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Home , Byley, Chester, Delamere Forest, Lach Dennis, Lostock Gralam, Rudheath

Summary

The purpose of this topic paper is to provide background information for the West and Core Strategy. The topic paper relates to the and Rural East Area Partnership Board (APB) area. The APB areas have been used as a basis for the topic papers as monitoring information has been collected for these areas.

Many of the issues discussed in this Topic Paper are covered in more detail in subject specific Topic Papers and you may find it helpful to read these alongside this paper.

Winsford is the major town in the area, which is surrounded by rural farmland and smaller settlements. These include in the south and and in the north. The north of the area also has strong links with the nearby town of . Rural East contains large areas of farmland, open countryside and small villages. The North Cheshire Green Belt is located to the north, around the settlements of Delamere, Cuddington and . To the south there are large areas of open countryside and agricultural land. The area has strong links with neighbouring .

National, regional and local context

The North West of Plan Regional Spatial Strategy to 2021 (2008) Adopted Borough Local Plan First Review Alteration (2006) Vale Royal Supplementary Planning Documents: Various West Cheshire Growth Point - Programme of Development (2008) Cheshire West and Chester Strategic Housing Market Assessment (in draft) West Cheshire Integrated Transport Study Baseline Report (2009) Vale Royal Draft Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (2008) Cheshire West and Chester Employment Land Study (in draft) Cheshire Local Transport Plan 2006-2011 Cheshire Replacement Minerals Local Plan (1999) Cheshire Replacement Waste Local Plan (2007) Winsford Waterfront Regeneration Strategy Winsford Waterfront Development Brief (in draft) Cheshire Town Centre Study (2006) Cheshire West and Chester Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (2008) Winsford Area Flood Risk Assessment (in draft) Northwich Area Flood Risk Assessment (2009) Marley Tile Works Development Options Report (in draft) Access Weaver Community Infrastructure Fund Round 2 Bid (2009) Winsford and Rural East Area Partnership Board Profile (2009) Cheshire West and Chester Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

A number of Village Design Statements and Conservation Area Appraisals also cover the area.

Context and Characteristics

Winsford and Rural East had a population of 58,000 in 2007 ( population estimates 2007), which represents about 18% of the population of Cheshire West and Chester. Winsford Parish had a population of 30,700 and Rural East had a population of 27,300. The population

Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford 1 and Rural East of Winsford & Rural East is expected to increase by about 3% between 2006 and 2016 according to Council forecasts. Rural East consists of 23 Parishes.

The age distribution across the area varies significantly. In Rural East there are lower proportions of 20-34 year olds and higher proportions of those aged between 35 and 79 than the England and average. Rural East has the highest proportion of over 75's in Cheshire West and Chester. In contrast, Winsford has the highest proportions of 0-19 and 35-39 year olds and lowest proportions of people aged 75+ in Cheshire West and Chester (Cheshire County Council population estimates 2007).

The 2007 IMD update identified the West Winsford L2 Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) as the third most deprived in Cheshire West and Chester. Five LSOAs in Winsford and Rural East were in the top 20% most multiply deprived LSOAs nationally.

Winsford and Rural East has a large amount of dedicated employment sites. The majority of these are located on the edge of Winsford, , Wincham and Lostock Gralam. There are high levels of people travelling to work by car in the area, with 75% of residents doing so, compared to 61% nationally.

At April 2009, the unemployment rate in Winsford and Rural East was 4.0%, compared with 3.6% for Cheshire West and Chester. Unemployment rates for Winsford are consistently higher than the England average, whilst Rural East has lower unemployment levels than the Borough and national averages (NOMIS Official Labour Market Statistics). Lowest average household income was in central Winsford (£27,300) and highest was in Cuddington, and Whitegate (£43,400) (Source: CACI PayCheck 2008).

Winsford performs an important shopping function for the local population and is predominately a convenience shopping destination, with a high proportion of floorspace devoted to convenience goods when compared to the national average. The 2006 Cheshire Town Centre Study identified a need for further convenience and comparison goods floorspace in Winsford through to 2021.

Winsford and Rural East is well served by the strategic road network. In Winsford, a transport study is currently looking at capacity along the A54 within the town as part of wider regeneration work. Due to constraints on capacity, especially at peak times, future development in the town is likely to require a number of junction improvements to increase capacity. Two main railway lines pass through the area, the West Coast Main line and the Mid-Cheshire line. Bus services in the Winsford area provide local links within Winsford and to surrounding towns and villages, however, the 2008 Place Survey showed that the area had the highest proportion of people in the Borough saying they were very dissatisfied with local bus services. A number of National Cycle Network (NCN) routes also pass through Winsford and Rural East.

