Local Plan Issues and Options (Regulation 18)

Comment

Representation ID: 16008

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16589
It is considered that potential growth area CH02 should be expanded to include land to its south, namely land at Manor Farm, Christleton and the Site. The land at Manor Farm is an excellent opportunity adjacent to the potential growth area CH02 and Christleton that can readily deliver sustainable housing development and make a substantial contribution to meeting the District’s local housing need. The Site would make a logical extension to the potential growth area, where it meets the existing settlement boundary surrounding the residential development off Sandy Lane, known as Saighton. The Manor Farm land is in a highly sought after location nearby to the village of Christleton. As such, it is a prime location for residential development that would be in keeping with the local vernacular and predominantly residential surroundings.


Email from Jonathan Ainley

Comment

Representation ID: 16009

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16590
There are no known constraints, including those related to the provision of infrastructure that would provide an insurmountable constraint to development of land at Manor Farm. The Site is demonstrably deliverable and can deliver a substantial number of homes that are required around Chester. There are no other constraints pertinent to the Site at Manor Farm that could not be adequately addressed through the planning application process.


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Comment

Representation ID: 16010

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16591
The policy approach towards Chester is set out at section CH1 of the Issues and Options Draft. The suggested policy approach will reflect the One City Plan to recognise the uniqueness of the City and the opportunity to build on its cultural and heritage offer. The policy approach will support Chester’s role as a sub-regional centre. Savills is broadly supportive of the policy approach towards supporting the opportunities for growth in Chester. Chester is a principle town in the District and accordingly, it should be attributed with the highest proportion of housing delivery, as it has done for the current Local Plan. A fundamental role of the New Local Plan is to ensure sufficient land is identified in the District to meet the local housing need in full within the Plan period. There is significant opportunity to support sustainable growth in Chester by facilitating sustainable residential development and this opportunity should be reflected in the New Plan.


Email from Jonathan Ainley

Comment

Representation ID: 16011

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16592
Land at Manor Farm, Christleton is promoted for inclusion in the New Local Plan as an allocation for housing. As described above, the Site is in a highly sustainable location nearby to the village of Christleton and close to existing transport links with frequent services to Chester. The Site is available for development and there are no insurmountable constraints to development. As such, the Site can make a substantial contribution to addressing the local housing need. 


Email from Jonathan Ainley

Comment

Representation ID: 16012

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16593
As part of the development of the Site, necessary infrastructure that is required to serve the residential development will be delivered, such as access, drainage and other utilities. There are no other known infrastructure requirements required to support the suggested policy approach to Chester.


Email from Jonathan Ainley

Comment

Representation ID: 16013

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16594
The Issues and Options consultation draft sets out that the Councils overall approach to transport is to minimise the need for travel, particularly by single-occupancy cars and vans, by locating development so it is accessible to local services and facilities by a range of transport modes. The draft document sets out a sustainable transport hierarchy, which is as follows: People walking or wheeling People cycling or riding People using public Transport People driving ultra-low emission and shared vehicles Delivery and logistics in internal combustion engine vehicles People driving other private motor vehicles. In terms of new development, the draft Local Plan document sets out that new development will be encourages in more sustainable locations. This means that developments should maximise opportunities for people to be able to meet day-to-day needs within a reasonable (10 minute/ 800 metre ) walking distance of their homes, as well as being able to travel outside of their settlements by a range of sustainable transport choices. In response to question TA 1, the Council’s suggested policy approach towards transport and accessibility is broadly supported. The element of the draft policy that encourages new development in sustainable locations that benefit from existing connections to sustainable transport modes is particularly supported, since these locations can make a significant contribution to sustainable development. The land at Manor Farm, Christleton is in a sustainable location that is consistent with the key principles of the draft policy TA 1.


Email from Jonathan Ainley

Comment

Representation ID: 16014

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16595
The NPPF states at Paragraph 35 that Plans should set out the contributions expected from development. At the same paragraph, the NPPF makes clear that such policies should not undermine the deliverability of the plan. Savills broadly supports the proposed infrastructure and developer contributions policy under section ID1. However, the Issues and Options draft states that the policy approach will clarify that where infrastructure is needed to sustain a new development, off-site contributions may not be acceptable. This approach is questioned as it could fail to take due consideration of smaller sites that are constrained and therefore may not be able to deliver necessary infrastructure on-site. In these circumstances, off site contributions are a way of mitigating the impacts of development through financial contributions, established under a legal agreement tied to a planning permission.


Email from Jonathan Ainley

Comment

Representation ID: 16015

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16596
Developer contributions should only apply to major developments. It is suggested that the definition of ‘major development’ should be consistent with the definition given in the NPPF, as this will aid clarity and consistency between local and national policy. The NPPF explicitly states that for housing, major development relates to development where ten or more homes will be provided, or the Site has an area of 0.5 hectares or more.


Email from Jonathan Ainley

Comment

Representation ID: 16016

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16597
In the case of housing development, financial contributions can be secured by Section 106 agreements in order to enable to provision of new site specific infrastructure, or upgrade existing site specific infrastructure, required to make development acceptable in planning terms. These contributions are supplemented by CIL contributions towards non-site specific infrastructure. In this sense, housebuilders already pay the full cost of the infrastructure required to deliver new homes.


Email from Jonathan Ainley

Comment

Representation ID: 16017

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16598
It is considered that site specific infrastructure that is essential for delivery should be prioritised. This may require a reduction in affordable housing contributions, or flexibility in affordable tenure mix, to enable this to happen.


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