement before key strategic decisions become fixed.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3. Context for the new Local
Plan
Increase in housing requirements
3.1. The materially increased housing requirement represents a fundamental change in the
planning context for the new Local Plan. It will require the Council to reconsider the
distribution of growth, the role of different settlements, realistic brownfield capacity, the
need for Green Belt release, and safeguarded land, settlement extensions and strategicscale opportunities.
3.2. Policies HO1 and HO2 of the August 2026 NPPF require the Plan to establish a housing
requirement based on local housing need as a minimum and to consider a higher figure
where justified as necessary to reflect economic growth and infrastructure investment.
TCE considers that the Plan should meet the revised standard method figure as a
minimum and test whether a higher requirement is justified by economic growth,
infrastructure investment, affordable housing need and emerging Cheshire and
Warrington SDS priorities.
3.3. The Council’s current five-year housing land supply position reinforces the need for a
positive and deliverable plan-led strategy. Cheshire East Council’s latest published
Housing Monitoring Update (March 2025) concludes that the Council has 3.3 years’
supply of deliverable housing sites against the required five years. In the absence of a
demonstrable five-year supply, housing delivery is increasingly influenced by
applications and appeals rather than a coordinated spatial strategy. Strong recent
delivery identified through the Housing Delivery Test (August 2026) is welcomed, but it is
not a substitute for a positively prepared Local Plan capable of maintaining housing
delivery through the plan period.
3.4. This shortfall demonstrates that the Local Plan must identify a larger and more resilient
portfolio of deliverable and developable sites. It should not rely on any single source of
supply or any single settlement tier. Instead, it should identify strategic allocations,
urban extensions, station-related opportunities, and smaller and medium-sized sites
capable of supporting delivery across the plan period, whilst also helping to maintain and
enhance the vitality of settlements across the Borough by supporting local services,
facilities, infrastructure and sustainable communities.
3.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate the breadth of opportunities that may be available to
support this approach and should be assessed through the emerging evidence base
alongside other reasonable alternatives.
Changes to Green Belt policy
3.6. TCE supports the Council’s intention to undertake a borough-wide Green Belt
Assessment as part of the Local Plan evidence base. This will be a critical component of
the emerging Plan given the significant extent of Green Belt within Cheshire East and the
scale of development now required.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3.7. The Green Belt is an important planning designation and its purposes should be properly
assessed. However, it should not be treated as a fixed constraint that prevents
consideration of sustainable growth options where development needs cannot otherwise
be met. The August 2026 NPPF provides a clear framework for Green Belt review through
plan-making where exceptional circumstances are evidenced and justified.
3.8. Policy GB3 of the NPPF confirms that exceptional circumstances include situations
where a local planning authority is unable to meet its identified need for homes,
commercial or other development in full, having examined all other reasonable options.
That position is directly relevant to Cheshire East, given the significant increase in
housing need and the Council’s current housing land supply position.
3.9. Policy GB4 requires Green Belt boundary alterations to promote sustainable patterns of
development, giving priority to previously developed land in sustainable locations, then
Grey Belt land in sustainable locations, and then other Green Belt locations where this
would promote a sustainable pattern of development overall. The assessment should
therefore consider not only the Green Belt function of land, but also the sustainability of
the location and the ability of development to support infrastructure, services and
sustainable movement patterns.
3.10. TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be sufficiently detailed to identify
variations in how land performs against Green Belt purposes. Broad-brush assessment
parcels risk obscuring opportunities where land performs a limited Green Belt function,
where defensible boundaries exist, or where development could be planned
comprehensively without undermining the wider function of the Green Belt.
3.11. The assessment should pay particular attention to opportunities around Knutsford. As a
Key Service Centre with a strong range of services, facilities, employment opportunities
and transport connections, the settlement is capable of accommodating growth. The
Green Belt Assessment should therefore consider the extent to which opportunities
around the settlement could contribute towards the Borough’s development
requirements.
3.12. Plumley should be assessed positively in light of its railway station. Its role should not be
judged solely by population size or current settlement classification, but also by its
public transport accessibility and its potential to support sustainable travel, local
services and proportionate housing growth. Opportunities around Plumley should
therefore be assessed through the Settlement Hierarchy Review and Spatial Distribution
Strategy, having regard to their ability to support sustainable travel patterns, local
services and proportionate growth.
3.13. The safeguarded land north and south of Tabley Road (LPS 39 and LPS 40) is an example
of land that has already been identified through the adopted Local Plan as land which
may be required to meet longer-term development needs, and which remains available
to be considered as part of the emerging Local Plan. In the context of the revised housing
requirement and the lack of a five-year housing land supply, the Council should consider
a more general, positive approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals on
safeguarded land in advance of and separate from the completion of the Local Plan
process.
3.14. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council should consider preparing an
interim housing position statement setting out a positive and transparent approach to the
determination of housing proposals on safeguarded land. Such an approach would not
alter the formal designation of the land, which would remain a matter for the Local PlanThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
review, nor displace the statutory priority afforded to the development plan. It would,
however, recognise that policies restricting housing development on safeguarded land
should be applied in light of the Council’s current housing land supply position, the
materially increased housing requirement and the presumption in favour of sustainable
development.
3.15. The approach adopted by Kirklees Council provides a relevant precedent. Its Interim
Housing Position Statement retains the adopted safeguarded-land designation but
recognises that, in the absence of a five-year housing land supply, safeguarded sites may
provide opportunities for early housing development where constraints can be
overcome. Cheshire East should adopt a similarly positive approach, giving substantial
weight to sustainable and deliverable proposals on safeguarded land, particularly where
sites are well related to existing settlements, can be supported by appropriate
infrastructure and are capable of contributing to housing supply within the short term.
Such an approach would provide an appropriate framework for the early consideration of
the safeguarded land relating to LPS 39 and LPS 40, both of which are well related to
Knutsford and capable of contributing to housing delivery in the short term.
3.16. TCE supports a robust Green Belt and Grey Belt assessment but considers that it must
be applied in a manner that enables genuinely sustainable and deliverable sites to be
considered through the plan-making process. Given the central role that Green Belt and
Grey Belt considerations are likely to play in accommodating Cheshire East's future
development needs, TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be treated as
a priority evidence base document and prepared sufficiently early to inform key decisions
regarding the spatial strategy and distribution of growth. This will be essential if the Local
Plan is to meet development needs in full while promoting a sustainable spatial strategy.
Brownfield Development
3.17. TCE supports the effective use of previously developed land where such land is suitable,
available and deliverable. A brownfield-first approach is appropriate and consistent with
national policy.
3.18. However, the scale of housing and employment growth now facing Cheshire East means
that brownfield land alone will not provide a sufficient solution. The Council's own
monitoring evidence demonstrates that a substantial proportion of development has
historically been delivered on greenfield sites, with previously developed land accounting
for only around one-third of housing completions in recent monitoring years. Brownfield
sites can also face constraints relating to ownership, viability, contamination,
infrastructure, market demand and delivery timescales. The Local Plan should therefore
avoid placing undue reliance on brownfield capacity where there is no clear evidence
that it can meet the Borough’s needs in full.
3.19. The Council’s own scoping material identifies that the new Local Plan may need to
consider a range of options, including densification, further development within existing
settlements, edge-of-settlement growth, large-scale urban extensions and new
settlements. TCE supports that broad approach.
3.20. The Local Plan should therefore maximise brownfield opportunities while also identifying
sustainable greenfield and Green Belt locations where these are necessary to meet
housing and employment needs. TCE’s landholdings across the Tabley Estate provide
examples of greenfield and Green Belt opportunities that could deliver new homes,
employment land, infrastructure, open space and environmental benefits in sustainable
locations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Economic Growth
3.21. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that Cheshire East has an important economic
role and that the new Local Plan must plan positively for employment growth, investment
and long-term competitiveness. The emerging Plan should ensure that housing,
employment and infrastructure are planned in a coordinated manner so that growth is
capable of supporting sustainable economic outcomes across the Borough.
3.22. Policy E1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to establish a clear
economic vision and strategy, support business investment, and allocate sites to meet
anticipated employment needs over the plan period. The policy recognises the
importance of providing flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances and
supporting a diverse range of sectors and business activities.
3.23. Housing and employment growth should not be considered separately. A sustainable
spatial strategy should seek to align new homes with employment opportunities,
services, infrastructure and sustainable transport. This will help reduce commuting
distances, support inclusive economic growth and ensure that housing delivery supports
the labour force required by the local economy.
3.24. Given Knutsford's role as a Key Service Centre and its proximity to strategic transport
infrastructure, opportunities around the settlement should be assessed not only in terms
of housing delivery but also in terms of their ability to support employment growth,
investment and wider economic objectives across Cheshire East and the sub-region.
Knutsford benefits from strong connectivity to the strategic highway network,
Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider Cheshire and Warrington
economy. The Council's assessment of growth options around the settlement should
therefore take account of their potential contribution to both housing and employment
needs.
3.25. TCE’s land interests associated with the wider Tabley Estate also provide an opportunity
for the Council to consider how larger-scale growth options could contribute towards
economic objectives over the longer term. In addition to supporting housing delivery,
such opportunities may have the potential to support employment provision,
infrastructure investment, sustainable transport improvements and enhanced
connectivity between homes, jobs and services. The precise scale and form of any such
contribution should be determined through the evidence base and site assessment
process.
3.26. Opportunities around Knutsford, together with other opportunities within the wider
Tabley Estate, should therefore be assessed through the Economic Development Needs
Assessment, Employment Land Review and Spatial Distribution Strategy. This
assessment should consider not only their ability to contribute towards housing delivery,
but also their potential role in supporting labour market accessibility, business growth,
infrastructure investment and wider economic competitiveness.
3.27. More generally, the Local Plan should assess a broad range of growth options and
determine the most appropriate scale and distribution of development having regard to
housing need, employment requirements, infrastructure capacity, sustainability
considerations and long-term economic objectives. The Plan should provide sufficient
flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances whilst ensuring that future
growth contributes positively to Cheshire East's economic success and competitiveness.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Spatial Development Strategy
3.28. TCE notes that Cheshire East is now part of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined
Authority area and that a Spatial Development Strategy will be prepared for Cheshire and
Warrington. TCE supports strategic planning at the sub-regional level, particularly where
it helps align housing, employment, infrastructure, transport and environmental priorities
across administrative boundaries.
3.29. However, preparation of the Cheshire East Local Plan should not be delayed pending the
Spatial Development Strategy. The Local Plan should continue to progress, identify
sufficient land to meet development needs and establish an appropriate spatial strategy,
while retaining flexibility to respond to any relevant strategic priorities that emerge
through the SDS process.
