Site LPS 61: Alderley Park Opportunity Site
The council will support development on this site to create a life science park footnote 95 with a focus on human health science research and development, technologies, and processes, where criteria 1-5 below are met:
- Development shall be:
- For human health science research and development, technologies and processes; or
- For residential (around 200 to 300 new homes) or other high value land uses demonstrated to be necessary for the delivery of the life science park footnote 96 and not prejudicial to its longer term growth; or
- For uses complimentary to the life science park and not prejudicial to its establishment or growth for this purpose.
- Development shall be in accordance with the Alderley Park Development Framework footnote 97.
- Construction of new buildings for uses in criterion 1 above shall be restricted to the Previously Developed Land (PDL) footnote 98 on the site unless:
- very special circumstances are demonstrated to justify use of other land on this site outside the PDL ; and
- an equivalent amount of PDL on the site is restored to greenfield status, the restored land should be of an equivalent or better quality than the greenfield land that is used, so there is no overall increase in the developed footprint.
- Development would not have a greater impact on the openness and visual amenity of the Green Belt and the purposes of including land within it than existing development.
- Development shall preserve or enhance the significance of listed buildings, the conservation area and other heritage and landscape assets on and around this site. A Heritage Impact Assessment must be undertaken to determine the level of development that can be achieved.
Site Specific Principles of Development
- Contributions to education and health infrastructure.
- This Local Plan Strategy site is expected to provide affordable housing in line with policy requirements set out in Policy SC 5 'Affordable Homes'.
- Contributions towards improvements to Monks Heath crossroads.
- The protected trees shall be retained and incorporated into any development.
- 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.
- A high quality of design will be required in all areas of the site.
Justification
15.697 Although this site is designated as an existing employment site, the National Planning Policy Framework states that ‘policies should avoid the long term protection of sites allocated for employment uses where there is no reasonable prospect of a site being used for that purpose’. Following the announcement by AstraZeneca of their plans to reduce the scale of their facility on this site to around 700 jobs by 2016, Cheshire East Council has sought to work alongside the company to maximise the potential of this site as a specialist employment facility. The council and AstraZeneca have a shared aspiration that the site should evolve from a single occupier site to a 'cluster' of life science businesses with a particular focus on human health science research and development, technologies and processes.
15.698 However, it is recognised that, in order to enable the delivery of this vision, it may be necessary to allow a wider range of uses on some areas of the site, without satisfying the requirements of Policy EG 3. In order to maximise the sites employment capability, alternative uses must be restricted to those that have been demonstrated as either necessary for the delivery of the desired life science park and not prejudicial to its longer term growth, or complimentary to the life science park and not prejudicial to its establishment or growth.
15.699 The Alderley Park Development Framework has been developed to proactively guide any future development on the site. The site is subject to a planning application (15/5401M, registered on 30/11/15) for the demolition of a number of specified buildings, and a mixed use development.
15.700 For the avoidance of doubt this site remains within the Green Belt.
15.701 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’.
15.702 The site has potential for contamination to be present, therefore at least a Phase 1 Preliminary Risk Assessment for contaminated land needs to be carried out to ensure that any contamination that is present is subject to appropriate remediation.
15.703 A proposal needs to be put forward and agreed with Sport England that replaces the playing fields to an equivalent or better quantity and quality in a suitable location.
15.704 In line with the development framework, a high quality of design, together with a commitment to quality of materials, finishes, detailing and landscaping will be required, reflecting the unique characteristics of the site.
Indicative Site Delivery
- Potential redevelopment of the site during the plan period
(Footnote 95) The life sciences industry is defined by the application of Biology, covering medical devices, medical diagnostics and pharmaceuticals, through to synthetic and industrial biotechnology. (Strategy for UK Life Sciences, March 2012, Department for Business Innovation and Skills).
(Footnote 96) In the context of this policy 'demonstrated to be necessary' is envisaged as releasing funds to subsidise and thus enable the delivery of the life science park.
(Footnote 97) Cheshire science corridor
(Footnote 98) The PDL has been defined by the council as shown on the plan accompanying this policy.
Policy information
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