Local Plan Issues and Options (Regulation 18)

Comment

Representation ID: 11095

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Tata Chemicals Europe Limited

I&O_11593
Yes, TCEL strongly support the retention of allocations set out in the current Local Plan, particularly at Winnington Works, where mixed-use residential development remains a key priority given that delivery has not progressed at the anticipated rate. However, the allocation at the Winnington Works Site should be amended such that the site is designated as a major housing-led mixed-use allocation in future iterations of the new Local Plan, replacing its current designation in the existing Local Plan as a ‘regeneration area’. When considering the vision principles set out under Policy VI 1, it is essential that the policy explicitly references the delivery of infrastructure that will enable progress towards net zero. The new Local Plan should therefore identify existing and emerging sites that can facilitate this transition. This includes the Lostock Works Site, which has the potential to accommodate net zero industrial development, and the Winnington Limebeds, which has recently secured planning permission for renewable energy generation and battery energy storage infrastructure but has not yet been implemented.

Comment

Representation ID: 11096

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Tata Chemicals Europe Limited

I&O_11594
Ongoing improvements to the existing transport network will be required to support continued growth in Northwich, as current traffic systems are operating close to capacity and potentially stifling new development opportunities. As highlighted under Question NO 1, the policy should explicitly commit to tackling climate change. Embedding this within the policy framework would necessitate the provision of infrastructure to support renewable energy generation, facilitate net zero development, and enable the growth of the circular economy. Such infrastructure is essential to ensure that Northwich can accommodate future development sustainably while contributing to wider climate objectives.

Comment

Representation ID: 11102

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Tata Chemicals Europe Limited

I&O_11600
Yes, the settlements that make up the wider Northwich urban area should be retained as many contain strategic sites that make a substantial contribution to both the objectives of Northwich and the wider Cheshire West and Chester region. Retaining these settlements ensures that strategic assets can continue to contribute to economic growth, housing delivery, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity enhancement. Their inclusion within the settlement structure is essential for the comprehensive and sustainable development of Northwich and its surrounding area.

Comment

Representation ID: 11104

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Tata Chemicals Europe Limited

I&O_11602
TCEL are generally supportive of the suggested policy approach towards economic growth, employment, and enterprise as set out in EG 1. The emphasis on supporting existing businesses, attracting inward investment, and ensuring a flexible supply of employment land is welcomed. However, TCEL consider that the policy should go further by explicitly linking economic growth to the national net zero ambitions and climate change mitigation objectives. Future economic development should not only generate employment opportunities but also prioritise decarbonising industries, renewable energy infrastructure, and the circular economy. In this context, strategic sites such as Lostock Works and Winnington Works play an essential role in meeting these ambitions. The Lostock Works Site already supports waste management and energy-related infrastructure and has the capacity to accommodate further industrial development aligned with low-carbon technologies and circular economy principles. Similarly, Winnington Works offers an opportunity for mixed-use development that integrates sustainable employment provision alongside residential uses. TCEL therefore suggest that the policy should include a specific commitment to: i) Encourage economic growth sectors that directly contribute to net zero targets, including renewable energy, energy storage, and circular economy industries. ii) Identify and safeguard strategic sites, such as Lostock Works, for these purposes. iii) Facilitate investment in infrastructure necessary to support low-carbon industries, ensuring these sites remain viable and attractive for green economic development. By embedding these objectives, the Local Plan will ensure that economic growth is sustainable and aligned with both local and national climate change commitments.

Comment

Representation ID: 11106

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Tata Chemicals Europe Limited

I&O_11604
TCEL are generally supportive of the suggested policy approach towards green infrastructure, biodiversity, and geodiversity as set out in GI 1, particularly the continued emphasis on safeguarding and enhancing biodiversity. However, TCEL believe that the policy and its supporting evidence should explicitly recognise the importance of certain sites that contribute significantly to biodiversity and ecological recovery. The Lostock Limebeds should be included as part of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) Opportunity Areas or as a designated area for nature recovery. This site not only provides an established habitat for priority species and supports biodiversity enhancement, but also offers potential for ecological connectivity within the wider landscape. Including Lostock Limebeds within the LNRS will ensure that development proposals in and around Northwich acknowledge its strategic value for nature recovery and biodiversity net gain. Furthermore, the inclusion of this site aligns with the Council’s climate change objectives by safeguarding natural assets that help with carbon sequestration and ecological resilience. TCEL therefore recommend that: i) The LNRS mapping and policy wording should incorporate Lostock Limebeds as an ecological opportunity site. ii) The policy should commit to identifying and safeguarding additional locally significant sites that, while not statutorily designated, play a critical role in supporting biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and delivering environmental net gain. By doing so, the new Local Plan will deliver a more robust and spatially comprehensive approach to biodiversity and nature recovery.

