Agenda item

(During consideration of the item, Councillor J Wray arrived to the meeting.   As a result he did not take part in the debate or vote on the item).

Consideration was given to the above report.

 

The following people attended the meeting and spoke in respect of the application:-

Councillor Miss Andrew

Peter Yates

Eileen Furr (Representing LEFA (Land East of Fence Avenue)

Parish Councillor John Cornell (Vice Chairman Weston & Basford Parish Council)

Gary Halman (Representing HOW Planning)

Mr Brooks (Representing the Tatton Estate)

Councillor Mrs Gaddum

Keith Williams

Town Councillor Mike Benson (Town Mayor, Sandbach Town Council)

Stuart Kinsey

Roger Bagguley

Terry Roeves (Representing Friends of Dean Row)

Parish Councillor Mrs Eyre (Representing Sutton Parish Council)

Councillor K Edwards

Brian Chaplin (Representing the Knutsford Aligned Community Groups)

Manuel Golding

Lillian Burns (Representing the Cheshire Association of Local Councils and Prestbury Parish Council)

Councillor R Fletcher

Celia Davies

Stuart Redgard

David Lewis

Dr Julie Ann Brown (Representing Somerford Parish Resident’s Action Group (SPRAG)

Debbie Jamison

Councillor L Brown

Councillor B Burkhill

Jenny Unsworth (Protect Congleton-Civic Society)

 

The Chairman thanked the public for their contributions and assured them that the points made would be taken into consideration.

 

An addition two statements were read out by the Head of Strategic and Economic Planning on behalf of Councillor Mrs L Smetham and Councillor R Menlove.

 

In response to comments made by Dr Julie Ann Brown, Mrs Bradley stated that, as Monitoring Officer, she knew of no instance of maladministration, underhand dealings or predetermination in relation to the strategic location LS6 Back Lane/Radnor Park, Congleton. In response to comments attributed by Councillor Burkhill to the Leader of the Council, Councillor M. Jones, Mrs Bradley stated that, as Monitoring Officer, that Councillor Jones had not taken nor was he taking any part in the Board Meeting and had no influence over the conduct of it.

 

(The meeting adjourned for lunch at 12.35pm and reconvened at 1.20pm).

 

Prior to the start of the debate, Councillor B Murphy moved a recommendation that Council defer consideration of the item on the grounds that the item did not include a Memorandum of Understanding recently signed between the Council and Stockport MBC in connection with the Council’s duty to co-operate, that Members therefore lacked document essential to forming a reasonable judgement regarding the Strategy, and objections put forward by a number of the speakers had not been properly and adequately resolved. 

 

Ms Dillon (Planning Solicitor) (whilst not having read the Memorandum), advised that the purpose of the Board meeting was to consider Local Plan Policy, that the Memorandum itself was not an expression of policy document and the Board had sufficient information before it, without considering the Memorandum, for it to make a recommendation to Council. Upon being put to the vote, the motion was lost.

 

(The meeting adjourned again at 3.30pm for a short break).

 

A number of comments were made by Members of the Board in respect of the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy - Submission Version

 

Upon being put to the vote, motions to -

·       delete strategic sites CS11, CS9 and CS31 at Gaw End Lane, Fence Avenue and Lyme Green

·       redraw the strategic location SL6 at Back Lane/Radnor Park, Congleton

·       delete strategic sites CS25, CS26 and CS27 in Wilmslow

·       fund the proposed Poynton Relief Road by enabling development within Poynton

·       delete strategic site CS30, North Cheshire Growth Village at Handforth East

·       expand the fifth recommendation by reference to reduced weight being applied to strategic sites which are the subject of substantial objection

were defeated. 

RESOLVED

 

A.     Strategic Planning Board recommends:-                                                         

   

1.          That Council endorse the evidence base, including the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) and Sustainability Appraisal (SA), which has informed the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy - Submission Version

 

2.          That Council endorse the Officer responses to the consultations on the Cheshire East Local Plan Pre-Submission Core Strategy documents published in November, 2013;

 

3.          (i) That Council approve the attached Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy - Submission Version (Appendix A) for publication and submission to the Secretary of State;

 

(ii) That Council agree the amendments as outlined in the written update and circulated at the meeting subject to the inclusion of the following further amendments:-

 

(a)        Your Views and How to Comment Section, document page iii -Add 5.00pm to the end of the period for representations.

 

(b)        Paragraph 16.10, document page 345-Insert the words “Cheshire Brine Compensation Board” to the list.

 

(c)        Policy EG4, document page 104, Point 1 (ii) – Delete the words “unless it can be proven that the use is no longer economically viable”.

 

(d)        Policy EG4, document page 104- Add additional bullet point to the list “improving access to our natural and historic landscapes through enhancing our vital public rights of way network”. 

 

(e)        In relation to site CS30, document page 395-Point e within the Site Specific Principles of Development should be amended to state that “Public Rights of Way footpaths should be retained and/or diverted”.

 

(f)          In relation to site CS30, document page 395-Point i within the Site Specific Principles of Development should be amended to state that “Development should aim to deliver the preservation and refurbishment of the Grade II listed Dairy House Farm.

 

(g)        Paragraph 16.2, document page 344 – Insert the word “annually” after “a monitoring report which will be published”

 

4.          That Council delegate authority to the Head of Strategic and Economic Planning, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Communities, to agree any minor modifications to the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy - Submission Version  during the publication phase and during its subsequent Examination; and

5.          That Council resolve that the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy - Submission Version be given weight as a material consideration for Development Management purposes with.

B)     In the interests of consensus, Strategic Planning Board encouraged the Head of - Submission Version during the publication phase and during its subsequent Examination.