Duchy of Lancaster. Crewe Estate. Sustainable Development Strategy Document September 2012

Transcription

1 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document September 2012

2 All plans are reproduced from the Ordnance Survey Map with the permission of the Controller of HMSO. Crown copyright Reserved. Licence No. AR Barton Willmore James Gross Beansheaf Farmhouse Bourne Close Calcot Reading RG31 7BW T: F: E: Desk Top Publishing and Graphic Design by Barton Willmore This artwork was printed on paper using fibre sourced from sustainable plantation wood from suppliers who practice sustainable management of forests in line with strict international standards. Pulp used in its manufacture is also Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF). Duchy of Lancaster Copyright The contents of this document must not be copied or reproduced in whole of in part without the written consent of The Duchy of Lancaster and Barton Willmore. J:\ \ \ D of L Strat. Land\A5 - Reports & Graphics\Graphic Design\Documents\DofL Future Settlement Potential\20982_DofL Future Settlement Potential a.indd Document Status: Draft Revision: e Author: Various Checked by: JG Authorised by: James Gross Issue Date: September 2012 Cover influenced by screen designed by William Eden Nesfield, architect of Stowford and Magnolia cottages on the Crewe Estate (1865) made by James Forsyth London 1867.

3 Contents Vision 3 01 Introduction 4 02 Context for Housing and Economic Growth 6 03 Evaluation of Constraints and Opportunities Defining the Location for Growth Investigating the Nature of Growth Key Principles Putting it all Together Phasing and Delivery Consideration of Tests of Soundness 30 Appendix 1 - Sustainability Appraisal 31 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 1

4 2 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

5 Vision The unique position of the Duchy of Lancaster (The Duchy) as landowner of circa 3,400 acres of land stretching uninterrupted from the urban environs of Crewe to Junction 16 of the M6 and beyond, creates an unrivalled opportunity for the delivery of homes and services to meet the ambitious demands of Crewe as Cheshire East s focus for growth for current and future generations. This Document sets out how, through the creation of a networked string of new villages, culminating in a motorway-accessible employment destination at Junction 16 of the M6, the Duchy s Crewe Estate could provide opportunities for growth of up to 4,250 dwellings within a model that delivers quality, valued and sustainable forms of settlement that will be recognised by communities as a popular destination to locate and thrive. The creation of new villages cradled within the landscape will be achieved by working with the natural topography of the place and making efficient use of already planned and existing infrastructure, facilitating the swift delivery of homes whilst affording the potential for the new community to determine the rate and direction of growth according to principles refined over time, working to an initial framework. The new community could contribute vital land required for the dualling and upgrading of the A500 to Junction 16 of the M6 and provide opportunities for green infrastructure and water management of benefit to areas of wider growth across Crewe. Access to the countryside, productive landscapes allowing movement of food from field to table, and opportunities for self and local build will link the community to existing farms and employers as well as provide opportunities for craft apprentices. These principles, drawn from an understanding of improving the interface between town and country will support communities balanced with new homes, job opportunities and sustainable transport links, set within a natural environment and where green infrastructure provides connectivity to other settlements. Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 3