Winsford is a nationally important rock salt mining area. The mines are located in the north east part of the Winsford towards Northwich and extend eastwards underground towards in Cheshire East. Delamere is a major source of sand and gravel in Cheshire. The area has a number of sand and gravel quarries. The areas around and have seen the development of large scale underground gas storage facilities in recent years.

In 2007/08 the Winsford Waterfront Regeneration Strategy was undertaken, looking at environmental, social and economic opportunities along the length of the Weaver Navigation and towards the town centre. It identified some 40 potential projects, including both environmental projects and hard end use projects along the length of the in Winsford. Following the Regeneration Strategy,

2 Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford and Rural East a draft Development Brief covering waterfront sites along the New Road/Bradford Road and Town Park was produced during 2008/09. This looks primarily at residential development together with proposed hotel and small elements of commercial use in the area. It is anticipated that the Development Brief will be adopted at the end of 2009.

An Area Flood Risk Assesssment is currently being prepared looking at the potential flood risk to the proposed development sites in the town centre.

The Council have been reviewing education provision across Cheshire West and Chester as part of its Transforming Learning Communities programme. As part of this review, there are plans to build an All Age school within Winsford, which will replace a number of schools, including the two secondary schools.

Key Issues

The key issues for Winsford and the Rural East are:

Addressing deprivation in urban areas; Delivering regeneration in Winsford; The capacity of infrastructure in the area; Improving access to services and employment; Reducing car dependency; Providing facilities for young and older people; Preserving the character of rural areas whilst still meeting the needs of local communities; Providing for the housing needs in the area, including affordable housing.

Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford 3 and Rural East 1 Introduction 5 2 National, regional and local context 7 3 Context and characteristics 9 4 Key issues 17 5 Definitions/glossary 20

Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford and Rural East 1 Introduction

1.1 The purpose of this topic paper is to provide background information for the Cheshire West and Chester Core Strategy. The topic paper relates to the Winsford and Rural East Area Partnership Board (APB) area. The APB areas have been used as a basis for the topic papers as monitoring information has been collected for these areas.

1.2 Many of the issues discussed in this Topic Paper are covered in more detail in subject specific Topic Papers and you may find it helpful to read these alongside this paper.

1.3 The Winsford and Rural East APB area is shown on the map below. The area is bordered in the west by and by the in the east. Winsford is the major town in the area, which is surrounded by rural farmland and smaller settlements. These include Tarporley in the south and Davenham and Lostock Gralam in the north. The north of the area also has strong links with the nearby town of Northwich.

Map 1.1 Winsford and Rural East Area Partnership Board Area

1.4 The main town in the area is Winsford, which expanded as a result of the salt industry during the 19th Century, becoming the largest centre for the salt industry in the country. However, the subsequent decline in the salt industry meant there was little development in the town during the first half of the 20th Century.

1.5 During the 1960's Winsford saw an influx of people from the neighbouring cities of and . Housing and employment areas were developed for the incoming population. However, towards the end of the 1960's the programme was cutback and the plan for the town was not fully implemented. Despite this, the layout of the town and infrastructure which exists today is largely a result of this earlier plan.

Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford 5 and Rural East 1.6 More recently, Winsford and the surrounding area has seen new housing development and dedicated employment sites being created in the town. In 2007, work commenced on a number of initiatives aimed at regenerating the town, collectively known as 'Winning Winsford'.

1.7 Rural East contains large areas of farmland, open countryside and small villages. The North Cheshire Green Belt is located to the north, around the settlements of Delamere, Cuddington and Wincham. To the south there are large areas of open countryside and agricultural land. The area has strong links with neighbouring Cheshire East.

6 Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford and Rural East 2 National, regional and local context

2.1 The following documents contain planning policy, development and general information relevant to Winsford and Rural East.

National

2.2 Plans for the area should be underpinned by National Planning Policy Statements, available at www.communities.gov.uk

Regional

2.3 Whilst the North West Regional Spatial Strategy (2008) makes no specific reference to Winsford and Rural East, there are references to strategic policies which affect the area, including housing provision, the Green Belt and area based policies for West Cheshire. Winsford and Rural East is located within West Cheshire, which forms part of the Liverpool City Region. The RSS recognises that the Winsford and Northwich areas also have strong links with the neighbouring Manchester City Region and Cheshire East.

2.4 RSS Policy LCR1 sets out the Liverpool City Region priorities. It specifically states that plans and strategies in the Liverpool City Region should promote the sustainable growth, local regeneration initiatives and development opportunities in West Cheshire.

2.5 RSS Policy LCR5 deals with specifically with West Cheshire, stating that plans and strategies in the area should focus development in the towns/cities as set out in policy RDF1 and at other locations which accord with policy LCR1.

