Local Plan (Planning)

The Issues and Options consultation took place from Monday 13th May until Monday 8th July 2019, when we consulted on the following documents:

Cannock Chase Local Plan Issues and Options document

The Local Plan helps to shape the way in which the physical, economic, social and environmental characteristics of Cannock Chase District will change over a 15 year period. The Council is currently undertaking a review of its adopted Local Plan (Part 1) due to a number of recent national and local policy changes. The Local Plan Review Issues and Options document follows on from the ‘Issues and Scope’ consultation in summer 2018, which considered the key issues that needed to be addressed on matters such as the environment, housing, employment and town centres. This current Issues and Options consultation is the next step in the process and takes into account previous consultation comments received. It sets out an update on the key issues and now looks at what options there are for addressing them e.g. how much housing or employment land should be provided in the District and where that should be located in the District. This still represents an early stage in the process where we are looking at the more strategic issues and we have to consider all options available; no decisions on individual sites suggested for development have been made.

Sustainability Appraisal Report and Habitat Regulations Assessment Scoping Report

It is a legal requirement that when we produce the Local Plan this is informed by a Sustainability Appraisal, so we are consulting on this alongside the Local Plan (this also incorporates a Health Impact Assessment and Equalities Impact Assessment). Given that there are a number of internationally designated ecological sites within the District, we also have to produce a report which assesses any potential impacts upon these sensitive sites arising from future development, known as a Habitat Regulations Assessment. We have produced the first stage of this assessment (a Scoping Report).

Infrastructure Delivery Plan

This is a document which sets out what infrastructure may be required to support development in the District over the next 15 years, such as schools, public transport and leisure facilities. It has been partially updated to reflect changes since the last version (2014) and will need to be updated further as the Local Plan Review progresses.

Local Plan updated evidence base

The Local Plan will be supported by a range of updated evidence base documents. The Council has published its updated Economic Development Needs Assessment (an assessment of what employment land may be required in the District to support economic growth); an updated Housing Needs Assessment (as assessment of the District’s affordable housing needs and the needs of specific groups within the District e.g. housing for the elderly, adapted housing, private rented housing); and an updated Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment (an assessment of the amount of new accommodation required to meet these specific needs).

There is also a non-technical Local Plan summary and a Supporting Documents and Evidence Base Documents summary.

The Issues and Scoping consultation on the review of the Local Plan took place from 02.07.18 - 28.08.18 and a summary of the consultation can be read in the 8th November 2018 Cabinet report.

For more information please read the documents and their summaries below:

1. Cannock Chase Local Plan Issues and Scope document and summary
    
2. Sustainability Appraisal Scoping report and summary
    
3. Consultation Responses Summary

Further Information Submitted Alongside Representations:

The information below was submitted by respondents to supplement their representations, but could not easily be summarised in the above summary tables.  It has been published here for clarity and transparency:

1. Church Commissioners for England (Barton Willmore) - Wimblebury Road
2. Greenlight Development (Lichfields) - Wellington Drive
3. Inglewood Investments (SLR Consulting) - Springs Farm
4. KGL Estates (J Heminsley) - Land at Heath Hayes
5. Rentplus UK (Tetlow King)
6. Richborough Estates (Pegasus Group) - Brownhills Road
7. Richborough Estates (Pegasus Group) - Cannock Road
8. Taylor Wimpey - Wimblebury Road
9. West Midlands HARP (Tetlow King)
10. Mr Tony Wright (Pegasus Group) - Upper Birches Farm

The Cannock Chase Local Plan - Local Plan (Part 1) 2014 is the statutory development plan for Cannock Chase Council and forms the principal basis for which development is promoted and controlled.  The plan was adopted on Wednesday 11th June 2014.

It includes the Core Strategy (section 1), which contains the strategic context and core policies, and the Rugeley Town Centre Area Action Plan (section 2).

The Local Plan (Part 1) and supporting documents are available to download below:

Please note that the Local Plan Review work has replaced work on Local Plan (Part 2) and the information below is for information only.

Initial work on Local Plan (Part 2) included consideration of possible Site Allocations and Planning Standards.  This work will now be carried forward as part of the Local Plan Review.

Issues & Options Consultation

Cabinet approved the Local Plan (Part 2) for consultation on 15th December 2016. 

The Issues and Options consultation ran for 8 weeks from Monday 30th January - Monday 27th March 2017.  The Consultation Report containing a summary of the consultation outcomes and responses for the representations received was reported to Cabinet on 24th August 2017.