3.30. Policy PM1 of the August 2026 NPPF confirms that Spatial Development Strategies
should identify broad locations for growth and regeneration, including new settlements,
major urban extensions and major cross-boundary development where appropriate. TCE
supports this approach, recognising that large-scale strategic development requires
coordinated planning across administrative boundaries, particularly in relation to
transport, utilities and wider infrastructure capacity and delivery. The Cheshire East
Local Plan should therefore align with any broad growth locations identified through the
forthcoming Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, while retaining
sufficient flexibility to respond to the SDS as it emerges. This alignment will be important
to ensure that strategic sites are planned comprehensively and supported by the
infrastructure necessary for their delivery.
3.31. Opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are of sufficient scale
to warrant assessment through the Local Plan process and, where relevant, the emerging
spatial development strategy. Their potential role should be informed through the
Council's evidence base and considered alongside other reasonable alternatives in
establishing the most appropriate spatial strategy.
National Decision-Making Policies
3.32. TCE supports the Council's recognition that the introduction of National Decision-Making
Policies provides an opportunity for local plans to focus on genuinely local matters.
3.33. The Local Plan should avoid unnecessary duplication of national policy and instead
focus on the issues that are specific to Cheshire East, including the spatial strategy, site
allocations, settlement hierarchy, Green Belt review, affordable housing requirements
and infrastructure planning.
3.34. However, this should not result in an overly narrow plan. The Local Plan remains the
primary mechanism through which Cheshire East will determine how and where future
growth is accommodated and therefore should provide a strategic vision that aligns with
national and regional policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
4. Baseline information and
spatial portrait
Connectivity
4.1. TCE supports the Council's recognition of Cheshire East's strong connectivity and
strategic location. The Borough benefits from excellent connections to regional and
national transport networks, including the M6 and M56 motorways, Manchester Airport
and an extensive rail network.
4.2. Connectivity should form a central part of the future spatial strategy. The Local Plan
should direct growth towards locations which are well connected by public transport or
which have the ability to support improvements to sustainable transport infrastructure.
4.3. The August 2026 NPPF places increased emphasis on locating development where it can
make effective use of existing and proposed transport infrastructure, including through
its support for residential and mixed-use development within reasonable walking
distance of qualifying well-connected railway stations. In this regard, opportunities
around Knutsford, including land associated with the Tabley Estate, should be assessed
in the context of the settlement's role as a Key Service Centre, its relationship with the
strategic highway network and its accessibility to employment and services. Future
growth in this part of the Borough has the potential to support sustainable travel patterns
and infrastructure investment where planned comprehensively.
4.4. Opportunities around Plumley are also relevant in this context. As a rail-connected
settlement, Plumley provides a distinctive opportunity to consider how proportionate
growth can support sustainable travel patterns, reinforce the role of the railway station
and contribute to the long-term vitality of local services and facilities.
4.5. Larger-scale opportunities within TCE's land portfolio may provide scope for transport
and infrastructure requirements to be considered comprehensively alongside
development. The Council should assess not only current accessibility but also the
extent to which growth may support improvements to transport, active travel,
infrastructure and service provision.
Economic contribution
4.6. Cheshire East plays a significant role within the wider North West economy and benefits
from a diverse economic base, strong transport connections and a number of nationally
and regionally important employment centres. The Borough's economic success has
historically been supported by its ability to attract and retain a skilled workforce, provide
a high-quality environment for investment and deliver a range of housing opportunities
across its settlements.
4.7. TCE supports the Council's recognition that economic growth should remain a central
component of the emerging Local Plan. The Local Plan should not treat housing delivery
and economic development as separate policy objectives. Instead, it should recognise
that the two are fundamentally linked and that a sufficient supply of homes is essential toThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
support labour market growth, improve affordability and maintain the competitiveness of
the Borough's economy.
4.8. The emerging evidence base should therefore consider how housing need, employment
growth and infrastructure provision interact. This is particularly important given the
significant increase in housing requirements and the potential implications this may have
for labour supply, commuting patterns and business investment. The Local Plan should
ensure that growth is distributed in a manner that supports both existing employment
centres and future economic opportunities.
4.9. TCE considers that strategic and mixed-use development opportunities can play an
important role in delivering this objective. Larger sites are often capable of supporting
housing, employment, community infrastructure and sustainable transport
improvements through a coordinated and masterplanned approach. Such opportunities
can help create balanced communities, reduce the need to travel and provide greater
certainty regarding infrastructure delivery.
4.10. The Local Plan should therefore positively assess a range of growth options capable of
supporting both housing and economic objectives. This should include consideration of
strategic urban extensions, mixed-use sites and potential longer-term growth
opportunities where these can contribute towards the Borough's economic resilience,
competitiveness and productivity.
4.11. Overall, the Local Plan should seek to establish a clear relationship between housing
growth, employment growth and infrastructure investment, ensuring that future
development supports Cheshire East's role as a sustainable and economically
successful location within the wider region.
4.12. Strategic growth opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are
particularly relevant because they can integrate homes, employment land, transport
improvements, digital infrastructure, utilities and sustainable travel connections through
comprehensive masterplanning. Their relationship with the M6 corridor, Knutsford
railway station and the Mid-Cheshire rail corridor should be assessed as part of the
evidence base, particularly where this could support labour market accessibility,
business connectivity and investment in high-value sectors.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5. Scope of the new Local
Plan
Local Plan Period
5.1. TCE supports the proposed plan period to 2045. However, the Local Plan should also
consider longer-term growth requirements beyond the end of the plan period, particularly
where strategic urban extensions or new settlement opportunities are being assessed.
Larger sites may require delivery across multiple phases and potentially beyond a single
plan period. This should not prevent such opportunities from being considered through
the plan-making process, although their delivery may extend beyond a single plan period.
Vision and Objectives
5.2. TCE supports the preparation of a clear, locally distinctive and deliverable vision for
Cheshire East. The vision should respond directly to the changed planning context,
including the higher housing requirement, current housing land supply shortfall,
economic growth ambitions, the need for Green Belt review and the publication of the
August 2026 NPPF.
5.3. The vision should not simply seek to manage growth. It should explain how Cheshire East
will accommodate growth positively and sustainably, while delivering homes,
employment, infrastructure, environmental enhancement and healthy communities.
5.4. TCE considers that the vision and objectives should include the following priorities:
 meeting housing need in full, as a minimum;
 testing whether a higher housing requirement is justified by economic growth,
affordable housing need or infrastructure investment;
 supporting sustainable economic growth and employment delivery;
 ensuring a sufficient supply of affordable homes and a broad housing mix;
 reviewing Green Belt boundaries where necessary to meet needs;
 testing strategic urban extensions and new settlement options;
 supporting growth at sustainable settlements and rail-connected locations;
 integrating infrastructure planning with site allocation decisions;
 delivering multifunctional green infrastructure, biodiversity net gain and climate
resilience; and
 maintaining a deliverable supply of sites throughout the plan period.
Identifying and assessing sites
5.5. TCE supports the Council’s intention to prepare a robust and evidence-led assessment
of potential development sites. The assessment process will be critical to ensuring thatThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
the Local Plan identifies a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet the Borough’s
development needs.
5.6. Policy PM9 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to be informed by an
assessment of land available to meet development needs, including consideration of
availability, suitability, achievability, likely viability, site capacity and delivery timescales.
5.7. TCE considers that the site assessment methodology should be transparent,
proportionate and capable of assessing different categories of site. It should not be
designed in a way that favours only one type or scale of development. Smaller sites,
safeguarded land, settlement-edge opportunities, strategic urban extensions and new
settlements will all need to be assessed through an appropriate methodology.
5.8. The assessment process should give appropriate weight to:
 land ownership and availability;
 deliverability and likely delivery timescales;
 ability to contribute to five-year housing land supply;
 relationship to existing settlements and services;
 relationship to railway stations and strategic transport corridors;
 potential to deliver housing, employment and community facilities together;
 ability to support affordable housing and housing choice;
 infrastructure requirements and opportunities;
 ability to deliver green infrastructure and biodiversity net gain;
 Green Belt performance, where relevant;
 landscape, heritage, ecology and flood risk considerations; and
 long-term flexibility and phasing.
5.9. The assessment should avoid applying overly restrictive criteria at an early stage. In
particular, strategic sites and new settlement options should not be discounted simply
because they require comprehensive masterplanning or longer delivery periods. Such
sites may be important to maintaining supply over the middle and later parts of the plan
period and may provide opportunities to deliver infrastructure and environmental
benefits at scale.
5.10. TCE’s landholdings are relevant to this assessment because they include sites capable
of contributing across a range of timescales. The allocated land West of Manchester
Road, the safeguarded land at Tabley Road and smaller sites around Knutsford and
Plumley could contribute early in the plan period. Larger scale opportunities within the
wider Tabley Estate provide longer-term strategic options capable of supporting
comprehensive infrastructure-led growth.
5.11. TCE therefore requests that the Council’s site assessment methodology expressly
recognises the different roles that sites can play across the plan period, including early
delivery, settlement-edge growth, rail-connected growth, and strategic urban extensions
and new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Green Belt
5.12. TCE notes the approach set out at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 of the scoping consultation
for determining whether Green Belt boundary changes are required. This exercise should
be integrated with, rather than undertaken separately from, the assessment of sites,
settlement hierarchy and spatial distribution. The Council’s own consultation identifies
site selection, Green Belt, settlement hierarchy and spatial strategy as interrelated
considerations in planning for growth.
5.13. TCE supports the assessment of future development needs and the effective use of
suitable brownfield and underused land. However, the sequential considerations listed
at paragraph 5.17 should not operate as a series of rigid filters through which otherwise
sustainable Green Belt sites are excluded before their comparative merits have been
assessed. In particular, the existence of theoretical capacity outside the Green Belt
should not be treated as sufficient unless that capacity is demonstrated to be suitable,
available, deliverable and capable of supporting a sustainable spatial strategy.
5.14. All reasonable growth options should therefore be assessed through a consistent and
transparent framework. For Green Belt sites, this should bring together:
 the contribution of the land to Green Belt purposes, including whether it
comprises Grey Belt;
 the site’s relationship with the settlement hierarchy and existing settlement form;
 accessibility to services, employment and public transport, including railway
stations;
 infrastructure capacity and the opportunity for development to deliver
improvements;
 availability, deliverability, viability, capacity and likely phasing;
 environmental, landscape, heritage and flood-risk considerations; and
 the ability to deliver housing, employment, community facilities, green
infrastructure and wider public benefits comprehensively.
5.15. This would align the Green Belt exercise with the wider spatial-distribution factors
identified by the Council, which include housing and employment needs, infrastructure,
services, environmental constraints, Green Belt, brownfield availability, site availability,
market attractiveness and viability.