2.6 Therefore, plans and strategies for Winsford and Rural East should promote sustainable growth and local regeneration initiatives.

2.7 In addition, RSS Policy RDF1 places Northwich within the third tier of priority areas for development in the North West. In these areas, development should be focused in and around the centre of the town. Paragraph 7.18 of the North West RSS states that there should be sufficient provision of new housing development to support local key regeneration priorities, particularly in Northwich town centre and to address affordable housing needs. As parts of Winsford and Rural East have strong connections with Northwich, the area could have also have a role in the future development of the town.

2.8 The North West of England Plan Regional Spatial Strategy to 2021 (2008) is available at www.gonw.gov.uk

Local Adopted Vale Royal Borough Local Plan First Review Alteration (2006) Vale Royal Supplementary Planning Documents: SPD1 Affordable Housing, SPD2 Managing Housing Land Supply, SPD3 Developer Contributions, SPD4 Landscape Character and Wind Turbine Sensitivity, SPD5 Landscape Character. West Cheshire Growth Point - Programme of Development (2008) Cheshire West and Chester Strategic Housing Market Assessment (in draft) West Cheshire Integrated Transport Study Baseline Report (2009) Vale Royal Draft Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (2008) Cheshire West and Chester Employment Land Study (in draft)

Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford 7 and Rural East Cheshire Local Transport Plan 2006-2011 Cheshire Replacement Minerals Local Plan (1999) Cheshire Replacement Waste Local Plan (2007) Winsford Waterfront Regeneration Strategy Winsford Waterfront Development Brief (in draft) Cheshire Town Centre Study (2006) Cheshire West and Chester Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (2008) Winsford Area Flood Risk Assessment (in draft) Northwich Area Flood Risk Assessment (2009) Marley Tile Works Development Options Report (in draft) Access Weaver Community Infrastructure Fund Round 2 Bid (2009) Winsford and Rural East Area Partnership Board Profile (2009) Cheshire West and Chester Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Tarporley Village Design Statement Whitegate & Marton Village Design Statement Hartford Village Design Statement Moulton Village Design Statement (in draft) Conservation Area Appraisals for Whitegate, , , Hartford, Marston, Trent and Mersey

8 Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford and Rural East 3 Context and characteristics

Overview of the Area

Role and Function

3.1 Winsford and Rural East is located in the eastern part of Cheshire West and Chester. Winsford is the major town in the area, providing shops and services for people in the town and surrounding settlements. The surrounding area, known as 'Rural East' is characterised by open countryside, farmland and small villages, though some areas to the north are closely associated with Northwich and are more urban in character. Winsford is an important administrative centre. Cheshire Police and Cheshire Fire Brigade have their headquarters in the town and it is also an administrative base for the Local Authority. There are links to Cheshire East, with Winsford, Lostock Gralam and Tarporley located near the boundary of East and West Cheshire.

3.2 The area's heritage is heavily influenced by salt mining and this is an industry which remains important today. The largest rock salt mine in the UK is located in Winsford, with mines extending under the north eastern part of the town. The main function of the mine is to produce grit used as de-icing agent on roads, however, in recent years new uses for the mines have also been introduced, such as document storage.

3.3 The area has seen the development of new employment sites, including Winsford Industrial Estate and Gadbrook Park, which have attracted new industry and business to the area. These are now centres for employment in the area and sites continue to be developed, such as the Cheshire Business Park on the edge of Lostock Gralam.

3.4 Rural East is characterised by small settlements scattered within areas of farmland, Green Belt and open countryside. The quality of the environment means there are many Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Biological Importance in the area. The eastern part of Rural East is dominated by the landscape character of the sandstone ridge. This area is recognised nationally for is distinctive landscape character and contains four Areas of Special County Value. The Sandstone Ridge ECOnet Partnership is working to enhance the environment along the ridge through the Habitats and Hillforts Scheme, which receives funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

3.5 Many of the villages in the area are designated conservation areas. Tarporley is a large village in the south of the area, surrounded by open countryside and close to the border with Cheshire East. Settlements in the north of the area, including Cuddington, Davenham and Lostock Gralam have strong connections with Northwich.

3.6 The North Cheshire Green Belt covers a large part of the northern Rural East Area, bordering the settlements of Delamere, Cuddington, Lostock Gralam and Wincham. There are two major developed sites in the Green Belt in the Rural East area. These being a former tile works at Delamere and a former yoghurt factory at Cuddington, both of which are currently vacant.

3.7 There are a number of tourist attractions in the area. The Mersey Forest covers a large part of north Cheshire, including the Rural East area. This network of woodland and green spaces brings together a range of environmental, health and economic benefits to the area, including the planting of new woodland through community and partnership working. Delamere Forest is a popular tourist destination, providing opportunities for outdoor activities. race track is also located in the area and hosts national and international motor sport events. Tourism is discussed in more detail in the Image, Identity and Tourism Topic Paper.

Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford 9 and Rural East Key Facts and Figures

Housing and Population

Population

3.8 Winsford and Rural East had a population of 58,000 in 2007 (Cheshire County Council population estimates 2007), which represents about 18% of the population of Cheshire West and Chester. Winsford Parish had a population of 30,700 and Rural East had a population of 27,300. The population of Winsford and Rural East is expected to increase by about 3% between 2006 and 2016 according to Council forecasts.

3.9 Rural East consists of 23 Parishes. Four of those are above 3,000 in population – Cuddington, Davenham, Hartford, and Rudheath, although the last three also overlap the boundary into the Northwich and Rural North APB. Six parishes in Rural East have between 1,000 and 3,000 in population - Tarporley, Moulton, Lostock Gralam, Wincham, and Delamere. There are another 13 parishes with populations between 100 and 900.

3.10 The age distribution across the area varies significantly. In Rural East there are lower proportions of 20-34 year olds and higher proportions of those aged between 35 and 79 than the England and Wales average. Rural East has the highest proportion of over 75's in Cheshire West and Chester. In contrast, Winsford has the highest proportions of 0-19 and 35-39 year olds and lowest proportions of people aged 75+ in Cheshire West and Chester (Cheshire County Council population estimates 2007).

3.11 The area's population density in 2007 was 2.73 people per hectare, compared to the Cheshire West and Chester average of 3.49 per hectare. Winsford, however, has a higher density of 13.94 people per hectare whilst the Rural East areas had a lower density of nearly 1.44 people per hectare.

Health

3.12 In the 2001 Census, 9% of people in Winsford and Rural East APB reported being not in good health, which was the same as the percentage in Cheshire West and Chester. The Middle Super Output Area (MSOA) with the highest percentage was Winsford Central (13%). Mara, Tarporley and Oulton had the lowest proportion in Winsford and Rural East APB of people not in good health (7%).

3.13 Winsford in particular has some of the lowest life expectancy rates in Cheshire West and Chester. Winsford Dean ward has the lowest average life expectancy in the Borough, at 72.6 years (Office for National Statistics).

Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)

3.14 The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) provides information on deprivation affecting local communities. The main deprivation score is derived from seven domains: Income; Employment; Health and Disability; Education; Skills and Training; Barriers to Housing and Services; Living Environment Deprivation; and Crime. The Index of Multiple Deprivation uses Lower Super Output Areas, small geographical areas that nestle within council wards.

3.15 The 2007 IMD update identified the West Winsford L2 Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) as the third most deprived in Cheshire West and Chester. Five LSOAs in Winsford and Rural East were in the top 20% most multiply deprived LSOAs nationally. In general, those who live in areas of high deprivation suffer the most from poor health.

10 Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford and Rural East Ethnicity

3.16 In the 2001 Census, 99% of people the area said they were either or , which was similar to Cheshire West and Chester (98%).

Households

3.17 The 2001 Census showed there were 22,500 households in the Winsford and Rural East area. Single person households formed 23% of the total number of households, compared to 27% in Cheshire West and Chester.

3.18 In addition, 33% of households in the area had dependent children, which is higher than the Cheshire West and Chester average of 29%. 6% of all households in the area comprised of lone parents with dependent children, which is the same as the Cheshire West and Chester average. However, this figure rises to 14% in the West Winsford MSOA.

Housing Stock

3.19 The largest sector of housing in Winsford and Rural East were in Council Tax bands A to C (below the average band D) in 2007. The greatest proportion of houses in bands A to C was East Winsford (100%). The greatest proportion of houses in bands E to I was Cuddington, Oakmere and Whitegate (74%) (Department for Communities and Local Government and Valuation Office Agency).

3.20 According to the 2001 Census 76% of households in Winsford & Rural East APB were owned, compared to 75% for Cheshire West and Chester. 17% of households were social rented, which was the same as the rate for Cheshire West and Chester. The area with the highest percentage of social rented housing in Winsford and Rural East APB was West Winsford (42%). In 2006, the average property price for Winsford and Rural East APB was £187,211(HM Land Registry).

Employment and Economy

Employment

3.21 Winsford and Rural East has a large amount of dedicated employment sites. The majority of these are located on the edge of Winsford, Rudheath, Wincham and Lostock Gralam.

3.22 In Winsford and Rural East, 76% of employees in the area worked in the service sector (including Banking, Distribution and Public Administration) in 2007. In addition, the area has over a quarter of the Agriculture and fishing industry (27%) and over one quarter (26%) of all manufacturing employees in Cheshire West and Chester. Nearly half (46%) of Cheshire West and Chester's energy and water industry is also located within this area (NOMIS Official Labour Market Statistics).

