Cheshire East Local Plan Site Selection Final Report: Wilmslow July 2016 Contents 1 Introduction 1 2 Spatial Distribution of Development 2 3 Strategy for Development in Wilmslow 4 4 Sites Considered in the Site Selection Process 4 5 Sustainability Appraisal 8 6 Neighbourhood Plan 8 7 Sites Assessed and Recommendations 9 Site PSS1100 9 Site PSS1107 10 Site PSS1108 14 Site PSS1101 22 Site PSS1102 27 Site PSS1103 31 Site PSS1104 36 Site PSS1105 40 Site PSS1106 45 Site PSS1109 49 Site PSS1110 53 8 Sites Recommended for Inclusion in the LPS for Wilmslow 58 9 Overall Conclusions re Sites for Inclusion in the LPS for Wilmslow 59 Appendices Appendix 1: Map Showing all Wilmslow Potential Strategic Sites Considered in the Site Selection Process 61 Appendix 2: Wilmslow ‘Traffic Light’ Forms 64 Appendix 3: Local Plan Strategy Vision and Strategic Priorities Forms 87 Appendix 4: Summary of Infrastructure Providers and Statutory Consultees Comments 118 Appendix 5: Wilmslow Green Belt Site Assessments 125 Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy: Site Selection Final Report - Wilmslow 1. Introduction 1.1 The ‘Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy: Site Selection Report – Wilmslow’ was published as background evidence to the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy Proposed Changes Version (LPS) consultation which took place from 4 March to 19 April 2016. The Report documented the implementation of the Site Selection Methodology (SSM) for Wilmslow. 1.2 In response to the consultation, additional information was submitted in relation to a number of sites that had already been considered using the SSM. A number of new sites have also been proposed for consideration for inclusion in the LPS that have not previously been considered using the SSM. 1.3 This Report considers: (i) the additional information that has been submitted, in relation to a number of sites that had already been considered using the SSM and whether such information means that the conclusions and recommendations, using the SSM should change, in relation to such sites; (ii) the new sites that have been submitted, using the SSM and makes recommendations, regarding whether or not such sites should be included in the LPS and (iii) the responses, relating to sites, submitted to the public consultation in March/April 2016. 1.4 This Report supersedes the March 2016 Report; it makes it clear where circumstances have changed in relation to sites and makes recommendations accordingly, some of which may be different to those made in the March 2016 Report. This updated Report also provides full consideration of new sites, using the SSM, along with recommendations. If a recommendation is made that a site is no longer to be included in the LPS or that a new site is to be included in the LPS this will be made clear. 1.5 This Report should be read alongside the SSM Report (and its associated evidential documents, including the Urban Potential Assessment (UPA) [PS E039b], and Edge of Settlement Assessment (ESA) [PS E039b]), the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) / Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA), and 1 the Cheshire East Council Proposed Changes to the Local Plan Strategy (Consultation Draft) March 2016 [RE F003]. 1.6 Wilmslow is identified as a Key Service Centre in the Local Plan Strategy (LPS). The 2013 mid-year population estimate for the town of Wilmslow is 24,200. 1.7 Wilmslow is a town with its own settlement boundary, set within the North Cheshire Green Belt, as defined on the Proposals Map of the Macclesfield Borough Local Plan adopted in 2004. 2. Spatial Distribution of Development 2.1 The 36,000 dwelling requirement identified within the Cheshire East Council Proposed Changes to the LPS (Consultation Draft) March 2016 is the minimum requirement for housing development within Cheshire East across the Plan period. The Council needs to be sure that the 36,000 dwelling requirement will be completed by 2030. It is appropriate and recognised good practice for a local planning authority to apply an additional level of flexibility to settlements, in order to accommodate for any potential future changes to sites or even changing housing market conditions over the life of the LPS, to ensure that the housing requirement is achieved. This means that the total level of housing provided in each settlement will normally be higher than the expected level of development that is required. This additional amount of housing will be referred to as a ‘flexibility factor’. 2.2 Further information on the flexibility factor can be found in the Housing Topic Paper. This accords with the National Planning Policy Framework and Planning Practice Guidance, and recent Inspector decisions on Local Plans. 