5.16. TCE considers that “considering sites outside the Green Belt first” should mean that
reasonable non-Green Belt alternatives are properly examined; it should not establish an
automatic preference for a less sustainable or less deliverable location solely because it
lies outside the Green Belt. Comparative assessment should consider whether each
option would promote a sustainable pattern of development and contribute effectively to
meeting identified needs.
5.17. Similarly, optimising density and maximising brownfield capacity are important
components of the strategy, but the Council should test whether the resulting capacity is
realistic and deliverable over the plan period. These measures should not be relied upon
to defer the assessment of Green Belt opportunities where additional land may be
required to meet development needs in full and maintain a sufficient and resilient supply
of sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.18. Where exceptional circumstances are identified, decisions on potential Green Belt
release should be made through the wider spatial strategy and site-selection process.
Appropriate weight should be given to opportunities that are well related to existing
settlements or well-connected railway stations, as well as strategic sites capable of
delivering infrastructure, employment provision, sustainable transport, community
facilities and environmental improvements through comprehensive masterplanning. The
Council expressly anticipates testing a range of options, including edge-of-settlement
growth, large-scale urban extensions and new settlements; Green Belt location or site
scale should not prevent those options from being assessed on a comparable basis.
5.19. The land availability methodology should explain clearly how Green Belt considerations
will interact with the initial site sift, scoring and subsequent allocation stages. Sites
should not be filtered out solely because of their existing Green Belt designation before
the Green Belt assessment, settlement hierarchy review, spatial distribution work and
sustainability assessment have been considered together. The Council proposes to
publish its methodology and initial site assessments at the subsequent plan content and
evidence consultation; these should provide a clear audit trail showing how the factors
above have informed each assessment.
5.20. Applied in this way, the approach at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 would enable the Local
Plan to identify the most sustainable and deliverable combination of sites while
protecting Green Belt land that makes the strongest contribution to its purposes. It would
also ensure that smaller releases, safeguarded land, settlement extensions and
strategic-scale opportunities are assessed fairly and through a methodology appropriate
to their scale and potential contribution.
5.21. TCE requests that the Council clearly sets out how the findings of the Green Belt
assessment have informed the assessment of reasonable alternatives and site selection
process, alongside sustainability, deliverability and infrastructure considerations.
5.22. Pending the completion of that process, the Council should also consider an interim
housing position statement establishing a positive and transparent approach to
sustainable and deliverable housing proposals on safeguarded land, as set out earlier in
these representations.
Strategic green gap
5.23. TCE supports the Council's intention to review the Strategic Green Gap designation and
its role within the emerging Local Plan.
5.24. Strategic Green Gaps can play an important role in maintaining the separation and
identity of settlements. However, the review should be evidence based and should
recognise that not all land within a designated gap performs the same function.
5.25. The assessment should identify those locations that make the greatest contribution to
maintaining separation whilst recognising that the scale of development needs now
facing Cheshire East may require a balanced assessment between protecting settlement
identity and accommodating sustainable growth.
5.26. The Strategic Green Gap should therefore not operate as an absolute constraint on
development. Instead, it should form part of a wider planning balance which takes
account of housing need, sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure provision and
landscape considerations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Settlement Hierarchy
5.27. TCE supports the Council’s intention to review the settlement hierarchy as part of the
preparation of the new Local Plan. Given the scale of housing need now facing Cheshire
East, the settlement hierarchy will play a significant role in shaping the distribution of
development and identifying sustainable locations for growth.
5.28. The hierarchy should be informed by an up-to-date assessment of the role and function
of settlements. It should consider access to services and facilities, employment
opportunities, public transport, active travel, strategic infrastructure, settlement form,
market demand, recent growth, infrastructure capacity and the potential for
development to support improvements.
5.29. TCE supports Knutsford continuing to be identified as a Key Service Centre. Knutsford
has a strong range of services, facilities and employment opportunities, and benefits
from a strategically accessible location. It should therefore be considered as a
settlement capable of accommodating a meaningful proportion of future growth.
5.30. The previous Local Plan directed approximately 950 dwellings to Knutsford, which was
lower than the level of growth directed to several other Key Service Centres. In light of the
increased housing requirement and the scale of available land around the settlement,
the new Local Plan should consider whether Knutsford should accommodate a greater
level of growth over the new plan period.
5.31. TCE’s land interests around Knutsford provide a practical basis for assessing this issue.
Land West of Manchester Road is already allocated for mixed-use development. Land
North and South of Tabley Road comprises safeguarded land capable of forming a logical
next phase of growth. Given the Council's current housing land supply position and
increased housing requirement, these sites should be considered not only through the
Local Plan review but also through any interim approach adopted in respect of
safeguarded land proposals. Larger scale opportunities around Knutsford could deliver
homes, employment, services, open space and infrastructure in a comprehensive
manner.
5.32. TCE also considers that the role of Plumley should be reviewed carefully. Plumley
benefits from a railway station and should not be assessed in the same way as more
remote rural settlements with no rail connectivity. The August 2026 NPPF includes
support for development associated with well-connected stations, subject to relevant
criteria.
5.33. The Settlement Hierarchy Review should therefore give appropriate weight to public
transport accessibility and the potential for station-related growth. TCE’s land interests
around Plumley provide examples of opportunities that could contribute to proportionate
growth at a rail-connected settlement.
Spatial Distribution
5.34. TCE considers that the spatial distribution of development is one of the most important
matters for the new Local Plan. The scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East
means that the Council will need to test a broad range of options and should avoid an
overly narrow approach to growth.
5.35. TCE supports a balanced spatial strategy which draws on a variety of site types and
locations. This should include urban regeneration, brownfield land, existing allocations,
safeguarded land, sustainable urban extensions, station-related development, smaller
and medium-sized sites, and potential new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.36. Policies HO3 and HO4 of the August 2026 NPPF support this approach. Policy HO3
requires local plans to identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet or exceed the
housing requirement over the plan period. Policy HO4 recognises the role of strategic
sites, including new settlements and significant extensions to existing settlements,
where they can be supported by infrastructure and can create sustainable communities.
5.37. In TCE’s view, the Local Plan should avoid excessive reliance on either dispersed smallscale development or a limited number of large strategic allocations. A resilient strategy
will require both. Smaller and medium-sized sites can support early delivery and housing
diversity, while larger sites can deliver infrastructure, employment land, community
facilities, green infrastructure and long-term supply.
5.38. TCE’s landholdings illustrate this balanced approach. The allocated land West of
Manchester Road and safeguarded land North and South of Tabley Road could
contribute to earlier delivery at Knutsford, including through any positive interim
approach to safeguarded land in advance of the new Local Plan. Larger scale
opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate could provide longerterm growth options. The Plumley sites could support proportionate growth associated
with a rail-connected settlement.
5.39. The new Local Plan should assess these opportunities as part of a comparative
assessment of reasonable alternatives. This should include consideration of
sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure, Green Belt performance, access to services,
transport connectivity, environmental effects and the ability to deliver wider public
benefits.
Development in the Settlements and the Countryside
5.40. TCE supports the continued use of settlement boundaries as a tool for managing
development. However, settlement boundaries should not become inflexible constraints
that prevent otherwise sustainable opportunities from being properly assessed.
Settlement boundaries should be reviewed alongside the Settlement Hierarchy Review
and Spatial Distribution Report to ensure they reflect the strategy of the new Local Plan.
5.41. The Local Plan should also recognise an important distinction between isolated
countryside locations and sites which are physically related to existing settlements,
strategic transport infrastructure or railway stations.
5.42. Locations which are well connected and relate closely to existing settlements may be
capable of accommodating growth in a way that supports sustainable travel patterns and
strengthens existing communities.
5.43. This will be particularly important in considering the role of rail-connected settlements
and opportunities associated with strategic growth locations around Knutsford and
Plumley.
5.44. TCE supports a positive approach to development associated with sustainable rural
settlements, particularly where such settlements benefit from public transport
connectivity. Plumley represents an example of a settlement capable of accommodating
carefully planned growth due to its railway station and strategic accessibility.
Housing
5.45. TCE supports the Council’s intention to address housing need, affordable housing,
housing mix, older persons housing, specialist accommodation, self-build and custombuild housing, and housing diversification through the new Local Plan.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.46. The Housing Needs Assessment should inform the quantity, type, size and tenure of
housing required across Cheshire East. However, housing policies should be prepared
alongside the spatial strategy, viability evidence and infrastructure planning. Policy
requirements must be ambitious but deliverable.
5.47. Policy PM12 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to set out the
contributions expected from development, including affordable housing and
infrastructure, at a level that allows the planned types of development and sites to be
deliverable. Policy PM13 also requires quantitative standards to be justified,
proportionate and not to have an adverse impact on viability and deliverability.
5.48. TCE supports the objective of increasing affordable housing delivery. However,
affordable housing requirements, including any requirements associated with Green Belt
release, should be tested through robust viability evidence. This will be particularly
important where sites are expected to deliver affordable housing, infrastructure, open
space, biodiversity net gain, sustainable drainage, transport improvements and other
policy requirements.
5.49. TCE’s landholdings offer the potential to deliver a range of housing types and tenures.
Smaller sites at Plumley and Knutsford could contribute to housing choice and earlier
delivery. Larger strategic opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate around Knutsford
could support mixed communities with affordable housing, older persons housing,
specialist accommodation and a range of market housing types where justified by
evidence.
5.50. The August 2026 NPPF also places emphasis on small and medium-sized sites. Policy
HO6 requires local plans to allocate land to accommodate at least 10% of the housing
requirement on sites no larger than one hectare and a further 10% on sites between 1
and 2.5 hectares, unless there are strong reasons why this cannot be achieved.
5.51. The smaller TCE sites at Plumley and around Knutsford should be assessed in this
context. They may provide opportunities to diversify supply, support early delivery, assist
small and medium-sized builders, and contribute to the vitality of smaller settlements.
Employment and Economy
5.52. TCE supports the preparation of updated evidence on economic development needs and
employment land requirements. The Local Plan should ensure that employment land
supply is sufficient to support Cheshire East’s economic growth ambitions and that
housing growth is planned alongside employment growth.
5.53. The Local Plan should consider employment land not only through standalone
employment allocations, but also through mixed-use growth opportunities. Mixed-use
strategic sites can help create balanced communities, provide local jobs, reduce
commuting and support services.
5.54. Opportunities around Knutsford are particularly relevant to the relationship between
housing and employment growth. As a Key Service Centre with strong connections to the
strategic highway network, Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider
Cheshire and Warrington economy, Knutsford is capable of accommodating growth that
supports both housing and employment objectives. The Council should therefore assess
opportunities around the settlement not only in terms of housing delivery but also in
relation to their potential contribution towards employment growth, investment, labour
market accessibility and wider economic objectives.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.55. Opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate may also provide scope for the Council to
consider how housing growth, employment provision, infrastructure investment and
sustainable transport improvements can be planned in a coordinated manner. Whilst the
scale and form of any future development should be informed through the evidence
base, Economic Development Needs Assessment and Employment Land Review, these
opportunities should be assessed having regard to their potential contribution towards
Cheshire East's long-term economic competitiveness, job creation and wider economic
growth objectives.
