Planning & Environment!Planning & Environment

Development Plans

Paul Urwin

Head of Planning (Policy)

What are Development Plans?

Local Planning Authorities prepare Development Plans to guide the future planning of their area. The plans include policies and proposals dealing with topics such as:

  • The Natural and Built Environment
  • Employment
  • Housing
  • Transportation
  • Recreation and Tourism
  • Shopping, Town Centres and Regeneration
  • Community Facilities

The plans shape land use and the environment in the district and are the background against which the many decisions on individual planning applications are made. A good plan is very important in enabling the council to achieve its ambitions. These are:

  • The physical regeneration of Crewe
  • Maintaining the special character of Nantwich
  • Encouraging environmental sustainability
  • Making the area look cleaner and feel safer
  • Tackling concentrations of deprivation
  • Tackling health inequalities
  • Creating better facilities, especially for young people
  • Promoting an active and enjoyable old age
  • Sustaining the buoyancy of the local economy

The Development Plan is made up of a series of documents:


Regional Level Plans

The Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for the North West was adopted on 30th September 2008.


Local Level Structure and Local Plans

Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011 – Adopted February 2005;

The Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan covers the period up to 2011 and sets out detailed guidance on what can be built where and what types of development the Borough Council will allow. Decisions on planning applications are always made in accordance with this plan unless there are very special reasons for not doing so.

The Cheshire Replacement Minerals Local Plan - Adopted 1999;

The Cheshire Waste Local Plan - Adopted 1987 (A Replacement Local Plan went to public local inquiry on 5 September 2006).

Cheshire 2016 Structure Plan Alteration is now superseded by the RSS.

However some of the Structure Plan policies have been extended because they have not been replaced by the RSS.  They will continue to be saved until they are replaced by a future RSS revision. 

These can be found in chapter 15 of the RSS document (page 162). These are the policies listed.

·         GEN5: Jodrell Bank Zone

·         GEN8: Regional Parks

·         HOU6: Caravan Sites for Gypsies

·         T4: Strategic Improvements to Transport Network

·         T5: Former Railway Infrastructure

·         T7: Parking

·         T8: Improvements to rail network

·         T9: Motorway and truck road schemes

·         T10: Roadside services

·         TR3: Visitor Accommodation

·         TR4: Golf Courses and other extensive outdoor recreation

New system of Development Planning

The 2004 Planning and Compensation Act introduced a new system of development planning. The Council will now have to produce a Local Development Framework (LDF).  This is a portfolio of planning policy documents that will gradually replace the existing local level plans.

Local Development Framework

The new Local Development Framework is designed to:

  • Develop and facilitate the delivery of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS)
  • Provide a detailed basis for development control.
  • Provide a detailed basis for co-ordinating and directing development.
  • Ensure that the Development Planning System is accessible and accountable to the community of the District and all relevant stakeholders.

The Council has produced a Local Development Scheme (LDS) and Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) which explain work programme and community involvement intentions in preparing the Local Development Framework.  The LDS is kept under constant review and is amended when required.

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment

New Minerals Policy

The new mineral planning policy for Cheshire will form part of the Cheshire Minerals Development Framework (MDF).

The first stage in the Cheshire Minerals Development Framework (MDF) is the ‘Issues and Options’ stage.  The County Council is embarking on the Public Consultation of the Issues and Options, where they will be seeking your views on the Core Strategy Document and the Site Specific Policies and Allocations Document.