3.23 In terms of socio-economic classification, 28% of the population had Managerial and Professional roles, 27% had never worked, were long term unemployed or were otherwise unclassified, 16% had intermediate, supervisory or technical roles, and 23% were in semi-routine and routine jobs. 7% were self-employed or worked on their own account. These proportions were similar to those in Cheshire West and Chester.

3.24 There are high levels of people travelling to work by car in the area, with 75% of residents doing so, compared to 61% nationally. Some of the longest commuting distances in Cheshire West and Chester are experienced by people living in Cuddington, Oakmere and Whitegate, averaging just over 13 miles compared to the England and Wales average of 8 miles.

Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford 11 and Rural East 3.25 At April 2009, the unemployment rate in Winsford and Rural East was 4.0%, compared with 3.6% for Cheshire West and Chester. Unemployment rates for Winsford are consistently higher than the England average, whilst Rural East has lower unemployment levels than the Borough and national averages (NOMIS Official Labour Market Statistics).

Qualifications

3.26 In the 2001 Census, 19% of 16-74 year olds were qualified to degree level or above, compared to 22% in Cheshire West and Chester and 20% in England and Wales. 29% of 16-74 year olds had no qualifications, which is the same as the England and Wales average but slightly higher than for Cheshire West and Chester (29%).

3.27 However, levels of qualifications vary across the Winsford and Rural East area. For example, 35% of 16-74 year olds had degree level qualifications or above in Cuddington, Oakmere and Whitegate. Winsford Central had the highest proportion (40%) of people aged 16-74 with no qualifications in the area.

Income

3.28 In 2008, average household income in Winsford and Rural East APB was £35,800, which was about the same as that for Cheshire West and Chester, and 4% above the GB average. Lowest average household income was in central Winsford (£27,300) and highest was in Cuddington, Oakmere and Whitegate (£43,400) (CACI PayCheck 2008).

Retail and Town Centres

3.29 Winsford Town Centre is the main retail centre in the area and provides a mixture of independent and national multiple retailers. Tarporley has a smaller retail centre and there are local shopping areas in the smaller villages. The larger town of Northwich is located nearby and serves as a retail destination for a wider population, including parts of Winsford and Rural East.

3.30 Winsford performs an important shopping function for the local population and is predominately a convenience shopping destination, with a high proportion of floorspace devoted to convenience goods when compared to the national average (Cheshire Town Centre Study 2006). Retailing in Winsford is centred around the Winsford Cross Shopping Centre, originally built in the 1960’s but has seen additional investment in recent years including a new multi-storey car park and additional retail units.

3.31 The town centre is anchored by an Asda store, which accounts for the majority of convenience retail floor space in the town centre. A market operates in Winsford three times a week. Office provision within the town centre is below the national average, with provision generally in out of centre locations (Cheshire Town Centre Study 2006). Additional retail provision in Winsford is located at Wharton Retail Park, to the north of the town centre, with a limited range of retailers and car dealerships as well as a Morrisons store.

3.32 The 2006 Cheshire Town Centre Study identified a need for further convenience and comparison goods floorspace in Winsford through to 2021, as detailed in the table below.

12 Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford and Rural East Table 3.1 Cumulative Additional Retail Floor space Requirement in Winsford

Year Convenience Comparison

£(m) Sq. M (net) £(m) Sq.M (net)

AT 2006 3.2 320-640 - -

BY 2011 9.7 970-1,940 13.0 2,600-3,714

BY 2016 16.5 1,650-3,300 30.3 6,060-8,657

BY 2021 23.7 2,370-4,740 53.2 10,640-15,200

3.33 Recent development in the town centre has seen the opening of the Winsford Lifestyle Centre, a large multi-purpose venue incorporating leisure, fitness and theatre facilities. This replaced the functions of the former leisure centre and Civic Hall buildings in the Town Centre. A series of planning applications which propose redeveloping parts of the town centre and reconfiguring the shopping centre and retail units are currently being considered.

Travel and Transport

Road

3.34 Winsford and Rural East is well served by the strategic road network. The M6 motorway passes to the east of the area, with junctions 18 and 19 being the main access points. The A556 runs through the north of the area providing access to Chester, Cheshire East, the M6 motorway and Greater Manchester. Winsford is situated on the A54 which links East and West Cheshire providing access to the M6 motorway in the east and Chester in the west. The A49 runs north to south providing access to and the in the north and to the south and serves Tarporley via the Tarporley bypass.

3.35 Winsford and Rural East has high levels of car usage compared to the England and Wales average. At the time of the 2001 Census 83% of households owned at least one car and 41% of households owned 2 or more cars, higher than the Cheshire West and Chester average. Car ownership levels are highest in the Rural East area. In addition, high levels of people in the area travelled to work by car; 75% of residents compared to an average of 61% in England and Wales.