Transport and Infrastructure
5.56. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that transport and infrastructure will be central to
the delivery of sustainable growth. The new Local Plan should integrate transport,
utilities, education, healthcare, digital infrastructure, green infrastructure and
community facilities with the spatial strategy and site allocation process.
5.57. Policy TR1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires sustainable transport considerations to be
addressed from the earliest stages of plan-making. It requires plans to locate
development where it can support sustainable patterns of movement and make effective
use of existing or proposed transport infrastructure.
5.58. TCE considers that transport accessibility should be a central factor in determining the
spatial strategy. The Council should consider public transport accessibility, rail
connectivity, active travel potential, access to services, relationship to strategic highway
corridors and the ability of development to support infrastructure improvements.
5.59. TCE’s landholdings around Knutsford and the wider Tabley Estate are well related to the
strategic highway network, including the M6 corridor, and to Knutsford’s role as a Key
Service Centre. The Plumley sites are particularly relevant because of their proximity to
Plumley railway station.
5.60. The Local Plan should therefore assess station-related growth opportunities in a positive
and evidence-led way. In particular, Plumley should be assessed not only by reference to
its current settlement classification, but also by reference to its rail connectivity and the
potential for planned growth to support sustainable travel patterns.
5.61. Infrastructure requirements should be viewed not only as constraints, but also as
opportunities. Larger strategic sites can help deliver new infrastructure, green
infrastructure, active travel routes and community facilities in a coordinated way. This is
particularly relevant to TCE’s larger scale land interests around Knutsford and within the
wider Tabley Estate, where the scale of development could support comprehensive
infrastructure planning.
Local Plan Evidence Base
5.62. TCE supports the preparation of a robust, proportionate and up-to-date evidence base.
This will be critical to ensuring that the Local Plan is justified, effective and capable of
meeting development needs.
5.63. TCE considers that the following evidence will be particularly important:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Grey Belt assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Economic Development Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan;
 Viability Assessment;
 Sustainability Appraisal;
 Heritage Assessment;
 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment;
 transport evidence; and
 Environmental and landscape evidence.
5.64. The Council should publish key methodologies and emerging findings at the earliest
appropriate stage to allow meaningful engagement. This is particularly important in
relation to the Green Belt Assessment, Grey Belt findings, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
Land Availability Assessment and Spatial Distribution Report.
5.65. The evidence base should be capable of assessing different site typologies consistently
and fairly. It should not apply a methodology that unintentionally favours only small sites,
only urban sites, or only previously developed land. Existing allocations, safeguarded
land, smaller and medium-sized sites, urban extensions and new settlement options
should all be assessed in a manner appropriate to their scale and potential contribution.
5.66. TCE requests that its landholdings across the Tabley Estate are assessed fully through
this process and that their potential contribution to housing, employment, infrastructure,
environmental enhancement and sustainable transport is considered on a consistent
basis with other promoted sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
6. Proposed Local Plan
Engagement Strategy
Engagement approach and methods
6.1. TCE supports continued engagement with landowners, site promoters, infrastructure
providers, communities and other stakeholders throughout the plan-making process.
Effective engagement will be essential to ensuring that the Local Plan is informed by
realistic evidence on site availability, deliverability, infrastructure requirements and
phasing.
6.2. For strategic sites, engagement should allow promoters to clarify technical evidence,
infrastructure assumptions, access arrangements, phasing, masterplanning principles
and delivery timescales. This will assist the Council in assessing sites accurately and
consistently.
6.3. This is particularly important for larger opportunities such as those within the wider
Tabley Estate, where careful consideration will be required in relation to infrastructure,
transport, landscape, ecology, heritage, phasing and long-term stewardship.
6.4. TCE would welcome continued engagement with Cheshire East Council as the new Local
Plan progresses, including discussions regarding the emerging evidence base, site
assessment methodology, Green Belt Assessment, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
infrastructure requirements and spatial strategy.
Plan programme and timeline
6.5. TCE supports the Council's proposed programme for Local Plan preparation. Given the
scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East and the Council's current housing land
supply position, it is important that the Local Plan continues to progress without
unnecessary delay.
6.6. Delays in plan preparation risk extending the period during which development decisions
are made in the absence of an up-to-date plan-led strategy. The Council should therefore
seek to maintain momentum, ensure that key evidence is prepared and made available
to stakeholders at an early stage, and continue engagement with stakeholders
throughout the process.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
7. Conclusion
7.1. TCE supports the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan for Cheshire East. The new Local Plan is being prepared in a materially changed
planning context, including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s
current housing land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging
Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy and the publication of the August
2026 NPPF during the consultation period.
7.2. TCE considers that the Local Plan should plan to meet the revised standard method
housing requirement as a minimum and should test whether a higher housing
requirement is justified having regard to economic growth, affordable housing need,
infrastructure investment and emerging sub-regional priorities.
7.3. The Local Plan should identify a sufficient supply and mix of deliverable and developable
sites, including brownfield sites, existing allocations, safeguarded land, smaller and
medium-sized sites, sustainable urban extensions, station-related growth and potential
new settlement opportunities. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council
should also adopt a positive interim approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals
on safeguarded land to support short-term housing delivery.
7.4. A review of the Green Belt will be a necessary and important part of the plan-making
process. The Green Belt Assessment should be robust, transparent and sufficiently
detailed to identify variations in Green Belt performance. It should also consider the
sustainability of locations and the ability of development to deliver infrastructure,
services and environmental benefits.
7.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate that opportunities exist across a range of locations and
planning contexts within Cheshire East. These include allocated and safeguarded land
around Knutsford, opportunities around Plumley and larger-scale opportunities within
the wider Tabley Estate. Taken together, these locations provide a range of alternatives
capable of being assessed through the emerging evidence base as the Council considers
how best to accommodate future housing, employment and infrastructure requirements
and establish a sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy. TCE therefore requests that
Cheshire East Council assesses its landholdings fully and positively through the
emerging evidence base, publishes key methodologies and findings early enough to
enable meaningful engagement, and continues direct dialogue with TCE as the Local
Plan progresses. This will help ensure that the Plan is ambitious, deliverable and capable
of meeting Cheshire East’s housing, employment, infrastructure and environmental
objectives over the full plan period.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
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The Crown Estate
Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan
Scoping Consultation 2026
September 2026The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Contents
1. Introduction 3
2. New Local Plan 5
3. Context for the new Local Plan 7
4. Baseline information and spatial portrait 12
5. Scope of the new Local Plan 14
6. Proposed Local Plan Engagement Strategy 23
7. Conclusion 24The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
1. Introduction
1.1. Deloitte LLP is instructed by The Crown Estate ("TCE") to submit representations to the
Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation (2026). TCE welcomes the opportunity to
engage at this early stage in the preparation of the new Cheshire East Local Plan. The
scoping consultation represents an important stage in establishing the matters that the
Local Plan should address, the evidence base required to support it, and the approach to
future engagement with stakeholders.
1.2. The new Local Plan will need to respond to a materially changed planning context,
including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s current housing
land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging Cheshire and
Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, and the publication of the August 2026
National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”) during the consultation period.
1.3. TCE welcomes the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan which meets identified housing and employment needs, supports sustainable
economic growth, and directs development to locations that are, or can be made,
sustainable through appropriate infrastructure provision, public transport accessibility,
active travel connections, environmental enhancement and long-term stewardship.
1.4. In summary, TCE considers that the new Local Plan should:
 meet identified housing and employment needs in full and test whether
additional growth is justified by economic, affordable housing or infrastructure
considerations;
 establish a clear and deliverable spatial strategy informed by a robust
assessment of reasonable alternatives;
 assess Green Belt, Grey Belt and safeguarded land through a transparent and
integrated methodology;
 give appropriate weight to well-connected locations, including Key Service
Centres and rail-connected settlements;
 identify a diverse portfolio of sites capable of contributing across different scales
and timescales; and
 integrate infrastructure, employment, sustainable transport and environmental
enhancement with decisions about the location of growth.
Background and Context
1.5. TCE is a long-term landowner within Cheshire East through its ownership of the Tabley
Estate, with landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley. Its interests include land
allocated for development within the adopted Local Plan, safeguarded land identified
through the adopted Local Plan process, and a wider portfolio of landholdings which
have been submitted through the Council’s recent Call for Sites process.
1.6. As a long-term landowner and steward of public assets, TCE is committed to working
positively with Cheshire East Council throughout preparation of the new Local Plan.
These representations seek to support the preparation of a robust and evidence-ledThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Local Plan and to ensure that a broad range of growth opportunities are appropriately
assessed through the emerging evidence base and site assessment process.
1.7. TCE’s land interests are relevant to the preparation of the emerging Local Plan in a
number of respects. These include:
 Land West of Manchester Road, Knutsford, which comprises land allocated for
residential and employment development within the adopted Local Plan (LPS 36).
A full planning application (ref. 26/1231/FUL) was submitted in March 2026 on
parcel B of the allocation, which is currently being determined. TCE remains
committed to delivering the remainder of the allocation in a timely fashion.
 Land North and South of Tabley Road, Knutsford, comprising safeguarded land
identified in adopted Local Plan policies LPS 39 and LPS 40 as land to meet
longer-term development needs.
 A wider portfolio of landholdings around Knutsford and Plumley, comprising
opportunities of differing scales and characteristics submitted through the
Council’s Call for Sites process. This includes land associated with the potential
future growth of Knutsford as a Key Service Centre, opportunities associated with
the rail-connected settlement of Plumley, and larger landholdings capable of
being considered as part of the Council's assessment of longer-term growth
options.
1.8. Collectively, these land interests comprise a diverse portfolio of opportunities of
different scales and locations within Cheshire East. The emerging Local Plan and
supporting evidence base should therefore assess these interests appropriately as part
of the Council’s consideration of future growth options and the preparation of a
sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy.
1.9. The range of options identified above is particularly relevant given the materially
increased housing requirement and the need for the Local Plan to identify a sufficient and
resilient supply of suitable, available and deliverable sites.
1.10. It is therefore critical that the new Local Plan is prepared positively, quickly and on the
basis of robust evidence. The plan must identify a sufficient supply of suitable, available
and deliverable sites to meet housing and employment needs in full, while providing a
clear framework for infrastructure, environmental enhancement and high-quality
placemaking.