There is a summary of each representation and response to each one grouped by topic areas:

1. Local Plan (Part 2) Representations (This does not include site specific representations, which can be read via the links below)
2. Site Specific Representations - Cannock, Hednesford, Heath Hayes & Rural Areas
3. Site Specific Representations - Rugeley, Brereton & Rural Areas
4. Site Specific Representations - Norton Canes
5. Site Specific Representations - New Sites
6. Site Specific Representations - Gypsy, Traveller & Travelling Showpeople Sites
7. Representations on Sustainability Appraisal & Habitat Regulations Assessment

Further Information Submitted Alongside Representations:

The information below was submitted by respondents to supplement their representations, but could not easily be summarised in the above summary tables.  It has been published here for clarity and transparency.

• Brereton and Ravenhill Green Space proposals
• C116ab Richborough Estates Land off Cannock Road Heath Hayes
• Church Commissioners Bleak House Cannock - Vision Document
• Friends of Cannock Park history of Cannock Park
• Kershaw Best & Higgins re N20 Appraisal Layout
• Kershaw Best and Higgins re N20  - Aeriel Image
• KGL estates C116 a and b  A Concept Highway Strategy option 1
• N51 Richborough Estates Land off Brownhills Road Norton Canes
• Nurton developments Ltd  Prospectus Re Issue E5
• R112 Wright Upper Birches Farm Rugeley
• Rentplus Affordable Housing model
• St Modwen Vision Doc Watling St Cannock
• Taylor Wimpey development doc re Wimblebury Road
• Taylor Wimpey re West Lancs Local Plan example policy
• Upton Trust & Carney Bros Appendix Green Belt assessment
• Natural England Appendix re: Wealden decision

The Local Plan (Part 2) Issues & Options consultation information and supporting documents are available below for reference:

• Local Plan (Part 2) Issues & Options Development Plan Document
• Local Plan (Part 2) - Non Technical Summary
• Local Plan (Part 2) - Integrated Impact Assessment (includes Sustainability Appraisal) Part 1 & Part 2
• Local Plan (Part 2) Sustainability Appraisal Frequently Asked Questions
• Local Plan (Part 2) - Habitat Regulations Assessment Scoping Report
• Local Plan (Part 2) - Site Options Selection Methodology
• Local Plan (Part 2) Gypsy, Traveller & Travelling Showpeople Site Options Methodology
• Local Plan (Part 2) Exhibition Boards (First Half)
• Local Plan (Part 2) Exhibition Boards (Second Half)

Further Information

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Consultation Letter
• Newspaper Advert

Please note that for all comments submitted during the above consultations we are unable to treat your views confidentially.  Your name will be made public, but contact details will not be disclosed.

Cannock Chase Council, working with Staffordshire County Council and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has been undertaking the production of an Area Action Plan (AAP) for Cannock Town Centre. The principal purpose of the Cannock Town Centre AAP will be to provide a planning framework to guide the changes required to strengthen its future performance and offer as befits a sub-regional centre.  The AAP will cover the whole of the Cannock Town Centre area as identified by the Cannock Chase Local Plan Policies Map.

The AAP will be required to:-
• Provide a framework and establish policies for the attraction of new investment into the town centre.
• Stimulate regeneration of the centre as a whole, but specifically for a number of opportunity areas and heritage landmarks.
• To identify opportunity areas and potential development scenarios.
• Seek to improve the visual and environmental quality of the town centre whilst protecting those buildings and features which already contribute positively its character and
appearance. This applies particularly to the Cannock Town Centre Conservation Area and the presence of two Grade II* Listed Buildings (The White House and St Luke’s
Church).
• Improve pedestrian flow and provide guidance on how the town centre could be made more “user friendly”.
• Identify measures to respond to changes beyond the confines of the town centre boundaries.
• Identify the distribution of future uses within the town centre and their inter-relationships in the form of a master plan.

The draft document and Cabinet report were considered at the 22.09.16 Cabinet Meeting, where they were approved for consultation.

Issues & Options Consultation

The Issues and Options consultation ran for 8 weeks from Monday 30th January - Monday 27th March 2017.  The Consultation Report containing a summary of the consultation outcomes and responses for the representations received was reported to Cabinet on 24th August 2017.

The Summary of Cannock Town Centre Area Action Plan Responses contains a summary of each representation and response to each one.

It will provide a vision for the future of Cannock Town Centre and will form a strategy for regeneration and positive change.  It will include both general town centre planning policies and specific guidance for the development of key sites.  The Plan and supporting information is available to read below:

• Cannock Town Centre Area Action Plan Issues & Options Development Plan Document
• Cannock Town Centre Area Action Plan Sustainability Appraisal
• Cannock Town Centre Area Action Plan Issues & Options Exhibition Boards

Further Information

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Consultation Letter
• Newspaper Advert

The Economic Development Department is working on a Cannock Town Centre Prospectus and other supporting work to attract investment in the town centre and to expand on the vision set out in the initial AAP work.

Staffordshire County Council are responsible for the production of the minerals and waste local plans for the county. These documents form part of the development plan for Cannock Chase District.