Local Plan Issues and Options (Regulation 18)

Comment

Representation ID: 5341

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Penmar Farming Limited

Suggested policy SS 5
I&O_5711
The most appropriate spatial strategy would be a variation on Option B: ‘Follow current Local Plan distribution of development’ because this will allocate the most development to the most sustainable locations, the existing main urban settlements.

Comment

Representation ID: 5347

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Penmar Farming Limited

Option A
I&O_5717
No.

Comment

Representation ID: 5355

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Penmar Farming Limited

Option A
I&O_5725
No. The premise (of locating any new development outside the green belt) is not accepted because it would not result in the most sustainable distribution of new development.

Comment

Representation ID: 5356

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Penmar Farming Limited

Option B
I&O_5726
Option B would be the most appropriate spatial strategy for the new Local Plan because it will allocate the most development to the most sustainable locations, the existing main urban settlements.   However, as per the responses to questions SS11 and SS12 it is not clear in Option B what is meant by ‘level’. Planning for the same level or quantum of development cannot be taken forward because it would fail to meet current estimates of need for housing. Option B should be varied to read: ‘Follow current Local Plan distribution of development’.

Comment

Representation ID: 5358

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Penmar Farming Limited

Option C
I&O_5728
Option C is not an inappropriate spatial strategy but it is not the most appropriate spatial strategy for the new Local Plan, because Option B (as amended, see response to questions SS11 and SS12 above) would be more sustainable owing to its focus on existing main urban settlements, which already have both good access to public transport corridors and good access to other services and facilities, which newer and small centres on the public transport network would not have.

Comment

Representation ID: 5359

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Penmar Farming Limited

Option C
I&O_5729
No, for the reasons set out in response to question SS18.

Comment

Representation ID: 5360

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Penmar Farming Limited

Paragraph 5.12
I&O_5731
No, they are not correct.   Two of the suggested constraints should not be included, namely ‘key settlement gaps’ and ‘strategic open space’. ‘Key settlement gaps’ should not be included because it is not clear how such areas would be identified and because, when looking at areas currently within the green belt, it would conflict with national planning policy on the identification of grey belt. ‘Strategic open space’ should not be included for the same reason, unless it were clarified that it was intended to refer to ‘strategic public open space’.   A third should be clarified: ‘areas of flood risk’ should be amended to say ‘areas of river or coastal flood risk’ or perhaps, ‘areas of significant flood risk’ or ‘areas in flood risk zone 3’, so that it is focussed on steering development away from areas subject to the highest level of flood risk.  

Comment

Representation ID: 5361

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Penmar Farming Limited

I&O_5732
National planning policy and guidance on when land should be released from the green belt for development.

Comment

Representation ID: 5362

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Penmar Farming Limited

Map 5.4
I&O_5733
Area reference CH02 (Chester East – Piper’s Ash), because this has the best access to the rail and bus stations, and to services and facilities in multiple neighbourhood centres (Upton, Hoole, Vicars Cross, Boughton, Guilden Sutton and Christleton) and the city centre.

Comment

Representation ID: 5363

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Penmar Farming Limited

Map 5.4
I&O_5734
Area reference 04 (Chester North – north of Blacon) would be the least sustainable because it would have the weakest links to rail and bus transport options and the wider range of services and facilities in the city centre.