Local Plan Issues and Options (Regulation 18)

Comment

Representation ID: 10708

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Roberts Bakery

I&O_11206
The Sustainability Appraisal that accompanies the consultation acknowledges the importance of Northwich as a key settlement for future growth, with potential for both housing and employment expansion. Growth scenarios consider the town’s capacity for urban extensions and infill development, balancing land availability with environmental constraints. Gadbrook Park is identified as an established strategic employment site with a strong role in the borough’s economic framework and confirms a positive score for supporting the local economy. Its sustainability performance depends heavily on addressing transport, environmental, and infrastructure constraints associated with the area. For example, there are limited direct public transport links to this employment area, leading to higher car dependency. The SA discusses the need to balance the protection of Gadbrook Park as an employment site with other strategic land uses. It is our clients view that by encouraging some expansion of employment uses with alternative uses such as residential and mixed uses, the area and the Site at Roberts Bakery can continue to play a role in the Local Plan’s employment strategy while aligning better with sustainability goals and housing delivery. Expansion for alternative uses can be accommodated on brownfield land which avoids greenfield development when compared to other alternative sites within the Sustainability Appraisal in this location.

Comment

Representation ID: 10710

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Roberts Bakery

I&O_11208
No. Meeting identified housing needs is a statutory requirement under national planning policy. The plan must ensure housing delivery aligns with the objectively assessed need (OAN) to avoid underprovision, which could lead to unsustainable pressure on neighbouring authorities and infrastructure. To meet the revised housing target of 28,710 homes by 2040, the Local Plan must plan proactively and effectively distribute growth. Forecasts show continued population growth across the borough, including an ageing population and smaller average household sizes, which increase overall housing demand. In addition, a mix of housing types and tenures supports a diverse workforce and helps sustain local services, schools, and businesses. The significant need to identify suitable land to deliver a minimum of 1,914 dwellings in CWAC each year is substantial. The consultation document acknowledges that previously developed land will be considered for development first but greenfield and Green Belt land may also be necessary to accommodate hosing need. This Site offers the potential to deliver some housing growth alongside maintaining employment uses.

Comment

Representation ID: 10715

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Roberts Bakery

I&O_11213
The Council must plan for to deliver both housing and employment land. This is an important Local Plan objective as their mutual interdependence ensures sustainable communities. The need to deliver a minimum of 9.9 hectares of employment land per year is supported in principle, however previously allocated employment sites should not be ‘rolled forward’ into the new local plan if they are unlikely to deliver the type of employment land needed, or if they are no longer in the most sustainable locations. The Council’s Employment Areas Survey, makes reference to the undeveloped land at Gadbrook Park and outlines in paragraph 7.18, “The business park includes an undeveloped employment land allocation, and there is currently a relatively high proportion of vacant premises so has scored average on the ‘market attractiveness’ objective.” The Council’s own evidence base acknowledges that the Park is not delivering the required employment land within the existing plan period. The emerging local plan should re assess its designation and the introduction of other mixed uses including residential, retail and commercial would not be inappropriate. This could assist in ensuring the area remains able to contribute to the boroughs economic growth alongside sustainable housing growth and associated services and facilities.

Comment

Representation ID: 10717

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Roberts Bakery

I&O_11215
In relation to the Site at Roberts Bakery, all spatial options include the refurbishment and redevelopment of sites in existing employment areas and retaining key employment including Gadbrook Park. Gadbrook Park is 56ha in size and a strategic location on the edge of Northwich. Roberts Bakery occupies a prominent position at the entrance to the business park (general industrial use), the remainder of the business park is primarily offices. The business park includes an undeveloped employment land allocation, and there is currently a relatively high proportion of vacant premises Retaining employment uses within Gladbrook Park is welcomed, however, this must be considered alongside the introduction of alternative uses to continue to ensure there remains viable for employment uses. The Local Plan seeks to maintain a supply of high-quality employment sites alongside housing growth. Gadbrook Park’s role ensures that Northwich retains a strong economic base. This can be further enhanced through reviewing the parks ability to  realistically delver future employment land needed alongside its potential redevelopment to align with the objective of maximising existing sites before allocating sites for development within greenfield and green belt land. Paragraph 8.5 of the consultation document outlines how the approach to the level of development will depend on the chosen spatial strategy option but will also seek to maximise housing and other development on previously developed land. The Site offers a large proportion of previously developed land which is within close proximity to Northwich. The Site represents a sustainable housing and employment area if the existing uses within the area are rationalised. We would welcome the opportunity to work with the Council to prepare a comprehensive Masterplan for a mix of uses for this Site that could make a significant contribution towards meeting the wider aims and objectives of the emerging Local Plan.

