Local Plan Issues and Options (Regulation 18)

Comment

Representation ID: 13908

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Canal & River Trust

I&O_14428
Question IN 6 Do you have any comments on what role Neighbourhood Plans should play in terms of meeting Cheshire West’s development needs and other suggested policy approaches for the new Local Plan? Neighbourhood plans and their local focus means they are well placed to highlight the valuable role of local community facilities and means of promoting connectivity through a neighbourhood plan area. The Trust welcome when the diverse roles that canals can play in promoting physical activity, health and well-being and active travel routes for local communities are recognised in planning policy at all levels. Neighbourhood planning can be an excellent tool for identifying need and safeguard existing facilities and the Trust encourage recognition of the contribution of our assets for green/blue infrastructure, recreational opportunities and physical activity and as a community resource for supporting health and well-being and providing safe car- free alternative travel routes.

Comment

Representation ID: 13909

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Canal & River Trust

I&O_14429
Question VI 1 Do you agree with the suggested approach towards the new Local Plan vision, as set out in VI 1 'Vision' above? If not please suggest how it could be amended? The Trust agree with the principles outlined and our assets can contribute to each strand of the Vision, as outlined in the following sections. Tackling climate change – adapting to and mitigating against the effects of climate change and achieving a net increase in biodiversity Our network can support mitigating and adapting to challenges of climate change by the provision of renewable energy source, water management and heating and cooling sources and through providing connected ecological networks throughout the borough. Promoting wellbeing – enabling all to enjoy safe and healthy lifestyles with a good quality of life Our network can support health and well-being of local communities through the provision of free access to outdoors and nature, and connected walking routes that provide greener, ambient spaces that support social interaction and healthy lifestyles. Providing infrastructure – ensuring the provision of appropriate infrastructure in suitable locations to make Cheshire West and Chester a good place to live Our towpath network contributes to the provision of green infrastructure and green/blue corridors for active travel for local residents Protecting character – protecting the special character of the Cheshire countryside and its villages The heritage and distinctive character of our unique waterside environments and canal corridors contribute to special character within the borough. 

Comment

Representation ID: 13910

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Canal & River Trust

I&O_14430
Question VI 2 Should the vision include/establish a set of principles and priorities? Are these the right ones – do you have any other suggestions? The Trust broadly agree with the proposed strands of the Vision. Environment protection policies are important within national and local planning policy to prevent harm from development by reason of pollution or adverse environmental impacts to the natural environment, water quality or land stability. Any development must ensure it is appropriate for its location with regard to avoiding unacceptable risks from land instability or contamination. The emphasis on policy provisions that provide a clear framework for environmental protection is important to safeguarding the natural and built environment in the borough, along with the health and well-being benefits that this will bring to local residents. The Vision could include a reference to environmental protection to highlight the importance of this provision.

Comment

Representation ID: 13911

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Canal & River Trust

I&O_14431
OBJECTIVES Question OB 1 Objectives With regard to the two alternatives for objectives for the new Local Plan, the Trust has no preference which Option is carried forward. Option A clearly outlines how policies within the Local Plan will be delivered through the principles of Sustainable Development (economic, social and environmental).

