Representations Site : Land east of Newcastle Road, Brereton Green Proposal : Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy Representations Client : Bloor Homes North West Ltd Project : 14-040 Date : April 2014 Cheshire East Local Contents: Plan Strategy – Representations on 1. Introduction 1 behalf of Bloor Homes 2. Background 1 3. Policy PG2 – Settlement Hierarchy 4 North West Ltd 4. Open Countryside Considerations 6 5. Brereton Green’s housing 17/04/2014 requirement 7 Ben Pycroft 6. Sustainability considerations 8 7. Summary and conclusions 9 Project : 14-040-REP001 This report has been prepared for the Site address : Land east of Newcastle client by Emery Planning with all Road, Brereton Green reasonable skill, care and diligence. Version : 1.0 No part of this document may be Date : 17/04/2014 reproduced without the prior written Author : Ben Pycroft approval of Emery Planning. Emery Planning Partnership Limited trading Approved by : as Emery Planning. Date : Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy – Representations on behalf of Bloor Homes North West Ltd Land east of Newcastle Road, Brereton Green 17/04/2014 1. Introduction 1.1 Emery Planning (EP) is instructed on behalf of Bloor Homes North West Ltd to make representations to Cheshire East Council’s Local Plan Strategy of March 2014. This is currently out for consultation. These representations relate to land east of Newcastle Road, Brereton Green. 1.2 This statement accompanies our overall representations (EP ref: REPS3-8032-BP). 2. Background Site location and description 2.1 The site is approximately 6.64 ha in area. It is located in the village of Brereton Green, to the south of School Lane. A site location plan is as follows: 1 Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy – Representations on behalf of Bloor Homes North West Ltd Land east of Newcastle Road, Brereton Green 17/04/2014 2.2 The site lies outside of the Settlement Zone Line of Brereton Green and is therefore located within the open countryside as shown on the proposals map of the Congleton Local Plan First Review (January 2005): 2.3 Brereton Green is located approximately 3.5Km south east of the Local Service Centre of Holmes Chapel and 8.5Km west of the Key Service Centre of Congleton. There is a pub / restaurant and inn (the Bear’s Head), a primary school (Brereton Church of England Primary School), preschool 2 Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy – Representations on behalf of Bloor Homes North West Ltd Land east of Newcastle Road, Brereton Green 17/04/2014 (Brereton Playgroup and Pre-School) and children’s play area and (Brereton Community Space). A church (St Oswald’s Brereton Parish Church) is located to the north of the village. 2.4 The Bear’s Head was built in 1625 and offers 25 bedrooms. The pub / restaurant is open 7 days a week. The Brereton Community Interest Group meets at the pub on a monthly basis. 2.5 Brereton Church of England Primary School has capacity for 150 children aged between 4 and 11 years. The primary school hall is used for a number of community uses, including the Brereton Youth Forum, Women’s Institute and meetings of the Parish Council. 2.6 Brereton Playgroup and Pre-School opened in 1983. It was founded by a group of parents who met to discuss the lack of facilities at that time in the village. It has capacity for 12 children aged between 2.5 and 5 at any one time. 2.7 A Parent and Toddler group also meet on a weekly basis at the scout hut. The scout hut is used by cubs and scouts. 2.8 There was a village shop located at Morecross on School Lane, but this has since been converted to a residential dwelling following the granting of planning permission in 2000 (LPA ref: 32413/3). Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment Update (SHLAA, base date 31st March 2012, published February 2013) 2.9 The site is considered in the SHLAA (sites 4113). It is considered as not being currently developable. The capacity of the site is 164 dwellings. 3 Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy – Representations on behalf of Bloor Homes North West Ltd Land east of Newcastle Road, Brereton Green 17/04/2014 3. Policy PG2 – Settlement Hierarchy 3.1 As set out in our overall representations, we object to the removal of Sustainable Villages from the Local Plan Strategy. 3.2 In the preferred options of the Core Strategy; the Development Strategy (January 2013), policy CS2 identified the following 21 Sustainable Villages: Acton, Alprahram, Arclid, Aston, Barbridge, Brereton Green, Brereton Heath, Calveley, Cranage, Hankelow, Hassall Green, Hough, Mount Pleasant, Mow Cop, Rode Heath, Scholar Green, Spurstow, Weston, Winterley, Worleston and Wybunbury. 3.3 Paragraph 2.4 of the Local Plan Strategy Housing Background Paper (March 2014) explains that the “Sustainable Village” category has been superseded by a new designation of “Other Settlements and Rural Areas”. No justification is included for the removal of this category. 