3.36 A transport study is currently looking at capacity along the A54 in Winsford, as part of wider regeneration work. There are high levels of vehicle movements along the A54 towards junction 18 of the M6, including significant freight traffic. Due to constraints on capacity, especially at peak times, future development in the town is likely to require a number of junction improvements to increase capacity. Consultation on a proposed formula for developer contributions towards highway improvements in Winsford is expected to be undertaken later in 2009.

Rail

3.37 Two main railway lines pass through the area. Winsford and Hartford lie on the West Coast Main line, with direct services to Liverpool, and . The Mid-Cheshire line serves the north of the area with stations at Cuddington, Delamere, Lostock Gralam and Northwich providing local rail services between Chester and Manchester. In addition, a low speed freight line between Northwich and passes through the area but there are no passenger services on this line.

Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford 13 and Rural East 3.38 Services calling at Winsford and Hartford are infrequent, operating hourly at best. A connection is required at Crewe for high speed services to the north and . Winsford railway station is located 1.5 miles outside the town centre and linkages between the and the town are poor. The Mid Cheshire line provides hourly services between Chester and Manchester, however, the line is constrained by low line speeds, single track sections and track capacity towards Manchester. The Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership was founded in 2003 to promote increased usage of the Mid Cheshire Railway Line and to develop and improve facilities along the route. Preliminary work looking at the potential to reopen the Northwich - Sandbach freight line to passenger trains has been undertaken but there are no confirmed plans to reinstate passenger services on this line at present.

Bus

3.39 Bus services in the Winsford area provide local links within Winsford and to surrounding towns and villages, including Northwich, Moulton and Davenham. Crewe, Middlewich and Sandbach in Cheshire East are also well served. Less frequent bus services run through smaller villages, serving Tarporley, Northwich and Chester. The area has the lowest proportion of people travelling to work by bus when compared to the rest of Cheshire West and Chester (2001 Census). The 2008 Place Survey showed that the area had the highest proportion of people in the Borough saying they were very dissatisfied with local bus services. In addition, there is a lack of bus links from Winsford to the main industrial area of the town, Winsford 1-5 industrial estate.

Cycling and Walking

3.40 A number of National Cycle Network (NCN) routes pass through Winsford and Rural East. These include route 5: Chester to Kidsgrove, route 71: Teggs Nose to Parkgate, route 73: to Davenham and route 75: Market Drayton to Winsford.

Minerals and Waste

Minerals

3.41 Winsford and Rural East is one of the key mineral production areas within the Borough. There are currently nine permitted minerals sites (seven construction sand and gravel, one rock salt and one brine extraction). Several areas are identified in the Cheshire Replacement Minerals Local Plan 1999 as an Area of Search for sand and gravel and as a Preferred Areas for future rock salt extraction and controlled brine extraction.

Salt

3.42 Winsford and Rural East contains two key sites where active salt extraction occurs, through both conventional mining and solution mining. These are at Winsford Rock Salt Mine operated by Salt Union, and the Holford Brinefields operated by INEOS Chlor.

3.43 The Winsford Rock Salt Mine is located in the north east part of the Winsford towards Northwich and extends eastwards underground towards Middlewich in Cheshire East. Salt is extracted primarily for use as de-icing agents on roads.

3.44 At the Winsford Rock Salt Mine, which has some 26 million cubic metres of space at a constant temperature and dry humidity, caverns are used for document storage and also for the disposal of solid and granular hazardous wastes.

14 Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford and Rural East 3.45 At Holford Brinefields, salt is extracted underground in the form of brine, which has a variety of end uses and is particularly important in chemical manufacturing. Planning permissions have been granted for the storage of natural gas under pressure in cavities specifically created by solution mining around Byley and Lach Dennis. With the national priority for new infrastructure and storage capacity, focus and attention has been placed on sites in the Borough from the energy industry and future applications for gas storage are likely.

Construction Sand and Gravel (Aggregates)

3.46 Delamere and Oakmere are areas where construction sand and gravel are relatively easily accessed and as a result there is a key concentration of active sand and gravel quarries in this area.

Waste

3.47 There are three Preferred Sites identified in the Cheshire Replacement Waste Local Plan 2007 for waste management facilities at Chester Road in Oakmere, Winsford Eastern Industrial Estate and Kinderton Lodge, near Middlewich.

