Development Strategy

Whilst it is accepted that the strategic growth priorities for Cheshire East include a significant number of larger housing sites at the edge of Congleton – many within other adjacent Parishes – and that much of the neighbourhood plan area is covered by rural agricultural land and communities, the town of Congleton itself has an important role to play in the future sustainable growth of not only the neighbourhood plan area but of the south eastern area of Cheshire East.

The Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy (2017) is relatively silent on development within settlement boundaries and the Site Allocations DPD (2022) policies focus effectively on strict controls for testing the acceptability of development. This policy bridges the gap between these two levels of policy, setting out clear guidance for the nature and scale of development that will be deemed appropriate within the settlement boundary. Providing good quality new homes in the heart of the town has been identified as an important part of the community aspirations for Congleton, recognising that these can help support wider business and economic growth.

Development that happens within the settlement boundary of the town itself is supported by this policy. Development here will be seeking to make more efficient use of land, make better use of underutilized buildings and redevelop previously developed / brownfield land. Essentially this policy would support the redevelopment of poor-quality buildings and sites, the careful redevelopment of former industrial land and the diversification of existing businesses and community facilities. The Town Council and its partners recognise clearly that inward investment into the town is an important part of creating a sustainable future (much of this outlined in the recent town centre vitality study – 2022).

• Congleton Town Strategy – Cheshire East Council 2012
• Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy (CELPS) – July 2017
• Congleton Estate Agents Survey Report – Congleton Town Council (September 2016)
• Congleton Landscape Character Assessment (Part 1) – Ruth Benson Landscape Planning (March 2020)
• Congleton Landscape Character Assessment (Part 2) – Ruth Benson Landscape Planning (March 2020)
• Congleton Landscape Character Assessment (Part 3) – Ruth Benson Landscape Planning (March 2020)
• Congleton Town Council Business Plan 2020 – 2023 – Published 2020
• Congleton Town Centre Vitality Plan – Cushman and Wakefield December 2022
• The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2023 – paragraphs 13, 21 and 29

Whilst previous policies have considered the broad principles for new development within the urban area and on existing sites, the vast majority of planning applications submitted will be for smaller-scale development.

This policy is designed to support homeowners, local businesses, and local landowners in making the best use of their properties and adapting and changing them to meet economic, social and environmental needs. Not all of these changes will require planning permission – many being covered by the permitted development rights – however, where this is not the case this policy seeks to provide additional flexibility in the approaches taken.

There are two broad strands to his policy, which are based on two socioeconomic trends in the town. The first focuses on ensuring that homeowners can change and adapt their homes to deal with their changing circumstances. Congleton, like many Cheshire market towns, has an increasing need for older people’s accommodation and allowing adaptation of their homes is important.

Coupled with this, the changes in retail and commercial markets mean that there are often underutilised or disused retail and commercial premises. It is important that these are brought back into use wherever possible in order to maintain the vitality and vibrancy of the town, and on that basis, this policy seeks to promote a flexible approach to change-of-use applications within the town centre. National policy is particularly supportive of this approach – Paragraph 90 sets out a flexible policy context for town centres and urban areas, which this policy seeks to capitalise upon.

• Congleton Town Centre Vitality Plan – December 2022
• National Planning Policy Framework 2023 – paragraphs 90 and 124 – 126

Congleton has a long history of local industry, much of it associated with silk weaving, but more recently moving towards specialised industrial processes and engineering. However, modern industrial processes mean that many of the older, and more traditional buildings in the town now are vacant and under-utilised. Over the years many of these buildings have been converted to office uses, however, post COVID trends towards people working from home mean that in many locations these buildings are vacant.

In much the same way as the previous policy on small-scale development, this policy focuses attention on how the future of these historical, and attractive buildings, might be brought forward into full economic use. Traditional policy objectives have sought to keep these buildings in economic use. However, national policy accepts that housing and leisure uses are important uses within built-up areas, and this policy is designed to both encourage and further facilitate the diversification of these existing buildings.

Of course, when dealing with historical buildings, many of which are listed buildings and otherwise often recognised as non-designated heritage assets, there is always a balance between bringing the asset back into use and protecting its heritage value, with public benefit (see paragraphs 208 and 209 of the NPPF) being a key element of a decision-making process. Following feedback from the community, bringing these buildings back into use is identified as being a key public benefit and will carry significant weight when determining planning applications. This benefit will carry even further weight where building is listed within Historic England’s ‘Heritage at Risk’ register, or where it can be otherwise demonstrated that the heritage asset is at risk.

• Congleton Town Council Business Plan 2020 – 23 – Published 2020
• Congleton Town Centre Vitality Plan – December 2022
• Cheshire East Local List SPD – 2011
• Historic England – Heritage at Risk Register

Whilst Congleton has been a market town for more than 700 years, the market has over the last 25 years seen a steady decline. It still operates on a Tuesday and Saturday, with a car boot/flea market on a Sunday. The site is operated by Cheshire East Council. The Congleton Market Quarter (CMQ) development adjacent to the market has since 2023 emerged as an exciting new food, drink and evening economy venue in the heart of the town centre, bringing new life into the old covered market and supporting the remaining market uses. A highly successful makers market also operates in the town on the last Saturday of the month.

The Town Council has developed this aspiration, which sits at the centre of the wider plans, policies and strategies for the town centre, in order to reaffirm its commitment to working with all actors and agencies – including local businesses and traders – to safeguard and improve the areas around the market. Much of this is about management and ownership of sites and working together towards a shared goal of revitalising this area of town focused around a ‘market’ type setting. The Town Council is committed to taking the lead with this role, helping to link the ideas and aspirations of many partners behind the shared vision.

The village of Timbersbrook lies to the east of the town of Congleton and is within the Green Belt. The location within the Green Belt means that development is strictly controlled with most forms of development being identified by local (policy PG3) and national policy as being inappropriate. However, certain forms of development are considered appropriate, including conversions of existing buildings, extensions and alterations to existing buildings and infill within villages. Timbersbrook is identified by the community as being a village, based around the junction of Weathercock Road, Tunstall Road and Under Rainow Road. Whilst Timbersbrook has not been identified by Cheshire East as being a village this is not necessarily determinative (see case Law Wood v SoSCLG, 2014), and each case should be on its own merits following an ‘on the ground assessment’.

Neighbourhood plans are not able to release land from the Green Belt, and as a result whilst a boundary is drawn around Timbersbrook to define the village, all the land within the area remains ‘washed over’ by the Green Belt. The area identified is focused around the key junction mentioned above and includes all properties running from this junction along the routes noted until a gap in excess of 50 metres or more is found between buildings – which is approximately the size of a development of 2 dwellings if built to a similar density and form as the surroundings. The boundary includes the whole of any defined curtilage, and in most cases these are all related to a road frontage -albeit there are a number of larger farmsteads or manorial plots included.

Collectively there are a finite number of sites that might come forward for infill development, or extension, or community uses within this boundary, however the development here would contribute to the network of small hamlets and scattered farmsteads in the wider rural area, in line with paragraph 83 and 89 of the NPPF, that are important for providing modest and sustainable economic and housing growth. Whilst not identified as a village in current Cheshire East policies, neighbourhood plans are not precluded from promoting additional development. The policy links directly with several policies in the Cheshire East SADPD (2022) for completeness and to ensure appropriate delivery.

• Wood v SoSCLG High Court Appeal Decision – 2014
• Cheshire East settlement boundary review – August 2020
• National Planning Policy Framework 2023 – paragraphs 29, 83, 89 and 152 onwards