Comment

Representation ID: 13912

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Canal & River Trust

I&O_14432
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Question SD 1 - Do you agree with the suggested policy approach towards sustainable development, as set out in SD 1 'Sustainable development' above? If not please suggest how it could be amended? The Trust broadly agree with the policy approach as set out in SD 1 'Sustainable development' and would seek for the contribution that our waterway network can contribute to these provisions to be recognised. The UK Government aims to deliver Net Zero by 2050 and is focussed upon enhancing energy and water security. Our waterways and waterspace can play an important role in helping to reduce emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change in providing innovative solutions to the climate challenges we are likely to face. The canal network within Cheshire West and Chester, as a ready-made blue-green infrastructure network, has the potential to help put measures in place that can help mitigate the effects of climate change and bolster climate resilience, as outlined below.  The planning system can be instrumental in helping to mitigate climate change and the Trust would seek for the potential contribution of our network and assets to be recognised in the Local Plan. Our network can assist in adapting to and building resilience to the effects of climate change through: The provision of high quality, interconnected and multifunctional green and blue infrastructure that provides a safe, sustainable alternative mode of travel and an interconnected walking network. Canal corridors and towpaths provide active travel routes for walking and cycling and support in reducing road network emissions in the borough through supporting a modal shift in travel and the provision of alternative, carbon-free walking and cycling routes. Towpaths can play a key role in providing sustainable transport, within Cheshire West and Chester contributing to active travel, helping to prioritise the needs of pedestrians and cyclists and provide associated health and well-being benefits. The provision of water efficiency  and management measures. Our network can help respond to climate change by balancing the availability of water through water transfers, saving cost and carbon, and mitigating the impact of flooding through providing flooding relief, water storage, and surface water management. The provision of renewable sources or energy. Our network of waterways is well placed to provide ‘net zero’ solutions. Our assets can help support the provision of energy from clean, renewable sources, such as in the form of Hydro Electric Power. An example includes the installation of a hydroelectric plant at the Grade II listed sluices on the River Weaver at Dutton, Cheshire. The energy produced by the scheme is exported to the local electricity grid where it is then distributed to homes and businesses. Nationally, our network generates hydropower for around 6,200 homes, saving around 9,500 tonnes of CO₂.   Our network can assist in water-sourced heating and cooling and the installation of low and zero carbon technologies in this field. For example, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal will support a district heating network supplying more than 9,000 homes and 4 million sq ft of commercial space at Liverpool Waters, and the heat pumps will save 4,200 tonnes of carbon per year. With regard to the Urban Heat Island Effect, the Trust is carrying out research to understand the extent to which canals contribute to urban cooling and whether canals in urban areas have a positive impact upon lowering local air temperatures. Our net work can support the telecommunications system, as beneath our towpaths lies a national network of fibre-optic cables carrying vital communications across the country, with over 700km of telecommunication routes / ducting. This assists in reducing emissions, and the need to travel, by connecting and servicing communities. Our network provides green/blue corridors that maintain and bolster natural habitats to support restoring natural systems. Our corridors at the same time, support biodiversity enhancement, and the provision of green/blue spaces (in support of green infrastructure provision) that provide ecological networks, alongside delivering co-benefits for climate change adaptation. Our network can support the policy provisions of mitigating and adapting to challenges of climate change by the measures outlined above. The Trust would welcome the opportunities offered by our canal networks within the borough being recognised as a means to help mitigate and adapt to effects of climate change, and for policy to identify the potential solutions offered by our green/blue network of waterways that run through Cheshire West and Chester. The Trust has prepared our Impact Report to outline the work carried out in protecting and enhancing the canal network for the benefit of current and future generations. This provides useful information with regard to how our network is an important infrastructure that helps to support energy and water security. Please find the link below for reference. Our impact | Canal & River Trust (canalrivertrust.org.uk) The policy approach also refers to ‘All new buildings should include solar panels unless it can be shown that this is impractical or not viable.’ The Canal & River Trust is a charity and the statutory undertaker with responsibility for regulating navigation on this waterway. Its primary duty, is to ‘provide services and facilities on the inland waterways owned or managed by them’. The Trust welcome the provisions outlined in SD1, and it will be important to balance the need to secure the environmental provisions of the policy with clear criteria on when this provision would have to be complied with, e.g. Clear established criteria and a cubic size threshold may be useful.

Comment

Representation ID: 13913

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Canal & River Trust

I&O_14433
Question SD 3 - Are there any other sustainable development issues or requirements that should be included in the new Local Plan? The impact of changing weather patterns is having an adverse effect upon our fragile and ageing infrastructure, impacting its stability, and is making the task of keeping our canal network open, safe and resilient increasingly challenging. Planning policy can help to mitigate this impact, through measures such as requiring that new development does not adversely impact land stability in proximity to our assets, or that surface water is given due regard in any planning submission and appropriately drained to prevent any pooling/seepage into our earth structures for example, to help address the growing impact of climate change. Changing climate, including extreme weather (such as storms, floods, heat waves and droughts) are having a detrimental impact upon our network and infrastructure, in that more frequent storms and increasing volumes in rivers / streams and flooding adjacent to our assets/ earth structures (that are the supporting infrastructure for our canals) are eroding and deteriorating these structures (e.g. by causing damage to the bottom of our embankments).  Most of the vital earth structures supporting our man-made waterways include embankments, cuttings, hand-built tunnels, and culverts which are affected by storm and flooding conditions. Flooding which results in flows that are greater than the capacity of our culverts can result in carrying debris through culverts and blocking/damaging our culverts under canals. In addition to the effects of storms, heavy rain isn't the only climate challenge facing the waterways. Long, dry spells can also be a serious problem causing earth structures to dry out and increase their vulnerability to erosion, especially when followed by intense rainfall when the weather breaks.  

