Planning setback for Cheshire East Council

This morning has seen a setback for Cheshire East Council as the Planning Inspectorate has made an announcement questioning significant aspects of the council's Local Plan, particularly of the housing supply estimates.

The full announcement is available as the PDF below the photo but key points are:

• There is a serious mismatch between the economic strategy and the housing strategy of the submitted plan, particularly in the constrained relationship between the proposed level of jobs and the amount of new housing
• There are shortcomings in the Council's objective assessment of housing needs, both in terms of establishing an appropriate baseline figure and failing to specifically take into account and quantify all relevant economic and housing factors, including market signals and the need for affordable housing
• The proposed level of future housing provision seems inadequate to ensure the success of the overall economic, employment and housing strategy
• The proposed settlement hierarchy seems to be justified, effective and soundly based, but further work is needed to justify the spatial distribution of development, including addressing the development needs of settlements in the north of the district.

The implications of this announcement are serious for all interested in an orderly planning process in the borough and raise many questions:

• What will happen to the outstanding appeals against planning decisions by Cheshire East, including the two Audlem appeals for developments at Little Heath and off Heathfield Road?
• Does this mean even more proposals are likely from developers and how can the council deal with them given there is no acceptable 5-Year Housing Supply figure, a vital part of the planning process?
• Will Cheshire East ever be able to satisfy the Planning Inspectorate. After all, their Housing Supply figure has been updated on a number of occasions and always fails to impress the Inspectorate?
• What is the impact of this decision on Audlem's Fast-track Neighbourhood Plan and indeed, the parish's longer term Neighbourhood Plan?

Those that sat through the Gladman appeal back in May – now over six months ago and still no decision – and heard days of legal argument over the 5-Year Housing and Land Supply will wonder how we all got into this situation.

It seems as if the whole process is becoming ever more difficult and seems to be a gift to developers and lawyers alike with local communities trailing in as a very poor third.

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