3.4 It is unclear why the Council now does not support the identification of Sustainable Villages. 3.5 As discussed below, the “Other Settlements and Rural Areas” are expected to deliver 2,000 new houses between 2010 and 2030. To meet the requirement, the Local Plan Strategy suggests that it will be through limited infilling or conversion. We say this change in approach is wholly wrong in planning policy terms and could be fatal to the continued health and vitality of the rural areas. It also represents a complete change of approach to rural planning for the Borough which we say will have, if approved, have a seriously negative effect. 3.6 The previous approach as set out in the Development Strategy (January 2013) was fully endorsed by The Taylor Report, the NPPF and the recently published Planning Practice Guidance. 3.7 Paragraph 55 of the NPPF states: “To promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities. For example, where there are groups of smaller settlements, development in one village may support services in a village nearby.” 4 Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy – Representations on behalf of Bloor Homes North West Ltd Land east of Newcastle Road, Brereton Green 17/04/2014 3.8 Paragraph 28 of the NPPF states that planning policies should support economic growth in rural areas in order to create jobs and prosperity by taking a positive approach to sustainable new development. To promote a strong rural economy, plans should (amongst other things) promote the retention and development of local services and community facilities in villages, such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, cultural buildings, public houses and places of worship. It is of note that the recently published NPPG specifically explains how new housing in rural areas is essential to ensure that existing services and facilities are retained. 3.9 Paragraph 001(Reference ID: 50-001-20140306) of the NPPG: “How should local authorities support sustainable rural communities?” states that it is important to recognise the particular issues facing rural areas in terms of housing supply and affordability, and the role of housing in supporting the broader sustainability of villages and smaller settlements. It states that a thriving rural community in a living, working countryside depends, in part, on retaining local services and community facilities such as schools, local shops, cultural venues, public houses and places of worship. Rural housing is essential to ensure viable use of these local facilities. 3.10 The Preferred Options Core Strategy appeared to be in line with this. Paragraph 4.48 of the Planning Principles document, (January 2013) which accompanied the Development Strategy stated: “Approximately 30% of Cheshire East’s population live in Local Service Centre (LSCs), Sustainable Villages and rural areas. The provision of additional housing is vital to the creation and maintenance of sustainable communities in rural areas. Further supply is required to address the cost of housing, and to enable newly forming households to remain in their communities. Additional housing can also help to improve the viability of existing or potential local services.” 3.11 The Council does have a policy base which helpfully informs the need for additional housing. This report, The Cheshire East Rural Housing Guide 2012 contains the results of housing need surveys for affordable housing across the borough. The results concentrate on affordable housing need. This important document has not been referred to in the list of the Council’s core documents for the new Local Plan. 5 Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy – Representations on behalf of Bloor Homes North West Ltd Land east of Newcastle Road, Brereton Green 17/04/2014 3.12 This report combined with the 2013 SHMA shows an increasing need for homes in the rural areas and not just in the Local Service Centres. To now restrict housing in the sustainable villages to conversions and limited infill would mean little or no opportunity for what is an increasingly aging population to remain in the villages and restrict availability of much needed family homes. 3.13 It is not clear if these rural settlements where very limited development is to be allowed are to be listed. 3.14 Brereton Heath either on its own or with Brereton Green and Somerford should be identified in the Core Strategy as a sustainable village/ village cluster. 3.15 There is an hourly circular bus service, which connects the site to Goostrey Railway Station, Holmes Chapel and Sandbach in the morning Monday to Friday. 4. Open Countryside Considerations 4.1 As set out above, the site is in the open countryside. It is outside of the Infill Boundary Line.