Comment

Representation ID: 10245

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Defence Infrastructure Organisation

Agent: Avison Young

LAA ref 1403
I&O_10742
In summary it is the DIO position that the Council should proceed with either Option B or Option C, as the most suitable growth options over the course of the Local Plan period, as these options will ensure that an effective and justified level of development is delivered for the Borough. With reference to the DIO land interests at Dale barracks, it is clear, as demonstrated by the enclosed Development Statement, that the site represents an opportunity for the Council to allocate a site for development, which would contribute positively towards meeting housing targets across the Borough, in a sensitive manner that would have limited impacts to the purposes of the Green Belt, whilst making the most effective use of PDL. The site demonstrates a sustainable, deliverable, and available option for a residential-led strategic development, which could be delivered in a co-ordinated fashion, whilst also delivering social, environmental and economic benefits including but not limited to: • Creation of jobs during the construction phase of any subsequent development on site; • Creation of a number of other off-site employment opportunities in the building trade ranging from suppliers of building materials to architects; • An increase in expenditure in the local economy through both construction workers and from new residents will help to support Chester and surrounding businesses; • Delivery of a range and type of housing to meet local needs, including affordable housing and where market demands indicate specialist housing to be suitable; • Provision of public open space throughout the site for the benefit of existing and future residents; • Delivery of a sustainable, co-ordinated development which will have good access to jobs, shops, services and transport links; • Delivery of a scheme which ensures efficient use of land by maximising its development whilst taking into account key site opportunities and constraints, delivering a viable scheme; and, • Following a full technical review, not result in any significant adverse/unacceptable environmental impacts such as flood risk, land contamination, ecology, heritage and landscape. The DIO welcomes the opportunity to work collaboratively with the Council and other key stakeholders as the Local Plan progresses and would welcome an ongoing dialogue about the site prospects and contribution it can make to meeting future development needs in the Borough. These representations have highlighted a number of key issues that need to be considered during the production of the Cheshire and West and Chester Local Plan Review, to ensure that the Local Plan meets the test of soundness. We would be grateful if you could confirm safe receipt of this letter, and we respectfully request that these representations are considered by the Council in the preparation of the Cheshire West and Chester Local Plan Review.

Comment

Representation ID: 10436

Received: 27/08/2025

Respondent: Susan & Stephen Britton

CH4
I&O_10934
New housing developments should be located with a view to minimising travel by car to work, shopping and leisure destinations.  It should promote the use of public transport such as buses and rail, and promote cycling and walking through minimising distances to facilities and the provision of safe cycling lanes and footpaths. Studies should be undertaken, and published, showing the current extent of cycling and walking and how they could be increased. CH4 in particular can't cope with any more transport heading over the Grosvenor Bridge via the Overleigh roundabout. The plan should minimise new incursions into “greenfield” land and build on “brownfield sites” wherever possible. Emphasis should be placed on building on sites where planning permission has already been given. We are concerned about the composition of the housing being built in Chester, in particular the affordable housing.  There is a great need for affordable family housing whereas all too often large numbers of small flats are provided by developers to meet their current 30% quota. With the affordable housing quota rising to 50%, it is even more important to ensure that the housing made available matches the local need. The Kings Moat development on Wrexham Road has been built without a community hub or even any shops at present. Any future developments of new communities of 1000+ dwellings should have these social features as standard to develop social cohesion.

Comment

Representation ID: 11276

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Habiko LLP (c/o Muse)

Agent: Turley

I&O_11774
For the reasons set out within our response to question CH 6 below, Habiko does not support the ongoing allocation of Chester Business Quarter for employment use. (I&O_11780)

Comment

Representation ID: 11599

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: CPRE Cheshire Branch

I&O_12097
We approve of the Chester City Gateway plan. There does not appear to be a detailed plan yet for the Dale Barracks site but we would approve, in principle, the idea of it being used primarily for housing.

Comment

Representation ID: 13091

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Annington Management Ltd

I&O_13610
Annington formally owned the Married Quarters Estate within Dale Barracks. We continue to hold several small land holdings within the Dale Barracks site. These are best described as “land left over after planning” – verges, small parcels of grass, bits of back land.   Annington are supportive of Dale Barracks identification as a large commercial site in the Green Belt, as a potential allocation, due to the largest landowner of the site, namely the Ministry of Defence,  wishing to cease the military use of the site. Annington are supportive of working with the Council and the Ministry of Defence as appropriate to bring forward our own landholding for development, be that via incremental “grey-belt” development, or a more comprehensive redevelopment. Please can you keep me updated of next steps.