1.11. These representations have been prepared having regard to the NPPF published in
August 2026, which applies to relevant plan-making from 17 August 2026. The Council
should therefore review the consultation responses, evidence base and next stages of
Plan preparation against the final Framework, particularly in relation to Green Belt, Grey
Belt, station-related development, strategic sites, housing delivery, economic growth
and national decision-making policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
2. New Local Plan
Matters addressed in the new Local Plan
2.1. TCE supports the broad range of matters identified by the Council for inclusion within the
new Local Plan. These appropriately cover housing, employment, transport,
infrastructure, climate change, environmental matters, design and placemaking, health
and wellbeing and sustainable economic growth.
2.2. However, TCE considers that the Local Plan should be framed first and foremost around
the need to respond positively to the significant increase in development requirements
now facing Cheshire East. The revised standard method housing need figure, changes to
national policy and the Council's current housing land supply position collectively
indicate that the new Local Plan will require the Council to reconsider the scale and
distribution of growth that informed the adopted Local Plan Strategy.
2.3. In this context, the Local Plan should prioritise the following matters, which will be
central to establishing a positive and deliverable growth strategy:
 meeting housing and employment needs in full;
 establishing a clear and deliverable spatial strategy;
 undertaking an evidence-led review of Green Belt and Grey Belt land where
necessary to meet identified needs;
 identifying a sufficient supply of deliverable and developable sites;
 planning infrastructure alongside growth;
 promoting sustainable transport and well-connected locations; and
 supporting long-term economic competitiveness.
2.4. TCE considers that these issues are intrinsically linked and should not be considered
through separate strategic policy workstreams. Housing, employment, infrastructure,
transport and environmental enhancement should instead form part of a single
integrated growth strategy.
Why prepare a new Local Plan
2.5. TCE strongly supports the preparation of a new Local Plan. The adopted Local Plan was
prepared within a materially different policy and housing context. The increased housing
requirement, national policy changes, the Council’s housing land supply position and the
emerging Cheshire and Warrington strategic context require a new and deliverable
spatial strategy.
2.6. An up-to-date Plan will provide the framework needed to coordinate housing,
employment, infrastructure and environmental improvements. Without it, there is a
greater risk that development will be determined through individual applications and
appeals rather than through a planned spatial strategy.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Developing the new Local Plan
2.7. TCE supports the Council's intention to progress the Local Plan in accordance with the
new plan-making system.
2.8. The emerging Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy (‘SDS’) will form an
important part of the wider strategic planning context, including in relation to broad
growth locations, infrastructure and economic priorities. The Cheshire East Local Plan
should continue without delay while retaining sufficient flexibility to respond to relevant
strategic priorities as the SDS emerges. The NPPF and PPG emphasise the importance of
effective cooperation on strategic planning matters. Given the Combined Authority's role
in coordinating growth, infrastructure and transport priorities across the city region, the
Council should continue to engage closely with the Combined Authority throughout plan
preparation to ensure alignment with wider strategic objectives.
2.9. The Council should ensure that decisions regarding the spatial strategy are informed by a
robust and proportionate evidence base. In particular, the following studies will have a
critical role in shaping future growth options:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan; and
 Viability Assessment.
2.10. TCE considers it important that these documents are prepared and published sufficiently
early to enable meaningful engagement before key strategic decisions become fixed.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3. Context for the new Local
Plan
Increase in housing requirements
3.1. The materially increased housing requirement represents a fundamental change in the
planning context for the new Local Plan. It will require the Council to reconsider the
distribution of growth, the role of different settlements, realistic brownfield capacity, the
need for Green Belt release, and safeguarded land, settlement extensions and strategicscale opportunities.
3.2. Policies HO1 and HO2 of the August 2026 NPPF require the Plan to establish a housing
requirement based on local housing need as a minimum and to consider a higher figure
where justified as necessary to reflect economic growth and infrastructure investment.
TCE considers that the Plan should meet the revised standard method figure as a
minimum and test whether a higher requirement is justified by economic growth,
infrastructure investment, affordable housing need and emerging Cheshire and
Warrington SDS priorities.
3.3. The Council’s current five-year housing land supply position reinforces the need for a
positive and deliverable plan-led strategy. Cheshire East Council’s latest published
Housing Monitoring Update (March 2025) concludes that the Council has 3.3 years’
supply of deliverable housing sites against the required five years. In the absence of a
demonstrable five-year supply, housing delivery is increasingly influenced by
applications and appeals rather than a coordinated spatial strategy. Strong recent
delivery identified through the Housing Delivery Test (August 2026) is welcomed, but it is
not a substitute for a positively prepared Local Plan capable of maintaining housing
delivery through the plan period.
3.4. This shortfall demonstrates that the Local Plan must identify a larger and more resilient
portfolio of deliverable and developable sites. It should not rely on any single source of
supply or any single settlement tier. Instead, it should identify strategic allocations,
urban extensions, station-related opportunities, and smaller and medium-sized sites
capable of supporting delivery across the plan period, whilst also helping to maintain and
enhance the vitality of settlements across the Borough by supporting local services,
facilities, infrastructure and sustainable communities.
3.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate the breadth of opportunities that may be available to
support this approach and should be assessed through the emerging evidence base
alongside other reasonable alternatives.
Changes to Green Belt policy
3.6. TCE supports the Council’s intention to undertake a borough-wide Green Belt
Assessment as part of the Local Plan evidence base. This will be a critical component of
the emerging Plan given the significant extent of Green Belt within Cheshire East and the
scale of development now required.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
3.7. The Green Belt is an important planning designation and its purposes should be properly
assessed. However, it should not be treated as a fixed constraint that prevents
consideration of sustainable growth options where development needs cannot otherwise
be met. The August 2026 NPPF provides a clear framework for Green Belt review through
plan-making where exceptional circumstances are evidenced and justified.
3.8. Policy GB3 of the NPPF confirms that exceptional circumstances include situations
where a local planning authority is unable to meet its identified need for homes,
commercial or other development in full, having examined all other reasonable options.
That position is directly relevant to Cheshire East, given the significant increase in
housing need and the Council’s current housing land supply position.
3.9. Policy GB4 requires Green Belt boundary alterations to promote sustainable patterns of
development, giving priority to previously developed land in sustainable locations, then
Grey Belt land in sustainable locations, and then other Green Belt locations where this
would promote a sustainable pattern of development overall. The assessment should
therefore consider not only the Green Belt function of land, but also the sustainability of
the location and the ability of development to support infrastructure, services and
sustainable movement patterns.
3.10. TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be sufficiently detailed to identify
variations in how land performs against Green Belt purposes. Broad-brush assessment
parcels risk obscuring opportunities where land performs a limited Green Belt function,
where defensible boundaries exist, or where development could be planned
comprehensively without undermining the wider function of the Green Belt.
3.11. The assessment should pay particular attention to opportunities around Knutsford. As a
Key Service Centre with a strong range of services, facilities, employment opportunities
and transport connections, the settlement is capable of accommodating growth. The
Green Belt Assessment should therefore consider the extent to which opportunities
around the settlement could contribute towards the Borough’s development
requirements.
3.12. Plumley should be assessed positively in light of its railway station. Its role should not be
judged solely by population size or current settlement classification, but also by its
public transport accessibility and its potential to support sustainable travel, local
services and proportionate housing growth. Opportunities around Plumley should
therefore be assessed through the Settlement Hierarchy Review and Spatial Distribution
Strategy, having regard to their ability to support sustainable travel patterns, local
services and proportionate growth.
3.13. The safeguarded land north and south of Tabley Road (LPS 39 and LPS 40) is an example
of land that has already been identified through the adopted Local Plan as land which
may be required to meet longer-term development needs, and which remains available
to be considered as part of the emerging Local Plan. In the context of the revised housing
requirement and the lack of a five-year housing land supply, the Council should consider
a more general, positive approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals on
safeguarded land in advance of and separate from the completion of the Local Plan
process.
3.14. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council should consider preparing an
interim housing position statement setting out a positive and transparent approach to the
determination of housing proposals on safeguarded land. Such an approach would not
alter the formal designation of the land, which would remain a matter for the Local PlanThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
review, nor displace the statutory priority afforded to the development plan. It would,
however, recognise that policies restricting housing development on safeguarded land
should be applied in light of the Council’s current housing land supply position, the
materially increased housing requirement and the presumption in favour of sustainable
development.
3.15. The approach adopted by Kirklees Council provides a relevant precedent. Its Interim
Housing Position Statement retains the adopted safeguarded-land designation but
recognises that, in the absence of a five-year housing land supply, safeguarded sites may
provide opportunities for early housing development where constraints can be
overcome. Cheshire East should adopt a similarly positive approach, giving substantial
weight to sustainable and deliverable proposals on safeguarded land, particularly where
sites are well related to existing settlements, can be supported by appropriate
infrastructure and are capable of contributing to housing supply within the short term.
Such an approach would provide an appropriate framework for the early consideration of
the safeguarded land relating to LPS 39 and LPS 40, both of which are well related to
Knutsford and capable of contributing to housing delivery in the short term.
3.16. TCE supports a robust Green Belt and Grey Belt assessment but considers that it must
be applied in a manner that enables genuinely sustainable and deliverable sites to be
considered through the plan-making process. Given the central role that Green Belt and
Grey Belt considerations are likely to play in accommodating Cheshire East's future
development needs, TCE considers that the Green Belt Assessment should be treated as
a priority evidence base document and prepared sufficiently early to inform key decisions
regarding the spatial strategy and distribution of growth. This will be essential if the Local
Plan is to meet development needs in full while promoting a sustainable spatial strategy.
Brownfield Development
3.17. TCE supports the effective use of previously developed land where such land is suitable,
available and deliverable. A brownfield-first approach is appropriate and consistent with
national policy.
3.18. However, the scale of housing and employment growth now facing Cheshire East means
that brownfield land alone will not provide a sufficient solution. The Council's own
monitoring evidence demonstrates that a substantial proportion of development has
historically been delivered on greenfield sites, with previously developed land accounting
for only around one-third of housing completions in recent monitoring years. Brownfield
sites can also face constraints relating to ownership, viability, contamination,
infrastructure, market demand and delivery timescales. The Local Plan should therefore
avoid placing undue reliance on brownfield capacity where there is no clear evidence
that it can meet the Borough’s needs in full.
3.19. The Council’s own scoping material identifies that the new Local Plan may need to
consider a range of options, including densification, further development within existing
settlements, edge-of-settlement growth, large-scale urban extensions and new
settlements. TCE supports that broad approach.