Comment

Representation ID: 11107

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Tata Chemicals Europe Limited

I&O_11605
TCEL are broadly supportive of the suggested policy approach towards energy, as set out in EN 1, particularly the emphasis on locating energy-related developments on previously developed land and within industrial areas wherever possible. This aligns with national and local objectives to prioritise brownfield redevelopment and reduce pressure on greenfield and agricultural land. However, TCEL believe that the policy could be strengthened to better align with net zero targets and the growing need for renewable and low-carbon energy infrastructure. The policy should make explicit reference to the potential role of strategic brownfield and industrial sites, such as the Lostock Works Site, in supporting low-carbon and renewable energy generation and net zero infrastructure. The site is uniquely positioned to accommodate energy-related development with minimal environmental impact, due to the industrial character and existing infrastructure. Similarly, Policy EN 1 should explicitly support low-carbon and renewable energy developments and give priority to schemes that facilitate the transition to net zero ahead of more carbon-intensive alternatives. The policy should also ensure flexibility to accommodate emerging energy technologies and storage solutions that support the transition to net zero. Specific reference could be made to battery energy storage systems which are critical for balancing supply and demand in a renewable-based energy system.

Comment

Representation ID: 11109

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Tata Chemicals Europe Limited

I&O_11607
TCEL welcome the criteria set out in Policy EN 3 and note that the inclusion of the relevant EN 1 criterion is particularly positive, ensuring that solar developments are appropriately assessed for landscape, environmental, and biodiversity impacts. However, TCEL consider that the policy should include greater flexibility regarding sites currently classified as “highly sensitive”. In practice, such classifications may not accurately reflect a site’s actual capacity to accommodate solar development without causing significant environmental harm. This was successfully demonstrated at the Winnington Limebeds, where the planning application established that the solar park and battery energy storage facility could be delivered without unacceptable environmental impacts. TCEL therefore suggest that Policy EN 3 includes wording to allow development proposals on sites identified as highly sensitive, provided that it can be robustly demonstrated that: i) The site is not sensitive to the scale and nature of the proposed solar development; or ii) The proposal would not result in significant adverse environmental, landscape, or visual impacts. Incorporating this flexibility would ensure that the policy does not unnecessarily preclude renewable energy developments on potentially suitable sites and would support the Council’s wider objectives for low-carbon and renewable energy generation and net zero targets.

Comment

Representation ID: 11111

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Tata Chemicals Europe Limited

I&O_11609
TCEL generally supports the suggested policy approach set out in EN 4, particularly the emphasis on zero-carbon and net-negative energy solutions. These measures align with the wider objectives of achieving net zero and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. However, the policy could be strengthened by explicitly encouraging the use of previously developed land for renewable energy and heat projects, as well as prioritising locations where excess heat or energy can be efficiently utilised to support nearby industrial processes. This would help maximise the efficiency of energy generation and distribution, while also reducing the carbon footprint of new developments. Policy EN 4, and all other policies relating to energy, should also include wording that supports energy-related development where it can be demonstrated that the benefits of the scheme outweigh any potential harm.

Comment

Representation ID: 11113

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Tata Chemicals Europe Limited

I&O_11611
TCEL generally support the suggested policy approach set out in EN 5, which prioritises low-carbon fuels and carbon capture technologies. The policy’s emphasis on green and blue hydrogen, the appropriate use of waste-derived fuels, and the promotion of carbon capture and utilisation aligns with the net zero objectives and the need to decarbonise energy systems across Cheshire West and Chester. However, TCEL believe that Policy EN 5 should explicitly recognise the potential of established industrial sites, such as Lostock Works and Winnington Works, to accommodate low-carbon fuel production and carbon capture facilities. These sites already have the necessary industrial infrastructure and connections to existing energy and waste networks, making them suitable locations for low-carbon fuel and carbon capture projects. Policy EN 5 should also include wording that allows flexibility for emerging low-carbon fuels and carbon capture technologies, ensuring that developments which contribute to reducing emissions but do not fall strictly into current definitions are not inadvertently excluded.

Comment

Representation ID: 11115

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Tata Chemicals Europe Limited

I&O_11613
TCEL are broadly supportive of the policy approach set out in Policy MW 1 regarding the management and safeguarding of waste facilities. However, TCEL consider that the policy could be strengthened in key areas. The policy should explicitly recognise the Lostock Works Site as a strategic site for regional waste management and energy recovery. Safeguarding the site is critical, not only for current waste management capacity but also to enable future low-carbon energy and circular economy developments. Similarly, sites such as the Winnington Works Site should be acknowledged for their potential to integrate waste management and energy-related infrastructure. In addition, the policy could also link waste management to net zero and low-carbon energy objectives. It is also considered that Policy MW 1 could be improved by explicitly promoting circular economy developments that co-locate waste, energy, and industrial processes to maximise resource efficiency, reduce transport impacts, and create low-carbon industrial clusters.