Comment

Representation ID: 13488

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Chester South Alliance

I&O_14007
This submission has the endorsement of the following local community groups which are affiliated to Chester South Alliance. Friends of the Lache Backies (Supporting nature in Lache and Saltney) Stanley Park Drive Residents The Friends of the Lache Animal Sanctuary Friends of Lache Community Westminster Park Dog Walkers  Chester South Alliance is a constituted residents group focusing on Lache Ward and its neighbouring environs. We offer comment on development in CH1-4 with specific emphasis on Lache Ward. CH1-4. There are about 17 hectares of green space in Lache Ward where new homes could be built. The Backies………7.91 hectares Saltney Sidings…3.34 hectares The Lache Animal Sanctuary …..circa 5 hectares BUT, the case against building here is overwhelming. 1 We, do not have a lot of accessible green space in Lache. [see attached document for screenshot]  ( Source CWAC Ward Profiles 2022, online )  That’s CWAC                        83.1 square metres of green space per person England                     62.4 Lache                        JUST, 3.7 square metres of green space per person Our green spaces need a long term plan to make them fully accessible to residents. If this was done it would still only increase our accessible green space to a maximum of something in the region of 32 square metres per person which is around half of the NATIONAL AVERAGE and JUST 38% of the BOROUGH AVERAGE. 2 In Lache Ward about a third of residents are amongst the 2% poorest in the country, you are twice as likely to die of premature cancer and you are nearly twice as likely to die prematurely from respiratory and cardio- vascular illness (Cheshire West and Chester Council Ward Profiles 2022, online). There’s a lot of ill health in Lache Ward:  (CWAC Ward Profiles 2022, online).  [see attached document for screenshots]   Only 14% of Lache Ward residents are over 65 compared to 22% in Borough. This is not surprising with such high rates of premature deaths in the Ward. ‘ Green space provides social, health and economic benefits to an area. Local green space provides an important opportunity for people to exercise, socialise and experience the natural environment on a regular basis, which have all been to show to improve and enhance population health and well- being.’ (Cheshire West and Chester Council, Ward Profiles 2022, online). NHS England, Natural England, the Campaign for Rural England and Friends of the Earth and the Government’s own National Planning Policy Framework all recognise the direct correlation between deprivation, green space and poor physical and mental health.  The Campaign for Rural England, in particular, advocate against urban infill building in areas of deprivation, and please remember that in Lache Ward a third of the population is amongst the 2% most deprived (Index of Multiple Deprivation) in the COUNTRY. Access to a motor vehicle is low in Lache compared nationally, just 67% (Lache Masterplan 2022, online), so many people have to walk considerable distances to access the green space which is so vital for our wellbeing. We need more accessible green space in Lache Ward and not more housing. More housing = increased population=even less green space per square metre per person in an area where we currently have just 4.5 % of the Borough Average. Less green space = greater ill health and more deprivation and even greater inequalities. A long term plan for our green spaces could yield 32 square metres per person (still far below both the National and Borough Averages) but it would be a positive step to promoting increased wellness in a deprived area where your chances of surviving to an age of 65 are 35% lower than the Borough Average. Please do not take our green spaces for extra housing and impose even greater inequalities upon Lache Ward. The decision making process must take account of the bigger picture.

Comment

Representation ID: 14141

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Mrs Jennifer Crew

I&O_14685
CH1 – 4  Chester New housing developments should be located with a view to minimising travel by car to work, shopping and leisure destinations.  It should promote the use of public transport such as buses and rail, and promote cycling and walking through minimising distances to facilities and the provision of safe cycling lanes and footpaths. Studies should be undertaken, and published, showing the current extent of cycling and walking and how they could be increased. The plan should minimise new incursions into “greenfield” land and build on “brownfield sites”.  Emphasis should be placed on building on sites where planning permission has already been given.

Comment

Representation ID: 14988

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Ainscough Strategic Land

Agent: Turley

I&O_15547
Land at Liverpool Road, Upton-by-Chester, which comprises a significant proportion of Potential Growth Area CH01, should be identified as an allocation within the emerging Local Plan to accommodate housing needs. Detailed site-specific representations, setting out the case for allocation, are submitted separately. Please refer to our response to Question SS 23 for further justification for housing growth in Chester.

Comment

Representation ID: 15215

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Barratt Redrow Plc

Agent: Pegasus Planning Group Ltd

I&O_15774
The suggested allocations relate to employment only, therefore no comments at this stage.

Comment

Representation ID: 15270

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Chester Zoo

Agent: Cassidy & Ashton Group Ltd

I&O_15829
Additionally, the Zoo welcome the inclusion of Policy GBC 1.A within the new local plan which recognises the need for Chester Zoo to continue to grow and develop. Chester Zoo would welcome this policy being applied to a bounded area of their land ownership to provide comfort to the local authority as to the extent of their development plans and to provide certainty to Chester Zoo on the acceptability of development within the Green Belt on their land.