3.20. The Local Plan should therefore maximise brownfield opportunities while also identifying
sustainable greenfield and Green Belt locations where these are necessary to meet
housing and employment needs. TCE’s landholdings across the Tabley Estate provide
examples of greenfield and Green Belt opportunities that could deliver new homes,
employment land, infrastructure, open space and environmental benefits in sustainable
locations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Economic Growth
3.21. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that Cheshire East has an important economic
role and that the new Local Plan must plan positively for employment growth, investment
and long-term competitiveness. The emerging Plan should ensure that housing,
employment and infrastructure are planned in a coordinated manner so that growth is
capable of supporting sustainable economic outcomes across the Borough.
3.22. Policy E1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to establish a clear
economic vision and strategy, support business investment, and allocate sites to meet
anticipated employment needs over the plan period. The policy recognises the
importance of providing flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances and
supporting a diverse range of sectors and business activities.
3.23. Housing and employment growth should not be considered separately. A sustainable
spatial strategy should seek to align new homes with employment opportunities,
services, infrastructure and sustainable transport. This will help reduce commuting
distances, support inclusive economic growth and ensure that housing delivery supports
the labour force required by the local economy.
3.24. Given Knutsford's role as a Key Service Centre and its proximity to strategic transport
infrastructure, opportunities around the settlement should be assessed not only in terms
of housing delivery but also in terms of their ability to support employment growth,
investment and wider economic objectives across Cheshire East and the sub-region.
Knutsford benefits from strong connectivity to the strategic highway network,
Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider Cheshire and Warrington
economy. The Council's assessment of growth options around the settlement should
therefore take account of their potential contribution to both housing and employment
needs.
3.25. TCE’s land interests associated with the wider Tabley Estate also provide an opportunity
for the Council to consider how larger-scale growth options could contribute towards
economic objectives over the longer term. In addition to supporting housing delivery,
such opportunities may have the potential to support employment provision,
infrastructure investment, sustainable transport improvements and enhanced
connectivity between homes, jobs and services. The precise scale and form of any such
contribution should be determined through the evidence base and site assessment
process.
3.26. Opportunities around Knutsford, together with other opportunities within the wider
Tabley Estate, should therefore be assessed through the Economic Development Needs
Assessment, Employment Land Review and Spatial Distribution Strategy. This
assessment should consider not only their ability to contribute towards housing delivery,
but also their potential role in supporting labour market accessibility, business growth,
infrastructure investment and wider economic competitiveness.
3.27. More generally, the Local Plan should assess a broad range of growth options and
determine the most appropriate scale and distribution of development having regard to
housing need, employment requirements, infrastructure capacity, sustainability
considerations and long-term economic objectives. The Plan should provide sufficient
flexibility to respond to changing economic circumstances whilst ensuring that future
growth contributes positively to Cheshire East's economic success and competitiveness.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Spatial Development Strategy
3.28. TCE notes that Cheshire East is now part of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined
Authority area and that a Spatial Development Strategy will be prepared for Cheshire and
Warrington. TCE supports strategic planning at the sub-regional level, particularly where
it helps align housing, employment, infrastructure, transport and environmental priorities
across administrative boundaries.
3.29. However, preparation of the Cheshire East Local Plan should not be delayed pending the
Spatial Development Strategy. The Local Plan should continue to progress, identify
sufficient land to meet development needs and establish an appropriate spatial strategy,
while retaining flexibility to respond to any relevant strategic priorities that emerge
through the SDS process.
3.30. Policy PM1 of the August 2026 NPPF confirms that Spatial Development Strategies
should identify broad locations for growth and regeneration, including new settlements,
major urban extensions and major cross-boundary development where appropriate. TCE
supports this approach, recognising that large-scale strategic development requires
coordinated planning across administrative boundaries, particularly in relation to
transport, utilities and wider infrastructure capacity and delivery. The Cheshire East
Local Plan should therefore align with any broad growth locations identified through the
forthcoming Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy, while retaining
sufficient flexibility to respond to the SDS as it emerges. This alignment will be important
to ensure that strategic sites are planned comprehensively and supported by the
infrastructure necessary for their delivery.
3.31. Opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are of sufficient scale
to warrant assessment through the Local Plan process and, where relevant, the emerging
spatial development strategy. Their potential role should be informed through the
Council's evidence base and considered alongside other reasonable alternatives in
establishing the most appropriate spatial strategy.
National Decision-Making Policies
3.32. TCE supports the Council's recognition that the introduction of National Decision-Making
Policies provides an opportunity for local plans to focus on genuinely local matters.
3.33. The Local Plan should avoid unnecessary duplication of national policy and instead
focus on the issues that are specific to Cheshire East, including the spatial strategy, site
allocations, settlement hierarchy, Green Belt review, affordable housing requirements
and infrastructure planning.
3.34. However, this should not result in an overly narrow plan. The Local Plan remains the
primary mechanism through which Cheshire East will determine how and where future
growth is accommodated and therefore should provide a strategic vision that aligns with
national and regional policies.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
4. Baseline information and
spatial portrait
Connectivity
4.1. TCE supports the Council's recognition of Cheshire East's strong connectivity and
strategic location. The Borough benefits from excellent connections to regional and
national transport networks, including the M6 and M56 motorways, Manchester Airport
and an extensive rail network.
4.2. Connectivity should form a central part of the future spatial strategy. The Local Plan
should direct growth towards locations which are well connected by public transport or
which have the ability to support improvements to sustainable transport infrastructure.
4.3. The August 2026 NPPF places increased emphasis on locating development where it can
make effective use of existing and proposed transport infrastructure, including through
its support for residential and mixed-use development within reasonable walking
distance of qualifying well-connected railway stations. In this regard, opportunities
around Knutsford, including land associated with the Tabley Estate, should be assessed
in the context of the settlement's role as a Key Service Centre, its relationship with the
strategic highway network and its accessibility to employment and services. Future
growth in this part of the Borough has the potential to support sustainable travel patterns
and infrastructure investment where planned comprehensively.
4.4. Opportunities around Plumley are also relevant in this context. As a rail-connected
settlement, Plumley provides a distinctive opportunity to consider how proportionate
growth can support sustainable travel patterns, reinforce the role of the railway station
and contribute to the long-term vitality of local services and facilities.
4.5. Larger-scale opportunities within TCE's land portfolio may provide scope for transport
and infrastructure requirements to be considered comprehensively alongside
development. The Council should assess not only current accessibility but also the
extent to which growth may support improvements to transport, active travel,
infrastructure and service provision.
Economic contribution
4.6. Cheshire East plays a significant role within the wider North West economy and benefits
from a diverse economic base, strong transport connections and a number of nationally
and regionally important employment centres. The Borough's economic success has
historically been supported by its ability to attract and retain a skilled workforce, provide
a high-quality environment for investment and deliver a range of housing opportunities
across its settlements.
4.7. TCE supports the Council's recognition that economic growth should remain a central
component of the emerging Local Plan. The Local Plan should not treat housing delivery
and economic development as separate policy objectives. Instead, it should recognise
that the two are fundamentally linked and that a sufficient supply of homes is essential toThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
support labour market growth, improve affordability and maintain the competitiveness of
the Borough's economy.
4.8. The emerging evidence base should therefore consider how housing need, employment
growth and infrastructure provision interact. This is particularly important given the
significant increase in housing requirements and the potential implications this may have
for labour supply, commuting patterns and business investment. The Local Plan should
ensure that growth is distributed in a manner that supports both existing employment
centres and future economic opportunities.
4.9. TCE considers that strategic and mixed-use development opportunities can play an
important role in delivering this objective. Larger sites are often capable of supporting
housing, employment, community infrastructure and sustainable transport
improvements through a coordinated and masterplanned approach. Such opportunities
can help create balanced communities, reduce the need to travel and provide greater
certainty regarding infrastructure delivery.
4.10. The Local Plan should therefore positively assess a range of growth options capable of
supporting both housing and economic objectives. This should include consideration of
strategic urban extensions, mixed-use sites and potential longer-term growth
opportunities where these can contribute towards the Borough's economic resilience,
competitiveness and productivity.
4.11. Overall, the Local Plan should seek to establish a clear relationship between housing
growth, employment growth and infrastructure investment, ensuring that future
development supports Cheshire East's role as a sustainable and economically
successful location within the wider region.
4.12. Strategic growth opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate are
particularly relevant because they can integrate homes, employment land, transport
improvements, digital infrastructure, utilities and sustainable travel connections through
comprehensive masterplanning. Their relationship with the M6 corridor, Knutsford
railway station and the Mid-Cheshire rail corridor should be assessed as part of the
evidence base, particularly where this could support labour market accessibility,
business connectivity and investment in high-value sectors.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5. Scope of the new Local
Plan
Local Plan Period
5.1. TCE supports the proposed plan period to 2045. However, the Local Plan should also
consider longer-term growth requirements beyond the end of the plan period, particularly
where strategic urban extensions or new settlement opportunities are being assessed.
Larger sites may require delivery across multiple phases and potentially beyond a single
plan period. This should not prevent such opportunities from being considered through
the plan-making process, although their delivery may extend beyond a single plan period.
Vision and Objectives
5.2. TCE supports the preparation of a clear, locally distinctive and deliverable vision for
Cheshire East. The vision should respond directly to the changed planning context,
including the higher housing requirement, current housing land supply shortfall,
economic growth ambitions, the need for Green Belt review and the publication of the
August 2026 NPPF.
5.3. The vision should not simply seek to manage growth. It should explain how Cheshire East
will accommodate growth positively and sustainably, while delivering homes,
employment, infrastructure, environmental enhancement and healthy communities.
5.4. TCE considers that the vision and objectives should include the following priorities:
 meeting housing need in full, as a minimum;
 testing whether a higher housing requirement is justified by economic growth,
affordable housing need or infrastructure investment;
 supporting sustainable economic growth and employment delivery;
 ensuring a sufficient supply of affordable homes and a broad housing mix;
 reviewing Green Belt boundaries where necessary to meet needs;
 testing strategic urban extensions and new settlement options;
 supporting growth at sustainable settlements and rail-connected locations;
 integrating infrastructure planning with site allocation decisions;
 delivering multifunctional green infrastructure, biodiversity net gain and climate
resilience; and
 maintaining a deliverable supply of sites throughout the plan period.
Identifying and assessing sites
5.5. TCE supports the Council’s intention to prepare a robust and evidence-led assessment
of potential development sites. The assessment process will be critical to ensuring thatThe Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
the Local Plan identifies a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet the Borough’s
development needs.
5.6. Policy PM9 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to be informed by an
assessment of land available to meet development needs, including consideration of
availability, suitability, achievability, likely viability, site capacity and delivery timescales.
5.7. TCE considers that the site assessment methodology should be transparent,
proportionate and capable of assessing different categories of site. It should not be
designed in a way that favours only one type or scale of development. Smaller sites,
safeguarded land, settlement-edge opportunities, strategic urban extensions and new
settlements will all need to be assessed through an appropriate methodology.