6 01 Introduction The Duchy has been a significant land owner in the Northwest of England since the 14th Century. The Crewe Estate was offered to the Duchy for sale by the Crewe family in 1936 and has formed the main component of lands known as the Crewe Survey continually thereafter. Figure 1.1 Location Plan Figure 1.2 Direction of Growth from Draft Crewe Town Strategy Figure 1.3 Potential New Settlement Location Crewe Alsager A500 Kidsgrove Crewe Alsager Kidsgrove Crewe Alsager Kidsgrove Cheshire M6 Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire This 600 year history of sustaining the British landscape for successive generations, places the Duchy in a strong position in respect of understanding the capacity of the landscape to accommodate change and meet competing pressures for natural resources. The significant crisis facing the UK in terms of a housing shortage has generated debate around the role of the countryside across the political divide. The shift in household composition towards smaller, independent households has seen a dramatic rise in the need for new homes whilst maintaining access to services and amenities historically supported by families comprised of more nuclear units. The Duchy has instructed Barton Willmore to prepare a strategy for the future development of land within the Duchy s Estate that creates a string of new villages providing better access to the countryside and improving links to Crewe, delivering a range of uses to ensure homes and jobs are provided in similar numbers. Although current proposals for improvements to local infrastructure have the potential to sever and materially impact on the operations of the Estate, the Duchy has asked Barton Willmore to explore initial proposals, and consider enabling planned development in the context of an overall, emerging plan for the future of the Estate. This Submission is prepared within the context of the emerging Town Strategies within Cheshire East, that will inform the preparation of the Cheshire East Local Plan, covering a period to The Local Plan will be the new Development Plan for Cheshire East. It will contain planning strategy, policies, and site allocations that comprise documents referred to as a Core Strategy and Site Allocations Document. It will be accompanied by an Infrastructure Plan that will set out the transport, social (for example schools) and other infrastructure required supporting development. This Document is prepared to support the Council s evidence base in the formulation of these Plans. It demonstrates how the proposals to develop land to the east of Crewe represent an innovative, sustainable and deliverable opportunity for growth that complements Cheshire East s aspirations to embrace HS2, by developing a new rail station south of the existing one and dual the A500 from junction 16 of the M6. This Strategy Document analyses the wider context of the Crewe Estate, the planning and economic policies of Cheshire East and presents a case for releasing Duchy Land from its current Green Belt designation, to facilitate development. The design concept portrays an appropriate and deliverable layout alongside a set of design principles, which inform and inspire the proposed master plan. The Duchy proposes to work in partnership with Cheshire East, the Highways Agency, Environment Agency and other statutory and non statutory consultees to develop this vision into a truly sustainable exemplar project for Cheshire East. Furthermore, the site is within single ownership and presents a unique opportunity in terms of deliverability on an unrivalled scale within Cheshire East, and within a location that is sustainable and offers excellent transport linkages. 4 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

7 Haslington Alsager Crewe Radway Green Crewe Hall A500 A5020 Barthomley M6 Weston Englesea Brook Figure 1.4 Duchy of Lancaster Land Ownership Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 5

8 02 Context for Housing and Economic Growth This section summarises socio-economic data, strategic research documents and planning policies which provide context for development on the Estate and a wider justification for the release of Green Belt. The Local Development Framework evidence base, and our own research demonstrates that there is an over riding housing need within Cheshire East. This will support the economic priorities of the All Change for Crewe Strategy adopted by the Council, and address the issues of housing supply, affordability and significant population growth 2010 population projections for Cheshire East represent a 26% increase above the same data set for The Borough does not currently have a five year deliverable supply of housing land, even if only assessed against housing requirements that are significantly lower than those that the above levels of growth would require. If Cheshire East is to successfully deliver its All Change for Crewe Strategy, then the need for releasing strategic sites is evident. a. Housing and Employment Growth Current combined housing requirements for Cheshire East have not been agreed by the Council for the purposes of the Local Plan. At present, a number of housing figures are under consideration, having been derived from a series of evidence base documents. Firstly we consider the Strategic Housing Market Assessment; secondly the figures suggested within the Sub Regional Strategy of 2010 and thirdly, as part of our consideration of the emerging Core Strategy, we turn to the Cheshire East Interim Housing Position 2011/12. These figures will help to shape and inform the Core Strategy, that forms part of the suite of documents within the Cheshire East Local Plan. In the interim, an Interim Policy Statement has been adopted by the Council (see below); however this will be replaced by the emerging Local Plan and Core Strategy. Cheshire East Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) 2010 The independent Study was informed by the latest available data at that time; the 2008 based Population Projections and the 2006 based Household Projections. The Study identifies a strong influx of migration into Cheshire East, and demonstrates that future housing requirements will need to take account of this growth, as opposed to simply providing for locally arising housing needs. The Study also considers the demand and supply of housing within Cheshire East. The SHMA represents the most recent and robust data provided by the Council to establish future housing requirements. The Study will inform the preparation of the Cheshire East Local Plan and Core Strategy The two tables opposite are taken from the SHMA Figure 2.1 (Table 5.1 from SHMA 2010) Annual open market demand and affordable housing requirements in Cheshire East Annual open market demand and supply Total open market demand from: Former Crewe and Nantwich Former Congleton Former Macclesfield 1.1 Existing households In-migrant households Newly-forming households Total Demand ( ) Annual open market supply 2.1 Owner Occupied Private Rented From new build (RSS annual net target)* Total annual open market supply ( ) Annual shortfall (demand-supply) ( ) % annual demand which can be satisfied Annual affordable requirements and supply 3.1 Total annual requirement Annual affordable supply 4.1 Annual supply of existing stock Supply from new build (RSS annual net target)* Cheshire East 4.3 Total supply Annual shortfall ( ) % annual requirement which can be met (4.3*100/3.1) *Model assumes 75% new build is open market and 25% affordable Source: 2009 Household Survey 6 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