Comment

Representation ID: 15386

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: R and C Handley

Agent: Matthew Wedderburn

I&O_15945
Two potential large mixed use site allocation have been identified, at Dale Barracks and at Chester Gateway. We consider the land at Manor Farm, to the southwest of Chester should also have been included. This site offers the potential for high-quality development on the edge of Chester with a green buffer to the wider countryside. It is considered that potential growth area CH02 should be expanded to include this land. In an accompanying supporting statement we provide detailed comments in support of the inclusion of this area in the plan as a sustainable neighbourhood comprising housing, employment land, community facilities and a local centre, active travel routes, play areas, open space, wildlife areas and landscaping. 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.

Comment

Representation ID: 15539

Received: 21/10/2025

Respondent: Wirral Borough Council

I&O_16098
No comments at this stage.

Comment

Representation ID: 15885

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Richborough

I&O_16444
Policy Approach to CH 1 seeks to combine the existing Local Plan Part 1 STRAT 3 Policy with Part 2 Policy CH 1, as the overarching and locally distinct policy for Chester. This will update the allocations, including any that have been competed or require a new approach, and any new locations for housing and employment development in Chester. Chester is identified inthe Issues and Options Plan as the Borough's largest settlement in terms of population and dwellings; and being the main centre for offices, employment, culture,retail, leisure, higher education,tourism and transport. Within the previous Local Plan, Chester is the only settlement within the Borough where Green Belt release was considered to be justified due to the sub-regional role of the City, high levels of in-commuting, affordable housing need, and delivering a mix of housing. We support the suggested Policy Approach CH 1 in having an overarching and locally distinct policy which sets out the allocations for Chester. This will enable more strategic growth to be identified that can meet housing and employment needs which reflect Chester's role in the settlement hierarchy.  We strongly consider that there is a clear need to review the Green Belt boundary in Chester as part of the emerging Local Plan, as was the case in the previous Local Plan, to ensure that CWaC's housing needs can be met. This is particularly important given the significant increase in CWaC's housing requirement from 1,100 dpa in the last Local Plan to 1,914 dpa in this Local Plan. It is considered that land at Lache Lane should be identified as a residential growth location, being a sustainable urban extension to meet the housing needs of the Borough in the early part of the Plan Period, whilst providing a range of other benefits which align with the proposed policy approach, including improvements to open space and community infrastructure. The deliverability of the site is set out in later in this letter and we strongly consider that the site should be considered as a suitable and deliverable site allocation whichever growth option is pursued.

Comment

Representation ID: 16393

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Chorlton Lodge

Agent: Cadnant Planning

I&O_16974
The identification of potential Green Belt release sites as referenced in the consultation has been based on a limited assessment of sites, which appears to be based on only reviewing sites within the A55 corridor. This aligns with previous and historic Green Belt Reviews in Chester. However, the fundamental change in NPPF which now introduces the concept of Grey Belt, means that the assessment of potential sites for development around Chester must now be based on a broader assessment. The Issues and Options Paper fails to take account of Grey Belt sites and their potential for future development which will sustain the economic, cultural and socially important role of Chester as the key centre within the Plan area. The attached Site Appraisal and Green Belt Analysis of land at Rough Hill notes that Rough Hill is currently within the designated Green Belt, the following reasons illustrate the logic behind releasing this plot of land with a view for carefully orchestrated development:  The study area meets the definition of Grey Belt: ‘The NPPF defines the Grey Belt as areas within the Green Belt that consist of previously developed land and other parcels that have minimal impact on the Green Belt’s core objectives, excluding land or assets with significant environmental protections (e.g., SSSIs, heritage assets). The area displays a weak contribution to Green Belt due to the enclosure by large transportation corridors that isolate and constrict its openness, thereby creating an ‘island Study Area’ Area is not part of a gap between towns and has no potential to link to other urban areas in the future. The Area is not near to or visible from the Conservation Districts or Heritage Assets of Chester and bears no relationship to those aspects of the City. Other Heritage / Conservation Districts such as Eccleston are also outside its proximity.  Given these factors, which are expanded upon in more detail in the attached Assessment Report the area of land at Rough Hill should be considered for release from the Green Belt and should be assessed alongside other areas set out in the Issues and Options Paper, some of which would lead to the coalescence of settlements contrary to the purposes of the Green Belt. Such a release would be aligned with national planning policies and the emerging Local Plan, ensuring that any future development enhances local character, supports biodiversity, and meets long-term housing and commercial / economic needs without compromising the openness and purpose of the remaining Green Belt.

Support

Representation ID: 16855

Received: 29/08/2025

Respondent: Northern Trust Land Limited

Agent: Savills (UK) 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.