Site LPS 27: Congleton Business Park Extension

The extension site at Congleton Business Park over the Local Plan Strategy period will be achieved through:

  1. The delivery of, or a contribution towards, the Congleton Link Road;
  2. The delivery of around 625 new homes (at approximately 30 dwellings per hectare) as set out in Figure 15.32;
  3. The delivery of around 10 hectares of land for employment and commercial uses adjacent to Congleton Business Park as set out in Figure 15.32;
  4. The delivery of around 3 hectares of land for employment and commercial uses adjacent to the Congleton Link Road junction as set out in Figure 15.32;
  5. The provision of appropriate retail space to meet local needs;
  6. The provision of children's play facilities;
  7. Pedestrian and cycle links set in green infrastructure to new and existing employment, residential areas, shops, schools, health facilities the town centre;
  8. Contributions to health and education infrastructure; and
  9. The provision of land required in connection with the Congleton Link Road as set out in Figure 15.32.

Site Specific Principles of Development

  1. Provision for highway linkages to Giantswood Lane, enabling connection through to Strategic Site LPS 29 Giantswood Lane and allowing through traffic to travel between Hulme Walfield and Viking Way. Contributions will also be sought towards the Congleton Link Road / complementary highway measures on the existing highway network.
  2. The provision of a network of open spaces for nature conservation and recreation, including the enhancement of the River Dane Valley Corridor as set out in Figure 15.32. Development should retain and enhance areas of landscape quality / sensitivity.
  3. The timely provision of physical and social infrastructure to support development at this location.
  4. The achievement of high quality design reflecting the prominent landscape location of the site and creating a vibrant destination and attractive public realm.
  5. The site should be developed comprehensively consistent with the allocation of uses set out in Figure 15.32 and the principles of the North Congleton Masterplan. Development should integrate with the adjacent uses, particularly through sustainable transport, pedestrian and cycle links.
  6. The delivery of appropriate public transport links to connect with employment, housing and retail / leisure uses in the town.
  7. The provision of pedestrian and cycle routes to provide clear and safe links to surrounding communities including the adjacent Strategic Site LPS 29 Giantswood Lane.
  8. A desk based archaeological assessment will be required for this site.
  9. The site will provide affordable housing in line with the policy requirements set out in Policy SC 5 'Affordable Homes'.
  10. Future development should have reference to the River Dane Local Wildlife Site and Ancient Woodland.
  11. Future development should also have consideration to Policy SE 14 'Jodrell Bank'.
  12. In order to ensure a sustainable, mixed use scheme is delivered on the site, the council will require all housing proposals to demonstrate, through the execution of a s106 Agreement or appropriate alternative, how the delivery of employment land as an extension to the Congleton Business Park will be positively supported.
  13. The visual, noise and pollution assessment of development should be undertaken with the assumption that the link road is in situ and suitable screening / mitigation provided accordingly. Noise and visual mitigation measures should be provided between future and existing employment / residential areas. This could include separation distances, acoustic fencing, earth mounding, tree planting and building orientation.
  14. Any replacement and/or new sports provision should be in accordance with an adopted up to date and robust Playing Pitch Strategy and Indoor Sports Strategy and with Policy SC 2 ‘Indoor and Outdoor’ Sports Facilities
  15. Future development should provide an east to west greenway with pedestrian and cycle links across the site linking together proposed and existing leisure uses, local retail and other community facilities at this site with other sites to the north of Congleton. This should include a footbridge over the River Dane for pedestrian / cycle use.
  16. The Congleton Link Road will form the northern boundary of the site
  17. A minimum of a Phase 1 Preliminary Risk Assessment for contaminated land should be carried out to demonstrate that the site is, or could be made, suitable for use should it be found to be contaminated. Further work, including a site investigation, may be required at a pre-planning stage, depending on the nature of the site.
  18. The proposed route of the Congleton Link Road is as shown in Figure 15.32. Development should be undertaken with the assumption that the link road is in situ. The land required for the construction and delivery of the Congleton Link Road will be safeguarded from development.
Access a larger version of Figure 15.32 Congleton Business Park Extension (PDF, 868KB) (Opens in a new window)
Figure 15.32 Congleton Business Park Extension (PDF, 868KB) (Opens in a new window)

Justification

15.349 The Congleton Link Road is the single largest infrastructure project the council has undertaken to date. It is vital to the successful delivery of sites to the north of Congleton and to resolve long-standing economic and environmental impacts arising from congestion in the town. The link road will also improve connectivity across the borough and access to the M6. The council has recognised that it may have to provide gap funding upfront in order to deliver the Congleton Link Road. As the link road is an essential component in the delivery of sites to the north of Congleton, the council will seek appropriate contributions towards the link road from development unlocked by the link road. In the event that the road is committed (as evidenced through a construction contract let by the council) and / or completed at the time or planning permission(s) being granted, the council will seek appropriate contributions to the Congleton Link Road on a retrospective basis.

15.350 The council’s stated aims for the delivery of the sites to the north of Congleton are that they should be delivered on a comprehensive basis in line with the North Congleton Masterplan. The site cannot be comprehensively delivered without additional highways capacity provided by the proposed Congleton Link Road and as such the council will seek to ensure appropriate contributions to the Congleton Link Road. The council will be mindful of the costs of bringing the site forward in such circumstances and will consider affordable housing provision, on a case by case basis, where it is demonstrated through robust viability evidence that 30% affordable housing would render the development of a site unviable (in line with paragraph 7 of LPS Policy SC 5 'Affordable Homes').  The council’s expectation is the site is delivered on a comprehensive basis in the form of outline planning application(s), in line with the North Congleton Masterplan, to secure appropriate contributions towards the delivery of the Congleton Link Road and appropriate contributions to the infrastructure requirements of individual sites as set out in policy requirements and in line with Policy IN 1 'Infrastructure' and IN 2 'Developer Contributions'. In the event that changing circumstances impact on the sites / infrastructure delivery in line with the stated programme then the council will consider measures as set out in Chapter 16 (Monitoring and Implementation) of the LPS, including the use of its Compulsory Purchase Powers, in order for the stated objectives of the site to be met. 

15.351 The Congleton Link Road will form the northern boundary of this site.

15.352 Development should provide green links to the River Dane Local Wildlife Site. It should promote the inclusion of areas of good quality open space, including natural and semi-natural habitat and wildlife corridors, within the strategic master planning of this area, to promote and enhance its biodiversity and nature conservation potential.

15.353 Future development  should avoid the functional floodplain and include SuDS,where possible, to manage surface runoff and reduce the amount of surface water entering the combined network. This should include a surface water drainage strategy to consider measures such as attenuation ponds / detention basins and other measures. The provision of green and blue infrastructure will be key to the future master planning of this site.

15.354 Future development should consider a movement strategy and the importance of a green infrastructure network across the site to improve and integrate networks and improve connectivity and safe direct access to the town centre and surrounding areas.

15.355 The site has potential for contamination to be present therefore initially a Phase 1 Preliminary Risk Assessment for contaminated land is required.

15.356 Average residential density should be 30 dwellings per hectare across the site. A varied density profile across the site may be necessary in response to site characteristics including visual sensitivity, topography, landform and the existing character of the site.

15.357 Any development proposal should take into consideration  the policy requirements set out in Policy CO 2 'Enabling Business Growth Through Transport Infrastructure', and the need to improve sustainable travel options particularly in the wider cross border context.

Indicative Site Delivery

Policy information

 

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