Further information

3.48 More detailed information about Minerals and Waste is covered in the Minerals and Waste Topic Paper.

Water

3.49 The Weaver Valley passes through Winsford and Rural East, with the River Weaver flowing through Winsford towards Northwich on the way to its confluence with the at . To the south of Winsford are the Winsford Flashes, which are a series of lakes formed from subsidence as a result of brine extraction from underground, into which the River Weaver flowed into. Today the Flashes are used for sailing activities and recreation. Whilst the River Weaver is not currently navigable to the south of Winsford, British Waterways has undertaken a feasibility study into an inclined plane which would enter the flashes at the Winsford town end and link the river to the .

Winsford Waterfront Regeneration Strategy

3.50 In 2007/08 the Winsford Waterfront Regeneration Strategy was undertaken, looking at environmental, social and economic opportunities along the length of the Weaver Navigation. It identified some 40 potential projects, including both environmental projects and hard end use projects along the length of the river Weaver in Winsford and links to the town centre along High Street and Town Park.

Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford 15 and Rural East Waterfront Development Brief

3.51 Following the Regeneration Strategy, a draft Development Brief covering waterfront sites along the New Road/Bradford Road and Town Park was produced during 2008/09. This looks primarily at residential development together with proposed hotel and small elements of commercial use in the area. It is anticipated that the Development Brief will be adopted at the end of 2009.

Flooding

3.52 Winsford and Rural East has two main rivers which flow through the area; the River Weaver and the . Winsford's location on the River Weaver means that it is affected by flood risk. An Area Flood Risk Assessment (AFRA) for Winsford was commissioned in 2008 to look specifically at flooding issues in the Winsford area and potential mitigation measures. The findings of the Winsford AFRA are yet to published but it will look at the associated flood risk in proposed development areas which form part of the waterfront regeneration strategy.

3.53 When completed, the Winsford AFRA will sit alongside the Cheshire West and Chester Strategic Flood Risk Assessment and the Northwich Area Flood Risk Assessment, to provide a comprehensive picture of flood risk across the area. This is covered in more detail in the Water topic paper.

Climate Change

3.54 In 2006, Winsford and Rural East APB had higher average consumption for domestic gas, electricity and Economy 7 electricity than Cheshire West and Chester and England and Wales. Winsford and Rural East used, on average, 33% more economy 7 domestic electricity than England & Wales, 18% more domestic electricity than Chester APB and 13% more domestic gas than APB. Gas was used for 78% of domestic energy supply, which was the same as in England and Wales. Rural East used 26% more gas and 16% more ordinary electricity per meter than Winsford (Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)).

3.55 In the 2008 Place Survey, 74% of people surveyed were satisfied with doorstep recycling services. The area also had the highest levels of satisfaction with household recycling sites in Cheshire West and Chester.

Other

Education

3.56 The Council have been reviewing education provision across Cheshire West and Chester as part of its Transforming Learning Communities programme. As part of this review, there are plans to build an All Age school within Winsford, which will replace a number of schools, including the two secondary schools. In addition, construction of a new Learning Zone in Winsford commenced in Spring 2009 and will form part of Mid-Cheshire College when completed in 2010.

3.57 Education provision is currently under review around Northwich, which covers parts of Rural East around Rudheath, Hartford and Cuddington.

3.58 Education in Tarporley is provided through a primary and secondary school within the village across two sites. Early work looking at the potential to relocate Tarporley Primary School on the Tarporley High School site has been undertaken.

16 Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford and Rural East 4 Key issues

4.1 There are a number of key questions and options for the Winsford and Rural East area, which relate to the key issues and problems identified in this topic paper.

4.2 The key issues relate to the following main themes:-

Addressing deprivation in urban areas; Regeneration of Winsford; Capacity of infrastructure in the area; Improving access to services and employment; Reducing car dependency; Providing facilities for young and old people; Preserving the character of rural areas whilst still meeting the needs of local communities; Providing for the housing needs in the area, including affordable housing.

4.3 The mix of rural and urban areas in Winsford and Rural East means there is wide range of issues facing the area. The urban nature of Winsford is contrasted with the predominantly rural nature of the surrounding Rural East area. Winsford contains some of the most deprived areas in Cheshire West and Chester, whilst Rural East contains some of the most affluent areas.

Winsford

4.4 Winsford faces issues around deprivation, with areas of the town being within the top 20% most deprived in England. In addition, Winsford faces many health related issues, with life expectancy in the town being amongst the lowest in the whole Borough.

4.5 Average household incomes in parts of Winsford are amongst the lowest in Cheshire West and Chester and unemployment in the area is also higher than the England average. Parts of Winsford also have high levels of people with no qualifications.

4.6 Additional development and growth in Winsford would put higher demand on the existing infrastructure. There may be capacity constraints with the existing infrastructure and highway network which need to be fully understood. In particular, capacity along the A54 corridor is a particular concern. Access to the M6 could also be severely affected by congestion, particularly around the Middlewich area. The A54 and A533 which pass through Winsford also have high levels of lorry flows, partly attributed to Winsford Industrial Estate.

