WRENBURY CUM FRITH (known as Wrenbury Parish) NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN 2010 TO 2030 1 Contents 1. Foreword........................................................................................................................ 4 2. The History, Location and Character of Wrenbury .......................................................... 5 3. Scope of the Plan ......................................................................................................... 16 4. Consultation…………………………………………………………………………………… 17 5. Vision and Objectives .................................................................................................. 18 POLICIES ........................................................................................................................... 19 6. Housing Policies ........................................................................................................ 19 Policy HOU1 – Housing Allocation. .................................................................................. 19 Policy HOU2 – Location of New Residential Development .............................................. 21 Policy HOU3 – Housing Mix and Type ............................................................................. 22 7. Landscape Character and Design Policies .............................................................. 26 Policy LC1 – Character and Design ................................................................................. 26 Policy LC2 – Landscape Character ................................................................................. 32 Policy LC3 - Natural Environment and Biodiversity ………………………………………… 33 8. Transport Policies ...................................................................................................... 35 Policy TR1 - Footpaths, cycleways and towpath…….…………………………….…......... 35 Policy TR2 - Sustainable Transport ……………………………………………………….… 37 Policy TR3 - Vehicular Access to and through the Parish.…………………..…….…….… 38 9. Infrastructure Policies ............................................................................................... 43 Policy INF1 - Broadband and Telecommunications ………………..…………………….… 43 Policy INF2 - Renewable Energy ………………………….……………………………….… 44 10. Tourism Policies .................................................................................................... 45 Policy TOU1 – Tourism .................................................................................................. 45 11. Local Green Spaces and Community Facilities Policies .................................... 48 Policy CF1- Local Green Spaces .................................................................................... 49 Policy CF2 – Community Facilities .................................................................................. 51 12. Local Economy Policy ........................................................................................... 53 Policy LEC1 - Local Economy ……………………………………………………………..…. 54 13. Heritage Policy – Built and Natural ..................................................................... 566 Policy HER1 - Built Heritage and Conservation Area …………………………………….. .57 Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 59 A. Wrenbury Super Output Area ................................................................................... 59 B. Detailed Map of Local Green Spaces ....................................................................... 60 C. Site Proforma for housing allocation on New Road..………………………………….. 64 D. Sites considered in the site assessment.. ………………………………………………71 2 Figures Figure A Location of Wrenbury Figure B Lack of A and B Roads Figure C Wrenbury Designated Neighbourhood Area Figure D Access Points into the Village Figure E Village Features Figure F Housing Allocation at New Road Figure G Settlement Boundary Figure H Village Analysis Figure I Spatial Policy Figure J Public Rights of Way Figure K Width of the access roads to the village Figure L Hazard map within and approaching the Village Figure M Location of Local Green Spaces Figure N Detail Description of Local Green Spaces Figure O Wrenbury Conservation Area Figure P Wrenbury Historic Environment 3 1 Foreword This Plan has been produced by the Wrenbury cum Frith (Wrenbury Parish) Neighbourhood Plan Group on behalf of Wrenbury Parish Council after many months of study, research and consultation with the local community. We have also worked closely with Cheshire East Council. We have consulted with the community through open days, interest group meetings and surveys and this Plan reflects the views of our community. A strong message emerging from the consultation process was that the local people are proud of the village character and community spirit and have a very strong desire to retain these attributes. This was key to developing the Plan Vision. The aims and policies of the community have all been derived from the Vision and are detailed in this Plan. This Plan is robust and when formally adopted will provide the necessary guidance for Wrenbury Parish until 2030. A full copy of the plan and other supporting documents are on the Wrenbury Parish website http://www.wrenburypc.org.uk/neighbourhood-plan/ All Neighbourhood Plans must: have appropriate regard to national planning policy; contribute to sustainable development; be in general conformity with strategic policies in the development plan for the local area; be compatible with EU obligations and human rights requirements. In addition to its value as a statutory document used in planning-decision making, a Neighbourhood Plan can also help the Parish Council decide priorities for the parish and give guidance when making decisions on behalf of the parish. David Craig Chair of the Wrenbury cum Frith Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group 4 2 The History, Location and Character of Wrenbury 2.1 History 2.2 The civil parish of Wrenbury-cum-Frith covers the village of Wrenbury and the small settlements of Gaunton's Bank, Pinsley Green, Porter's Hill, Smeaton Wood, Wrenbury Heath, Wrenbury Frith and Wrenburywood. Throughout the 19th century, the population of the parish remained between 400-500, expanded to around 700 in 1951, and in the 2011 Census, the parish had a recorded population of 1,181. 2.3 During Roman times, the road from Middlewich (Salinae) to Whitchurch (Mediolanum) appears to have passed close to the modern-day Wrenbury village, which was in the lands of the native Cornovii tribe. During preparatory work for the Church Farm development in 1995, some evidence was found of a late Roman period agricultural building 2.4 The first documented record of the village is in the Domesday Book, where it is listed as Wareneberie; this became Wrennebury in 1230. The name is said to mean "old forest inhabited by wrens". The Norman Baron landowners were the de Malbedeng (later de Malbank) family, based in Nantwich. In 1128, Hugh Malbank, 2nd Baron Wich Malbank, gave land at Combermere, close to Wrenbury village, for the founding of the first Cistercian abbey in England. This was erected around 1133 and was dedicated to St Mary and St Michael and, with a chapel attached to St Mary's Church, Acton, Wrenbury was included in the lands donated to the abbey in around 1180 by William, the 3rd Baron. 2.5 Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII in 1536, only the Abbot’s Lodge remained and was presented to the Cotton family, who created a manor house incorporating the Lodge. Most notable of the Cotton family was Sir Stapleton Cotton, a brilliant general, who fought under Wellington at the Battles of Salamanca and Bhurtpore. One of the two pubs of Wrenbury village, ‘The Cotton Arms’, is named for him. 2.6 The centrepiece of Wrenbury village is the beautiful Grade II* listed St Margaret's Church, built of red sandstone, which overlooks the green. The present church dates from the early 16th century with alterations and additions in the 18th and 19th centuries, (more details are available at http://www.wrenburypc.org.uk/neighbourhood-plan/) In the church nave are memorials to the Cotton family of Combermere Abbey and the Starkey family of Wrenbury Hall, the most important being the monument to Sir Stapleton Cotton, 1st Viscount Combermere. The church organ was built by Charles Whiteley of Chester in 1884 and renovated by the same firm in 1984. There is a ring of six bells. The oldest bells date from 1610 and 1666. The parish registers begin in 1593 and the churchwardens' accounts in 1771. A free school by the church was endowed by Ralph Buckley in 1605. 2.7 Close to the church are two other Listed Buildings. Elm House is a Grade II, large 17th century two-storey half-timbered cottage with a slate roof and a prominent brick chimney, placed asymmetrically. Hawk House is a Grade II 18th century whitewashed brick cottage, the building was once an inn, called ‘The Hawk’, and later ‘The Hawk and Buckle’. In 1973, the area of the village of Wrenbury around the village green, and some way along Cholmondeley Road to either side of the green was designated as a Conservation Area. 2.8 In the late 18th century, the Llangollen Canal was built, passing through the north- western end of Wrenbury. It branches off from the Shropshire Union Canal just north of Nantwich, finishing at Llangollen. As it passes Wrenbury, it is notable for three bridges by Thomas Telford, dating to about 1790, which are Grade II listed buildings. Wrenbury Church Bridge