5.8. The assessment process should give appropriate weight to:
 land ownership and availability;
 deliverability and likely delivery timescales;
 ability to contribute to five-year housing land supply;
 relationship to existing settlements and services;
 relationship to railway stations and strategic transport corridors;
 potential to deliver housing, employment and community facilities together;
 ability to support affordable housing and housing choice;
 infrastructure requirements and opportunities;
 ability to deliver green infrastructure and biodiversity net gain;
 Green Belt performance, where relevant;
 landscape, heritage, ecology and flood risk considerations; and
 long-term flexibility and phasing.
5.9. The assessment should avoid applying overly restrictive criteria at an early stage. In
particular, strategic sites and new settlement options should not be discounted simply
because they require comprehensive masterplanning or longer delivery periods. Such
sites may be important to maintaining supply over the middle and later parts of the plan
period and may provide opportunities to deliver infrastructure and environmental
benefits at scale.
5.10. TCE’s landholdings are relevant to this assessment because they include sites capable
of contributing across a range of timescales. The allocated land West of Manchester
Road, the safeguarded land at Tabley Road and smaller sites around Knutsford and
Plumley could contribute early in the plan period. Larger scale opportunities within the
wider Tabley Estate provide longer-term strategic options capable of supporting
comprehensive infrastructure-led growth.
5.11. TCE therefore requests that the Council’s site assessment methodology expressly
recognises the different roles that sites can play across the plan period, including early
delivery, settlement-edge growth, rail-connected growth, and strategic urban extensions
and new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Green Belt
5.12. TCE notes the approach set out at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 of the scoping consultation
for determining whether Green Belt boundary changes are required. This exercise should
be integrated with, rather than undertaken separately from, the assessment of sites,
settlement hierarchy and spatial distribution. The Council’s own consultation identifies
site selection, Green Belt, settlement hierarchy and spatial strategy as interrelated
considerations in planning for growth.
5.13. TCE supports the assessment of future development needs and the effective use of
suitable brownfield and underused land. However, the sequential considerations listed
at paragraph 5.17 should not operate as a series of rigid filters through which otherwise
sustainable Green Belt sites are excluded before their comparative merits have been
assessed. In particular, the existence of theoretical capacity outside the Green Belt
should not be treated as sufficient unless that capacity is demonstrated to be suitable,
available, deliverable and capable of supporting a sustainable spatial strategy.
5.14. All reasonable growth options should therefore be assessed through a consistent and
transparent framework. For Green Belt sites, this should bring together:
 the contribution of the land to Green Belt purposes, including whether it
comprises Grey Belt;
 the site’s relationship with the settlement hierarchy and existing settlement form;
 accessibility to services, employment and public transport, including railway
stations;
 infrastructure capacity and the opportunity for development to deliver
improvements;
 availability, deliverability, viability, capacity and likely phasing;
 environmental, landscape, heritage and flood-risk considerations; and
 the ability to deliver housing, employment, community facilities, green
infrastructure and wider public benefits comprehensively.
5.15. This would align the Green Belt exercise with the wider spatial-distribution factors
identified by the Council, which include housing and employment needs, infrastructure,
services, environmental constraints, Green Belt, brownfield availability, site availability,
market attractiveness and viability.
5.16. TCE considers that “considering sites outside the Green Belt first” should mean that
reasonable non-Green Belt alternatives are properly examined; it should not establish an
automatic preference for a less sustainable or less deliverable location solely because it
lies outside the Green Belt. Comparative assessment should consider whether each
option would promote a sustainable pattern of development and contribute effectively to
meeting identified needs.
5.17. Similarly, optimising density and maximising brownfield capacity are important
components of the strategy, but the Council should test whether the resulting capacity is
realistic and deliverable over the plan period. These measures should not be relied upon
to defer the assessment of Green Belt opportunities where additional land may be
required to meet development needs in full and maintain a sufficient and resilient supply
of sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.18. Where exceptional circumstances are identified, decisions on potential Green Belt
release should be made through the wider spatial strategy and site-selection process.
Appropriate weight should be given to opportunities that are well related to existing
settlements or well-connected railway stations, as well as strategic sites capable of
delivering infrastructure, employment provision, sustainable transport, community
facilities and environmental improvements through comprehensive masterplanning. The
Council expressly anticipates testing a range of options, including edge-of-settlement
growth, large-scale urban extensions and new settlements; Green Belt location or site
scale should not prevent those options from being assessed on a comparable basis.
5.19. The land availability methodology should explain clearly how Green Belt considerations
will interact with the initial site sift, scoring and subsequent allocation stages. Sites
should not be filtered out solely because of their existing Green Belt designation before
the Green Belt assessment, settlement hierarchy review, spatial distribution work and
sustainability assessment have been considered together. The Council proposes to
publish its methodology and initial site assessments at the subsequent plan content and
evidence consultation; these should provide a clear audit trail showing how the factors
above have informed each assessment.
5.20. Applied in this way, the approach at paragraphs 5.16 and 5.17 would enable the Local
Plan to identify the most sustainable and deliverable combination of sites while
protecting Green Belt land that makes the strongest contribution to its purposes. It would
also ensure that smaller releases, safeguarded land, settlement extensions and
strategic-scale opportunities are assessed fairly and through a methodology appropriate
to their scale and potential contribution.
5.21. TCE requests that the Council clearly sets out how the findings of the Green Belt
assessment have informed the assessment of reasonable alternatives and site selection
process, alongside sustainability, deliverability and infrastructure considerations.
5.22. Pending the completion of that process, the Council should also consider an interim
housing position statement establishing a positive and transparent approach to
sustainable and deliverable housing proposals on safeguarded land, as set out earlier in
these representations.
Strategic green gap
5.23. TCE supports the Council's intention to review the Strategic Green Gap designation and
its role within the emerging Local Plan.
5.24. Strategic Green Gaps can play an important role in maintaining the separation and
identity of settlements. However, the review should be evidence based and should
recognise that not all land within a designated gap performs the same function.
5.25. The assessment should identify those locations that make the greatest contribution to
maintaining separation whilst recognising that the scale of development needs now
facing Cheshire East may require a balanced assessment between protecting settlement
identity and accommodating sustainable growth.
5.26. The Strategic Green Gap should therefore not operate as an absolute constraint on
development. Instead, it should form part of a wider planning balance which takes
account of housing need, sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure provision and
landscape considerations.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
Settlement Hierarchy
5.27. TCE supports the Council’s intention to review the settlement hierarchy as part of the
preparation of the new Local Plan. Given the scale of housing need now facing Cheshire
East, the settlement hierarchy will play a significant role in shaping the distribution of
development and identifying sustainable locations for growth.
5.28. The hierarchy should be informed by an up-to-date assessment of the role and function
of settlements. It should consider access to services and facilities, employment
opportunities, public transport, active travel, strategic infrastructure, settlement form,
market demand, recent growth, infrastructure capacity and the potential for
development to support improvements.
5.29. TCE supports Knutsford continuing to be identified as a Key Service Centre. Knutsford
has a strong range of services, facilities and employment opportunities, and benefits
from a strategically accessible location. It should therefore be considered as a
settlement capable of accommodating a meaningful proportion of future growth.
5.30. The previous Local Plan directed approximately 950 dwellings to Knutsford, which was
lower than the level of growth directed to several other Key Service Centres. In light of the
increased housing requirement and the scale of available land around the settlement,
the new Local Plan should consider whether Knutsford should accommodate a greater
level of growth over the new plan period.
5.31. TCE’s land interests around Knutsford provide a practical basis for assessing this issue.
Land West of Manchester Road is already allocated for mixed-use development. Land
North and South of Tabley Road comprises safeguarded land capable of forming a logical
next phase of growth. Given the Council's current housing land supply position and
increased housing requirement, these sites should be considered not only through the
Local Plan review but also through any interim approach adopted in respect of
safeguarded land proposals. Larger scale opportunities around Knutsford could deliver
homes, employment, services, open space and infrastructure in a comprehensive
manner.
5.32. TCE also considers that the role of Plumley should be reviewed carefully. Plumley
benefits from a railway station and should not be assessed in the same way as more
remote rural settlements with no rail connectivity. The August 2026 NPPF includes
support for development associated with well-connected stations, subject to relevant
criteria.
5.33. The Settlement Hierarchy Review should therefore give appropriate weight to public
transport accessibility and the potential for station-related growth. TCE’s land interests
around Plumley provide examples of opportunities that could contribute to proportionate
growth at a rail-connected settlement.
Spatial Distribution
5.34. TCE considers that the spatial distribution of development is one of the most important
matters for the new Local Plan. The scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East
means that the Council will need to test a broad range of options and should avoid an
overly narrow approach to growth.
5.35. TCE supports a balanced spatial strategy which draws on a variety of site types and
locations. This should include urban regeneration, brownfield land, existing allocations,
safeguarded land, sustainable urban extensions, station-related development, smaller
and medium-sized sites, and potential new settlements.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.36. Policies HO3 and HO4 of the August 2026 NPPF support this approach. Policy HO3
requires local plans to identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet or exceed the
housing requirement over the plan period. Policy HO4 recognises the role of strategic
sites, including new settlements and significant extensions to existing settlements,
where they can be supported by infrastructure and can create sustainable communities.
5.37. In TCE’s view, the Local Plan should avoid excessive reliance on either dispersed smallscale development or a limited number of large strategic allocations. A resilient strategy
will require both. Smaller and medium-sized sites can support early delivery and housing
diversity, while larger sites can deliver infrastructure, employment land, community
facilities, green infrastructure and long-term supply.
5.38. TCE’s landholdings illustrate this balanced approach. The allocated land West of
Manchester Road and safeguarded land North and South of Tabley Road could
contribute to earlier delivery at Knutsford, including through any positive interim
approach to safeguarded land in advance of the new Local Plan. Larger scale
opportunities around Knutsford and within the wider Tabley Estate could provide longerterm growth options. The Plumley sites could support proportionate growth associated
with a rail-connected settlement.
5.39. The new Local Plan should assess these opportunities as part of a comparative
assessment of reasonable alternatives. This should include consideration of
sustainability, deliverability, infrastructure, Green Belt performance, access to services,
transport connectivity, environmental effects and the ability to deliver wider public
benefits.
Development in the Settlements and the Countryside
5.40. TCE supports the continued use of settlement boundaries as a tool for managing
development. However, settlement boundaries should not become inflexible constraints
that prevent otherwise sustainable opportunities from being properly assessed.
Settlement boundaries should be reviewed alongside the Settlement Hierarchy Review
and Spatial Distribution Report to ensure they reflect the strategy of the new Local Plan.
5.41. The Local Plan should also recognise an important distinction between isolated
countryside locations and sites which are physically related to existing settlements,
strategic transport infrastructure or railway stations.