9 Figure 2.2 (Table 5.2 from SHMA 2010) Meeting market and affordable shortfalls: Cheshire East Market requirements Annual shortfall in supply Annual RSS target 1150 Housing delivery based on RSS target at 20% affordable This represents as a % of annual shortfall in requirements 33.4% 18.5% Housing delivery based on RSS target at 25% affordable This represents as a % of annual shortfall in requirements 31.3% 23.1% Housing delivery based on RSS target at 30% affordable This represents as a % of annual shortfall in requirements 29.2% 27.8% Housing delivery based on RSS target at 35% affordable This represents as a % of annual shortfall in requirements 27.2% 32.3% Housing delivery based on RSS target at 40% affordable This represents as a % of annual shortfall in requirements 25.1% 37.0% Figure 2.1 (Table 5.1 SHMA, 2010) indicates that there is an annual shortfall of 2,753 open market dwellings within Cheshire East. This is calculated with the Regional Strategy (RS) requirement of 1,150 per annum is used as a benchmark. The Council has continued to use this benchmark in the Interim Policy Statement of Figure 2.2 (Table 5.2 SHMA, 2010) compares the extent to which dwelling shortfalls are likely to be met based on the annual RS allocation of 1,150 and different assumptions regarding affordable housing targets. Five scenarios are illustrated within the SHMA for 20%, 25%, 30%, 35% and 40% levels of affordable housing provision, based on the 1,150 annual RSS target Affordable requirements for total new provision. We would also suggest that an affordable housing percentage of 15% is tested. Allowing for 15% of the RS target of 1,150 dwellings would generate 173 affordable dwellings. The overall level of projected household growth is one significant issue for Cheshire East, as is the composition of that growth in terms of demographics. Local population projections suggest that the proportion of the population in the District aged 65 and over will continue to grow, with an increase from 67,800 in 2010 to 97,500 by Delivering an increasing range of services to older people and providing a wider range of choice in housing options for them will become more important over the next few decades. The SHMA concludes with a number of priorities concerning affordable housing supply, making the best use of existing stock, meeting the needs of vulnerable people, but also of equal importance, increasing the supply of market housing to support economic development and regeneration. Paragraph 6.26 of the SHMA notes: New housing development needs to support planned economic growth and wider regeneration initiatives. Housing that is accessible and desirable to the local workforce plays a key role in maintaining and supporting economic development... Evidence suggests that across Cheshire East there is considerable market imbalance, with demand exceeding supply... Aspirations are therefore traditional and a key challenge is to reconcile this with development opportunities and site density requirements. The Draft Sub Regional Strategy Unleashing the Potential (2010) also provides a useful reference point in terms of potential housing requirements for Cheshire East and the wider Cheshire area. The figures within the Sub Regional Strategy are based upon aspirational housing and employment forecasts that derive from the use of the Cheshire and Warrington Econometrics Model. The model suggests that there will be a population increase of 40,000 within Cheshire East for the period. Using the apportionment from the Econometrics Model, this would equate to a total of 28,400 dwellings or 1420 per annum. This is approximately half of the shortfall identified in the SHMA, however it demonstrates the difference between aspiration (i.e. the SHMA) and forecast modelling (i.e. the Sub Regional Strategy.) In terms of addressing the imbalance of housing demand and supply, the scale of the Duchy proposals provide an opportunity for a mix of tenures and house types to be delivered and for affordable housing to be offered with priorities given to local people in housing need. The local house market prices are such that notably young people and first time buyers are prevented from accessing the local property market and are faced with the difficult choice of moving away from an area they have grown up in. This can fracture small, local communities unnecessarily. The Duchy land proposals offer an opportunity for local agreements to be secured through Section 106 provisions to ensure local needs are met first, prior to the affordable housing being offered to others in local housing need on the Council s register. The interim housing figure adopted by the Council and referenced within our discussion on the Core Strategy below, is lower than both of these figures, at 1150 dwellings per annum, however this stems from the adopted RS and the evidence base that was prepared in support of that. That evidence base is no longer a reflection of the most up to date and credible information. The Council will therefore need to carefully balance these three data sources, in preparing the Local Plan. As part of further developing the evidence base to support the development of the Duchy land, we are a comprehensive review of housing requirements for Cheshire East, and utilising the most recent and robust data to forecast modelling of households. This will include the use of the mid population estimates based on the 2011 Census, due for release at the end of September Once completed, this further technical work will be submitted to the Council towards informing the development of the Core Strategy. Employment Growth Cheshire East Local Economic Assessment Key Findings and Challenges (September 2011) The south of the Borough is dominated by Crewe, which acts as a gateway to the region by virtue of its extensive railway connections. Whilst there has been substantial employment growth recently, low educational attainment and a deteriorating urban fabric/town centre are constraining the growth potential of the town. Currently, a number of rail lines through Cheshire East are operating at or over capacity, including the Crewe to Manchester line. Crewe Station also offers a poor quality passenger environment which is not conducive with increasing commuting. Crewe has major opportunities to build on its transport connectivity and proximity to some of the most affluent areas of the region. The accessibility to strategic development sites afforded by junction 16 of the M6 and the support to dual the A500 into Crewe from this junction represents an area of significant investment potential for new and relocating businesses seeking prime locations such as the Crewe Estate. Cheshire East Local Economic Assessment (LEA) June 2011 The LEA (2011) recognises Warrington and Crewe are the sub-region s premier locations for industrial and distribution units (and Crewe is becoming more significant in the market for office property). The LEA comprises an assessment of employment land, demand, supply and forecasts growth to inform the preparation of the Local Plan for the Plan Period. Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 7