2.3 The total employment land requirement identified within the Cheshire East Council Proposed Changes to the LPS (Consultation Draft) February 2016 already includes a 20% flexibility factor, as set out in the Alignment of Economic, Employment and Housing Strategy (Ekosgen Report) [PS E032], ¶¶3.55 – 3.58. Consequently, there is no need to add a further flexibility factor for employment land at the settlement level. 2.4 The Cheshire East Council Proposed Changes to the LPS (Consultation Draft) March 2016 reflects the overall development requirements for the Borough and their spatial distribution, in the form of the revised Policy PG6. Figure Wilmslow 1 below shows the development land requirements for Wilmslow. 2 Revised LPS Commitments, Completions Policy PG6 Balance Required (housing at Dwelling & 31/03/16; (including Site Employment - employment at = Allocations) Land Distribution 31/03/13) (excl Strategic Sites) 900 dwellings & 402 dwellings & 498 dwellings & 10 ha 0.07 ha 9.93 ha Figure Wilmslow 1: Amount of Development Land Required over the Plan Period. 2.5 Policy PG6 in the LPS submission version identified Wilmslow as providing sites for in the order of 8 ha of employment land and 400 dwellings over the plan period. 2.6 The revised proposed Spatial Distribution results in a revised Policy PG6 figure for Wilmslow of 10 ha of employment land and 900 dwellings over the Plan period. 2.7 As set out in Appendix 2 to the SSM, there is also an indicative requirement for 24 ha of safeguarded land in Wilmslow. 2.8 Updated housing completion and commitment information is now available (as at 31 March 2016). The figures below have therefore been updated accordingly. 2.9 Between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2016, 97 net additional dwellings were completed in Wilmslow. As of 31 March 2016, there were 305 dwellings considered as commitments in Wilmslow (including sites with planning permission and sites under construction). 2.10 Between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2013, no employment land has been taken-up in Wilmslow. As at 31 March 2013, there were 0.07 hectares of committed employment land in Wilmslow. 2.11 Taking into account the above completions and commitments, this leaves an overall remaining requirement for the provision of 9.93 ha of employment land, 498 dwellings and 24 ha of Safeguarded Land over the remaining Plan period. Some of these requirements could be provided for through the Site Allocations and Development Policies Development Plan Document (SADPD) and / or Neighbourhood Plans. 2.12 Using the SSM and the iterative assessment approach, the following sections of this Report assess the candidate sites, with brownfield sites being 3 considered first, then non-Green Belt sites, and finally Green Belt sites, relative to their Green Belt contribution. 2.13 The UPA [PS E039b] (Stage 1 of the SSM) identifies the potential for 37 dwellings to be delivered within the urban area of Wilmslow within the Plan period. The possible sites are discussed in more detail in the UPA, pp 1300- 1338. The capacity of these potential sites cannot simply be deducted from the remaining requirement for Wilmslow, particularly due to the potential for double counting. For example, the largest Wilmslow site identified in the UPA (the Remenham Site, Bedells Lane for 25 units) has now gained planning consent (14/5471M) for 57 net additional dwellings and is included in the commitments figure as at 31 March 2016. 3 Strategy for Development in Wilmslow 3.1 Wilmslow is the fourth largest town in Cheshire East. It is a sustainable location for development, with a main railway station, local bus services, schools, facilities, services and employment opportunities. Wilmslow does not have a significant industrial legacy of brownfield sites and the constraint to greenfield development from the tightly drawn Green Belt combined with high demand for housing in the town has been very successful in promoting redevelopment of the few significant brownfield sites in Wilmslow. As a result, there is very little land in the urban area available for development. 3.2 The strategy for Wilmslow over the Plan period is to accommodate a modest level of housing and employment growth, reflecting its size and function as a Key Service Centre, as well as its popularity as a residential location and its ability to attract investment and jobs, whilst balancing these factors with the need to minimise the harm to the Green Belt given the lack of available land in the urban area. Employment land is provided to support high-quality employment growth, in line with the North Cheshire Science Corridor. 3.3 In addition to development in Wilmslow, the distribution of development to the North Cheshire Growth Village (which is around 2km north-east of Wilmslow) seeks to meet a proportion of development needs in the north of the Borough (including needs arising in Wilmslow) and reduce the impact of the release of Green Belt land on existing communities. 4 Sites considered in the site selection process: Wilmslow 4.1 Table Wilmslow 1 below shows all the sites considered in the site selection process for inclusion in the LPS.