5.42. Locations which are well connected and relate closely to existing settlements may be
capable of accommodating growth in a way that supports sustainable travel patterns and
strengthens existing communities.
5.43. This will be particularly important in considering the role of rail-connected settlements
and opportunities associated with strategic growth locations around Knutsford and
Plumley.
5.44. TCE supports a positive approach to development associated with sustainable rural
settlements, particularly where such settlements benefit from public transport
connectivity. Plumley represents an example of a settlement capable of accommodating
carefully planned growth due to its railway station and strategic accessibility.
Housing
5.45. TCE supports the Council’s intention to address housing need, affordable housing,
housing mix, older persons housing, specialist accommodation, self-build and custombuild housing, and housing diversification through the new Local Plan.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.46. The Housing Needs Assessment should inform the quantity, type, size and tenure of
housing required across Cheshire East. However, housing policies should be prepared
alongside the spatial strategy, viability evidence and infrastructure planning. Policy
requirements must be ambitious but deliverable.
5.47. Policy PM12 of the August 2026 NPPF requires development plans to set out the
contributions expected from development, including affordable housing and
infrastructure, at a level that allows the planned types of development and sites to be
deliverable. Policy PM13 also requires quantitative standards to be justified,
proportionate and not to have an adverse impact on viability and deliverability.
5.48. TCE supports the objective of increasing affordable housing delivery. However,
affordable housing requirements, including any requirements associated with Green Belt
release, should be tested through robust viability evidence. This will be particularly
important where sites are expected to deliver affordable housing, infrastructure, open
space, biodiversity net gain, sustainable drainage, transport improvements and other
policy requirements.
5.49. TCE’s landholdings offer the potential to deliver a range of housing types and tenures.
Smaller sites at Plumley and Knutsford could contribute to housing choice and earlier
delivery. Larger strategic opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate around Knutsford
could support mixed communities with affordable housing, older persons housing,
specialist accommodation and a range of market housing types where justified by
evidence.
5.50. The August 2026 NPPF also places emphasis on small and medium-sized sites. Policy
HO6 requires local plans to allocate land to accommodate at least 10% of the housing
requirement on sites no larger than one hectare and a further 10% on sites between 1
and 2.5 hectares, unless there are strong reasons why this cannot be achieved.
5.51. The smaller TCE sites at Plumley and around Knutsford should be assessed in this
context. They may provide opportunities to diversify supply, support early delivery, assist
small and medium-sized builders, and contribute to the vitality of smaller settlements.
Employment and Economy
5.52. TCE supports the preparation of updated evidence on economic development needs and
employment land requirements. The Local Plan should ensure that employment land
supply is sufficient to support Cheshire East’s economic growth ambitions and that
housing growth is planned alongside employment growth.
5.53. The Local Plan should consider employment land not only through standalone
employment allocations, but also through mixed-use growth opportunities. Mixed-use
strategic sites can help create balanced communities, provide local jobs, reduce
commuting and support services.
5.54. Opportunities around Knutsford are particularly relevant to the relationship between
housing and employment growth. As a Key Service Centre with strong connections to the
strategic highway network, Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester and the wider
Cheshire and Warrington economy, Knutsford is capable of accommodating growth that
supports both housing and employment objectives. The Council should therefore assess
opportunities around the settlement not only in terms of housing delivery but also in
relation to their potential contribution towards employment growth, investment, labour
market accessibility and wider economic objectives.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
5.55. Opportunities within the wider Tabley Estate may also provide scope for the Council to
consider how housing growth, employment provision, infrastructure investment and
sustainable transport improvements can be planned in a coordinated manner. Whilst the
scale and form of any future development should be informed through the evidence
base, Economic Development Needs Assessment and Employment Land Review, these
opportunities should be assessed having regard to their potential contribution towards
Cheshire East's long-term economic competitiveness, job creation and wider economic
growth objectives.
Transport and Infrastructure
5.56. TCE supports the Council’s recognition that transport and infrastructure will be central to
the delivery of sustainable growth. The new Local Plan should integrate transport,
utilities, education, healthcare, digital infrastructure, green infrastructure and
community facilities with the spatial strategy and site allocation process.
5.57. Policy TR1 of the August 2026 NPPF requires sustainable transport considerations to be
addressed from the earliest stages of plan-making. It requires plans to locate
development where it can support sustainable patterns of movement and make effective
use of existing or proposed transport infrastructure.
5.58. TCE considers that transport accessibility should be a central factor in determining the
spatial strategy. The Council should consider public transport accessibility, rail
connectivity, active travel potential, access to services, relationship to strategic highway
corridors and the ability of development to support infrastructure improvements.
5.59. TCE’s landholdings around Knutsford and the wider Tabley Estate are well related to the
strategic highway network, including the M6 corridor, and to Knutsford’s role as a Key
Service Centre. The Plumley sites are particularly relevant because of their proximity to
Plumley railway station.
5.60. The Local Plan should therefore assess station-related growth opportunities in a positive
and evidence-led way. In particular, Plumley should be assessed not only by reference to
its current settlement classification, but also by reference to its rail connectivity and the
potential for planned growth to support sustainable travel patterns.
5.61. Infrastructure requirements should be viewed not only as constraints, but also as
opportunities. Larger strategic sites can help deliver new infrastructure, green
infrastructure, active travel routes and community facilities in a coordinated way. This is
particularly relevant to TCE’s larger scale land interests around Knutsford and within the
wider Tabley Estate, where the scale of development could support comprehensive
infrastructure planning.
Local Plan Evidence Base
5.62. TCE supports the preparation of a robust, proportionate and up-to-date evidence base.
This will be critical to ensuring that the Local Plan is justified, effective and capable of
meeting development needs.
5.63. TCE considers that the following evidence will be particularly important:
 Green Belt Assessment;
 Grey Belt assessment;
 Land Availability Assessment;
 Settlement Hierarchy Review;The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
 Spatial Distribution Report;
 Housing Needs Assessment;
 Economic Development Needs Assessment;
 Employment Land Review;
 Infrastructure Delivery Plan;
 Viability Assessment;
 Sustainability Appraisal;
 Heritage Assessment;
 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment;
 transport evidence; and
 Environmental and landscape evidence.
5.64. The Council should publish key methodologies and emerging findings at the earliest
appropriate stage to allow meaningful engagement. This is particularly important in
relation to the Green Belt Assessment, Grey Belt findings, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
Land Availability Assessment and Spatial Distribution Report.
5.65. The evidence base should be capable of assessing different site typologies consistently
and fairly. It should not apply a methodology that unintentionally favours only small sites,
only urban sites, or only previously developed land. Existing allocations, safeguarded
land, smaller and medium-sized sites, urban extensions and new settlement options
should all be assessed in a manner appropriate to their scale and potential contribution.
5.66. TCE requests that its landholdings across the Tabley Estate are assessed fully through
this process and that their potential contribution to housing, employment, infrastructure,
environmental enhancement and sustainable transport is considered on a consistent
basis with other promoted sites.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
6. Proposed Local Plan
Engagement Strategy
Engagement approach and methods
6.1. TCE supports continued engagement with landowners, site promoters, infrastructure
providers, communities and other stakeholders throughout the plan-making process.
Effective engagement will be essential to ensuring that the Local Plan is informed by
realistic evidence on site availability, deliverability, infrastructure requirements and
phasing.
6.2. For strategic sites, engagement should allow promoters to clarify technical evidence,
infrastructure assumptions, access arrangements, phasing, masterplanning principles
and delivery timescales. This will assist the Council in assessing sites accurately and
consistently.
6.3. This is particularly important for larger opportunities such as those within the wider
Tabley Estate, where careful consideration will be required in relation to infrastructure,
transport, landscape, ecology, heritage, phasing and long-term stewardship.
6.4. TCE would welcome continued engagement with Cheshire East Council as the new Local
Plan progresses, including discussions regarding the emerging evidence base, site
assessment methodology, Green Belt Assessment, Settlement Hierarchy Review,
infrastructure requirements and spatial strategy.
Plan programme and timeline
6.5. TCE supports the Council's proposed programme for Local Plan preparation. Given the
scale of housing need now facing Cheshire East and the Council's current housing land
supply position, it is important that the Local Plan continues to progress without
unnecessary delay.
6.6. Delays in plan preparation risk extending the period during which development decisions
are made in the absence of an up-to-date plan-led strategy. The Council should therefore
seek to maintain momentum, ensure that key evidence is prepared and made available
to stakeholders at an early stage, and continue engagement with stakeholders
throughout the process.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
7. Conclusion
7.1. TCE supports the preparation of a positively prepared, ambitious and deliverable Local
Plan for Cheshire East. The new Local Plan is being prepared in a materially changed
planning context, including a significantly increased housing requirement, the Council’s
current housing land supply position, the new plan-making system, the emerging
Cheshire and Warrington Spatial Development Strategy and the publication of the August
2026 NPPF during the consultation period.
7.2. TCE considers that the Local Plan should plan to meet the revised standard method
housing requirement as a minimum and should test whether a higher housing
requirement is justified having regard to economic growth, affordable housing need,
infrastructure investment and emerging sub-regional priorities.
7.3. The Local Plan should identify a sufficient supply and mix of deliverable and developable
sites, including brownfield sites, existing allocations, safeguarded land, smaller and
medium-sized sites, sustainable urban extensions, station-related growth and potential
new settlement opportunities. Pending adoption of the new Local Plan, the Council
should also adopt a positive interim approach to sustainable and deliverable proposals
on safeguarded land to support short-term housing delivery.
7.4. A review of the Green Belt will be a necessary and important part of the plan-making
process. The Green Belt Assessment should be robust, transparent and sufficiently
detailed to identify variations in Green Belt performance. It should also consider the
sustainability of locations and the ability of development to deliver infrastructure,
services and environmental benefits.
7.5. TCE's land interests demonstrate that opportunities exist across a range of locations and
planning contexts within Cheshire East. These include allocated and safeguarded land
around Knutsford, opportunities around Plumley and larger-scale opportunities within
the wider Tabley Estate. Taken together, these locations provide a range of alternatives
capable of being assessed through the emerging evidence base as the Council considers
how best to accommodate future housing, employment and infrastructure requirements
and establish a sustainable and deliverable spatial strategy. TCE therefore requests that
Cheshire East Council assesses its landholdings fully and positively through the
emerging evidence base, publishes key methodologies and findings early enough to
enable meaningful engagement, and continues direct dialogue with TCE as the Local
Plan progresses. This will help ensure that the Plan is ambitious, deliverable and capable
of meeting Cheshire East’s housing, employment, infrastructure and environmental
objectives over the full plan period.The Crown Estate | Representations to the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026
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