Council defends draft plans

CHESHIRE East Council closed the period for responses to the site allocations development policies document (SADPD) just before Christmas.

According to its website these are now being uploaded for public viewing before the council decides whether or not to submit the draft for examination by a planning inspector.

Criticism of the consultation process has been refuted by Councillor Toni Fox, cabinet member for planning.

She says the SADPD has been widely publicised and all town and parish councils have been invited to make representations.

Coun Fox said: “A limited number of smaller-scale, nonstrategic parcels of land are proposed to be designated as safeguarded land in the draft site allocations and development policies document (SADPD).

“The background to why this safeguarded land is being designated, and how individual sites have been assessed and identified, is set out in evidence published alongside the draft plan.

“In summary, safeguarded land is removed from the green belt to meet potential development needs beyond 2030, which is the end of the current Local Plan period.

“It has been established through the adopted Local Plan

Strategy that it is necessary to do this in order to comply with the requirements of national planning policy.

“Safeguarded land is not allocated for development and whether it should be allocated or not for development, in the longer term, would be decided through a future Local Plan review. In the meantime, national and local planning policy seeks to protect it from development.”