Comment

Representation ID: 13914

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Canal & River Trust

I&O_14434
SPATIAL STRATEGY Question SS 21 What information should we take into account when assessing sites for allocation in the new Local Plan? Our waterway and towpath network is a locked asset, and the maintenance of its multifunctional recreational, environmental and economic offer and enjoyment of our waterways is critical to the sustained use and ambience of our waterspace. Its use and supporting functions (e.g. boating business, tourism, renewable energy options) are by their very nature tied geographically to locations adjacent or close to canal corridors or waterspace. The type and nature of land use adjacent to or near the canal network can affect the waterway in terms of impact on structural integrity, its historic character, ecological value, water quality and the canal network infrastructure such as where development can influence vehicular use over historic canal bridges. It is important that the special nature of our waterways is safeguarded from any adverse impacts of development proposals and any opportunities for their use and enhancement are realised. The Trust would seek for potential impact on the qualities to be recognised throughout the plan and site allocation, along with the opportunities offered through our canal and towpath network and green infrastructure. As the Local Plan develops further, the Trust would welcome the opportunity to comment on potential site allocation/siting of development type in relation to our assets.             Factors that can impact our network with regard to development and land use adjacent to our network include:   Land stability - It is essential that the structural integrity of a canal, and its supporting infrastructure, is not put at risk as part of any development proposal, and any development must ensure it is appropriate for its location with regard to avoiding unacceptable risks from land instability.   New development should safeguard water quality and protect against potential contamination, including identifying any potential pollution pathways and drainage management.   Waterways provide free access to outdoors and nature, supporting the health and well-being of local communities. As such it is important that their ambience and contribution to green infrastructure offered by waterways is safeguarded where applicable.   The waterway network contains a significant number of heritage assets and listed structures in the borough, including canals designated as conservation areas and historic listed bridge structures. It is important to safeguard these assets in a manner appropriate to their significance and to safeguard the historic character of our waterways, and their settings, from harmful development. This includes the consideration of the potential impact of access routes upon the structural integrity of historic canal bridges and character of canal corridors

Comment

Representation ID: 13915

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Canal & River Trust

I&O_14435
POTENTIAL GROWTH AREAS The type and nature of land use adjacent to or near the canal network can affect the waterway in terms of impact on structural integrity, its historic character, ecological value, water quality and the canal network infrastructure such as where development can influence vehicular use over historic canal bridges. It is important that the special nature of our waterways is safeguarded from any adverse impacts of development proposals and any opportunities for their use and enhancement are realised. The Trust would seek for potential impact on the qualities to be recognised throughout the plan and site allocation, along with the opportunities offered through our canal and towpath network and green infrastructure. As the Local Plan develops further, the Trust would welcome the opportunity to comment further on potential site allocation/siting of development type in relation to our assets.

Comment

Representation ID: 13916

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Canal & River Trust

I&O_14436
TRANSPORT ASSESSMNENT Question TA 1 Do you agree with the suggested policy approach towards transport and accessibility, as set out above in TA 1 'Transport and accessibility'? If not please suggest how it could be amended? The Trust broadly agree with the policy approach, in particular provisions to: Create sustainable places and identify and pursue opportunities to promote walking and cycling and provide a genuine choice of transport modes (along with the  benefits of reducing carbon emissions this incurs).   Protect and support access to pedestrian network and where possible enhance access and extension of such network, including waterways and canal network.   Routes being safeguarded for infrastructure and identified for access and enhancement in connection with that purpose   Our canal network can support in the provision of routes and opportunities for sustainable modes of travel, such as walking and cycling, to reduce car use. The Trust would seek for planning policy to recognise the contribution that the canal towpath network within Cheshire West and Chester can make to supporting active travel, providing a genuine choice of travel along attractive, safe, sustainable car free, walking and cycling routes, within and between settlements. New development should, where appropriate, be required, to maximise opportunities to connect with the existing towpath network, making provision for new or improved access points, wayfinding and signage, and improvements to the towpath network to accommodate any uplift in usage.  With regard to TA1, the Trust support the policy wording  ‘Opportunities will be sought to extend and improve access to local footpath and cycle networks, including greenways, canal towpaths and the Public Rights of Way networks.’ The current policy of DM37 (recreation routeways) refers to’ Development must protect, and where possible enhance and extend.’ It is important to protect and enhance access (TA1) but also important to make provision for enhancement of the recreational routeway, which could be considered within TA1 or the Open Space Policy and the provision and protection of recreational routeways. With regard to TA1, the Trust support that the Weaver Navigation - may be particularly suitable for freight use.

Comment

Representation ID: 13917

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Canal & River Trust

I&O_14437
Question TA 2 Should we include a policy which takes a hierarchical approach in terms of prioritising transport infrastructure? The Trust has no concern with the proposed hierarchical approach in terms of prioritising transport infrastructure.