4.7 Winsford is served by a limited bus network and there is a lack of bus links across the town, including from Winsford 1-5 industrial estate to the rest of the town. Car dependency in the area is high compared to the national average. Access is poor for many people in the town. This is reflected in high levels of dissatisfaction with bus services in the area. Winsford Railway Station is located 1.5 miles outside the town centre, resulting in poor linkages with the town and poor accessibility for the majority of people in the area. Improving people's access and transport choices in Winsford including improving links to the train station are key issues.

4.8 Plans to create an All Age school will significantly change the nature of education provision in the town. It would result in the majority of school age pupils being educated on one site close to the town centre. This development in itself will have impacts on the local infrastructure and transport network. In addition, a large number of existing school sites across the town may become vacant resulting in future uses for the sites having to be determined.

Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford 17 and Rural East 4.9 There is a need to improve shopping provision in Winsford Town Centre. The additional short term requirement is likely to be able to be accommodated within the existing town centre shopping area. However, the identified medium to long term need up to 2021 is likely to require a review of the town centre if future capacity requirements are to be fulfilled.

4.10 Future proposals for the salt mine in Winsford may result in changes to the nature and location of operations at the mine. This could require new mine access arrangements which may involve access at different locations. Existing surface sites currently owned by the mine operator may become vacant.

4.11 Winsford has developed a large amount of new employment in the town through the creation of employment sites, such as Woodford Park and Winsford Industrial Estate. However, levels of unemployment in Winsford are consistently higher than the England average. Ensuring local jobs are accessible to the local population is a key issue.

4.12 The River Weaver has flood risk implications for development along the waterfront. The waterfront area of Winsford is seen as playing a key role in the regeneration of the town. Proposals in areas potentially affected by flooding will need to fully consider the flood risk.

Rural East

4.13 Rural East contains some of the most affluent and desirable areas to live in Cheshire. High property prices in these areas act as a barrier for local people wishing to get onto the property ladder. Therefore, the provision of local affordable housing across the area is a major issue.

4.14 Rural East also contains a number of deprived areas, in particular Rudheath, which is a neighbourhood renewal area. Addressing deprivation in areas of Rural East, particularly around Northwich, is a key issue.

4.15 Public transport in the area is limited. Local bus services provide the only alternatives to the car in many areas, with services being infrequent. The Mid-Cheshire railway line serves the north of the area though services are infrequent and many station facilities, such as Lostock Gralam, are in need of improvement. Subsequently, car ownership is high and there are higher than average levels of people travelling to work by car. People in Rural East travel some of the longest distances to work when compared to the rest of the Borough and commuting distances are much higher than the national average.

4.16 Parts of Rural East are located close to Northwich and have strong associations with the town. In recent years the area has become a focus for new business and industrial development with development on a number of dedicated sites. Vehicular access to these sites can place high demand on the local road network, especially during peak hours, resulting in congestion. This is a particular problem on the A556 around Gadbrook Park at peak times (Cheshire West and Chester Integrated Transport Strategy: Baseline Report, June 2009).

4.17 Two major developed sites in the Green Belt are located in Rural East. These are the Marley Tile Works at Delamere and a former yoghurt factory at Cuddington, both of which are now vacant and require regeneration.

4.18 A number of major tourism and recreation destinations are located within the Rural East area. Ensuring these facilities continue to be supported and attract visitors to the area, whilst maintaining environmental quality and suitable access arrangements is an issue for the area.

18 Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford and Rural East 4.19 There are potential waste treatment sites within and adjacent to the area at Lostock and in neighbouring Cheshire East. In particular, there are proposals for landfill and energy from waste sites on the edge of Middlewich, which borders Cheshire West and Chester. Whilst some of these sites are located outside of the Borough, the development of such facilities will still have implications for Cheshire West and Chester in terms of their impact on the surrounding area, including air quality, traffic generation and environmental issues.

4.20 Areas of Rural East have the potential to accommodate wind farm development. The landscape characteristics mean that the area is well suited to this technology and proposals to develop this source of renewable energy may come forward in the future.

4.21 Rural East has an increasingly older population. This will have an effect on the provision of services in the area, such as housing, health and community facilities. Ensuring that the implications of an ageing population are understood and addressed is a key issue for the area.

Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford 19 and Rural East 5 Definitions/glossary

Winsford Waterfront

An area of Winsford located along the river Weaver extending from Winsford flashes in the south to the salt mines in the north.

Waterfront Development Brief

A plan to encourage the improvement and regeneration of the environment along the River Weaver and its relationship with Winsford town centre through a series of environmental and development projects.

20 Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Winsford and Rural East