Local Plan Issues and Options (Regulation 18)

Comment

Representation ID: 15968

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16549
At Paragraph 72, the NPPF makes clear that planning policies should identify ‘a sufficient supply and mix of sites, taking into account their availability, suitability and likely economic viability’. To ensure the New Local Plan is consistent with the NPPF, it is critical that the Council takes into consideration the availability, suitability and economic viability of proposed housing allocation sites. In terms of suitability, it is important for the Council to consider the sustainability of proposed allocation sites, in accordance with its policy approach at Policy TA 1. This includes assessing existing provision of public transport services and proximity to settlements and local centres. Locations that are detached from existing settlements or poorly connected to public transport are not sustainable and therefore are unlikely to be suitable for residential development within the new Plan period. The Site at London Road, Davenham is in a sustainable location and is available and suitable for residential development. The Site will make an important and substantial contribution to the identified need for housing for older people. When assessing sites for potential allocations, it will be important for the Council to ensure that allocated sites can realistically be delivered within the Plan period. As such, factors affecting deliverability of potential housing sites will be a key consideration, so technical constraints, such as ecology, flood risk and topography should all be taken into account when the Council assesses sites for potential allocations.


Original email from Jonathan Ainley with draft response. Final version received 23/10/2025 from Joel Austin to replace original draft version.

Comment

Representation ID: 15969

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16550
The Issues and Options consultation document identifies several potential ‘growth areas’ around Northwich at Map 5.6 (page 45). The significant majority of growth areas in Northwich are identified as being potential locations for housing development specifically, which is reflective of the Council’s ambitions to boost housing delivery around Northwich and the clear market demand in the settlement area. One of the most suitable growth areas is NOR06, which is to the east of the existing settlement of Davenham and includes the Site being promoted by Northern Trust. The Council’s proposed growth area NOR06 presents a suitable and logical expansion to Northwich that is in a sustainable location served by existing public transport and can directly address the acute need for housing in Northwich. It is important that the New Local Plan includes sufficient land to enable a variety of housing types to be delivered to meet current and future needs. This includes land for housing specifically for older people. At Table B.3 of the Issues and Options Document, the Council estimates that NOR06 has the capacity to deliver approximately 862 new homes. Evidently, the growth area, which includes the Site, can make a substantial contribution to the housing needs of Davenham and the wider District. London Road, Davenham presents a sustainable and deliverable location within the growth area NOR06, which would ensure a sustainable pattern of development in Northwich. As such, the Site should be allocated for housing as part of the New Local Plan, either as a standalone allocation, or as part of a larger allocation covering NOR06 land.


Original email from Jonathan Ainley with draft response. Final version received 23/10/2025 from Joel Austin to replace original draft version.

Comment

Representation ID: 15970

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16551
Northwich is considered to be an appropriate settlement to accommodate a significant proportion of housing development in the New Local Plan. The Places Background Paper for Northwich (amended 2024) confirms that the town of Northwich and its adjoining settlements of Anderton, Barnton, Davenham, Hartford, Lostock Gralam, Lower Marston, Lower Wincham, Rudheath and Weaverham combine to form the third largest urban area in the District. The initial outcomes of the Stage One LAA also conclude that Northwich has the most available land out of any of the urban areas in the District to accommodate housing. This should be reflected in the New Local Plan.


Original email from Jonathan Ainley with draft response. Final version received 23/10/2025 from Joel Austin to replace original draft version.

Comment

Representation ID: 15971

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16552
The Issues and Options document proposes that the policy approach to Northwich will reflect the objectives of the Northwich Town Centre Development Framework and Northwich Transport Strategy. The Council’s intention is to retain the overall policy content of the current Local Plan (Part One) Policy STRAT 5 and Local Plan (Part Two) Policy N1 relating to development in Northwich and safeguarding the character and individuality of the settlements that form the wider built-up area of Northwich. The New Local Plan will set out the level and location of new development within Northwich and the settlements which make up the Northwich urban area, including Davenham. The new Plan will identify key sites and land allocations to deliver strategic development needs for new housing.  The initial key allocations/policies identified in the Issues and Options consultation document are: ▪ Wincham Urban Village ▪ Northwich Town Centre e.g. Weaver Square, Northwich Market, Barons Quary ▪ Winnington Works (TATA) ▪ Gadbrook Park The Issues and Options document states that other sites to be identified will depend on the selected Option for the Spatial Strategy (A, B or C). The element of the NO 1 Policy that seeks to identify key sites and allocations for housing development in Northwich is supported. As stated above, Northwich will play a primary role in accommodating new housing development in the New Plan period and directing this development to a mix and variety of sites as part of the Northwich policy is essential to ensure delivery.


Original email from Jonathan Ainley with draft response. Final version received 23/10/2025 from Joel Austin to replace original draft version.

Comment

Representation ID: 15972

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16553
It is recommended that the Site to at London Road, Davenham is included in the New Local Plan as a residential allocation in Northwich since it is suitable and available for the development of housing. This could be either as part of a wider allocation covering all of NOR06, or as a standalone allocation. Some of the proposed ‘key allocations’ listed under NO 1 as part of the Issues and Options document are large-scale strategic housing allocations (e.g. Winnington Works). It is important that in the New Plan, policy for Northwich includes a variety of housing allocations of different scales to ensure that the projected housing sites are realistic and implementable within the Plan period.


Original email from Jonathan Ainley with draft response. Final version received 23/10/2025 from Joel Austin to replace original draft version.

Comment

Representation ID: 15973

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16554
The Local Plan (Part One) defines Northwich (under Policy STRAT 5) as ‘the town of Northwich and adjacent settlements of Anderton, Barnton, Davenham, Hartford, Lostock Gralam, Lower Wincham, Rudheath and Weaverham.’ The settlements surrounding Northwich town, including Davenham, make a significant contribution to the character of Northwich as a whole. In the context of housing delivery, the settlements surrounding Northwich town will play a key role in contributing to the variety of homes that are needed in Northwich. As such, those settlements should be retained as part of Northwich in the relevant policy of the New Local Plan.


Original email from Jonathan Ainley with draft response. Final version received 23/10/2025 from Joel Austin to replace original draft version.

Comment

Representation ID: 15974

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16555
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 London Road, Davenham is in a sustainable location that is consistent with the key principles of the draft policy TA 1. The Site is in very close proximity to ‘Fountain Lane’ bus stops on London Road, which are served by regular ‘31’ and ‘37’ services between Crewe and Northwich.


Original email from Jonathan Ainley with draft response. Final version received 23/10/2025 from Joel Austin to replace original draft version.

Comment

Representation ID: 15975

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16556
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.


Original email from Jonathan Ainley with draft response. Final version received 23/10/2025 from Joel Austin to replace original draft version.

Comment

Representation ID: 15976

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16557
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.


Original email from Jonathan Ainley with draft response. Final version received 23/10/2025 from Joel Austin to replace original draft version.

Comment

Representation ID: 15977

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

I&O_16558
In the case of housing development, financial contributions can be secured by S106 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, developers already pay the full cost of the infrastructure required to deliver new homes.


Original email from Jonathan Ainley with draft response. Final version received 23/10/2025 from Joel Austin to replace original draft version.