Comment

Representation ID: 10718

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Roberts Bakery

I&O_11216
Yes, Northwich presents a range of growth opportunities due to its strong socio-economic profile, strategic location, and available infrastructure. The town’s role as the third-largest urban area in the borough makes it a natural focus for accommodating both housing and employment growth. The town’s growth can be supported through a balanced approach that delivers both housing and employment land, reinforcing its role as a key service and economic centre in the borough. This synergy between homes and employment is not only beneficial for Northwich as a whole but also on a more site specific basis given underused and partly vacant employment sites like Gadbrook Park. This reduces the need for out-commuting, supports local services, and enhances the sustainability of growth.

Comment

Representation ID: 10720

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Roberts Bakery

I&O_11218
In summary, the policy approach for Gadbrook Park seeks to retain its use for economic development whilst also continuing the allocation of land to southwest of Gadbrook Park for large-scale logistics, warehousing and distribution (as currently allocated under existing Local Plan (Part Two) policy N 4.F). By the Council’s own admission and evidenced in their supporting evidence base documents (Sustainability Appraisal and Employment Areas Survey 2024) it is clearly outlined that “ Gadbrook park includes an undeveloped employment land allocation, and there is currently a relatively high proportion of vacant premises so has scored average on the ‘market attractiveness’ objective. Purpose built office parks are most likely to have been impacted by the covid pandemic and increase in people working from home. When the business park was fully occupied, signage indicates on street parking was a concern for some businesses.” (Para 7.18 Employment Area Study 2024). The question must be asked as to why the wider area as a whole is continuing to be protected as a 100% employment site when clearly there are vacancy issues and a previously allocated employment site has not been delivered through the most recent local plan policy approach. There are multiple large business who have recently vacated the business park (including Barclay and THG) due to the location not meeting their business needs. This clearly indicates a shift in demand from economic uses on the site and the need to question the long-term future of the site. The Council is urged to engage with local businesses on the site to further understand the market attractiveness of the area in recent years. National policy is clear that the long-term protection of allocated employment sites should not be ‘rolled’ forward if their deliverability is questionable. Greater flexibility for alternate uses would be advantageous to the Council and to businesses. Therefore, in answer to Question NO 8, there should be a more flexible approach to uses supported within Gadbrook Park. Additional mixed uses and some residential use would assist in rationalising vacancy levels and ensuring the long-term viability of the employment area. It is agreed that development proposals within this area must be comprehensively planned and that proposals for the refurbishment of vacant office premises for continued economic use should be supported. Our client objects to the reference within NO 2, “ New residential development within the policy area would not be permitted. The Council may also take forward Article 4 Directions to remove permitted development rights for residential or other use in the future. This policy approach is unnecessary, contrary to evidence and would be detrimental to the viability and sustainability of the business park in the plan period. A diverse range of uses is required, and now is the time during this Local Plan review to plan comprehensively and take the opportunity to consider a mix of uses that would sit comfortably alongside one another whilst supporting wider aims and objectives of the emerging Local Plan.

Comment

Representation ID: 10723

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Roberts Bakery

I&O_11221
As above, our client objects to Gadbrook Business Park being identified as a continued strategic employment location and safeguarded as essential to meeting the future economic strategy of the plan. The development of the site for other mixed uses whilst retaining some land for use class E(g) would help to ensure its long-term viability. Our preferred approach would be to work with the Council to deliver a Masterplan for the Site encompassing a range of uses, alternatively, any policy for this Site must make provision for flexibility to enable a mix of uses to come forward in this location.