10 The future of Crewe beyond the recession Between 2010 and 2020, annual Gross Value Added (GVA) growth is expected to average 3.0% for Cheshire East. Within the Cheshire and Warrington sub-region, the economy will grow from 17.8bn in 2010 to 22.8bn by This growth is better than the rates of economic expansion predicted for the UK (2.4%) and the North West (2.2%). As for individual Unitary Authorities, the forecasts indicate that, for Cheshire East, employment will grow most in Hotels & Catering (up 2,000), Professional Services (1,700), Computing Services (1,500) and Pharmaceuticals (1,200), and decline the most in Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing (down 1,900) and Education (1,100). The Local Plan must therefore embrace the potential growth in high tech industries and ensure that appropriate land in terms of location and quantity is available for development for this growth to be nurtured. The LEA lists headline issues related to infrastructure, that comprise: Employment sites of strategic significance to the NW region, at Alderley Park (near Alderley Edge) and Basford (Crewe). A lack of suitable and immediately available employment land and premises in some parts of Cheshire East. Strong transport links (motorways, rail network, proximity to Airports), which make Cheshire East an accessible and attractive location for residents, visitors and businesses. East-West transport links in the central and southern part of Cheshire East are poor and are likely to be constraining growth potential. The Duchy land has potential to address some of these infrastructure issues highlighted in the LEA, namely providing additional balance to the strategic site portfolio in Cheshire East; bringing forward a supply of suitable and readily available employment land, with excellent transport links via junction 16 to the M6 motorway. The strategic location of land within the Duchy ownership is unrivalled in scale, availability, accessibility and suitability for strategic employment development. This could be for a range of uses, from warehouse and distribution, to high technology/business/ science parks. The release of this site, identified on the indicative master plan within this Sustainable Development Strategy Document The release of this site, identified on the indicative master plan within this Sustainable Development Strategy Document could also provide opportunities towards improvements for east west connections between Crewe and the M6 Motorway, via a programme of works that could be agreed for the A500. The LEA also identifies issues in respect of commercial land and property. Reference is made to the two major employment sites which are of strategic significance to the North West region, namely Alderley Park (near Alderley Edge) and Basford East/ Basford West (in Crewe). The LEA advises that Alderley Park is a well established pharmaceutical research & development site employing around 4,000 but with limited opportunities for further increase of the developed area due to its Green Belt designation (that is currently afforded by the North West RS). Basford, currently constrained by a need for a new highway link/improvements and new utilities investment, is earmarked for major development including a science orientated business/innovation park, and a regional logistics park. Other major sites include Crewe Business Park, Crewe Gates Industrial Estate, Hurdsfield Industrial Estate (Macclesfield), Midpoint 18 (Middlewich) and Stanley Green Industrial Estate (Handforth). Recent employment data is not available for these sites, but it is estimated that each one employed 1,500 or more people in The LEA does acknowledge (paragraph 6.5) that there is also the potential for developing other specific sites for high-tech businesses, so there is more opportunity for them to collaborate and innovate. Crewe, for example, has a lot of small knowledge-intensive firms, but they are currently spread across the town. ( Source: The Crewe Visioning Process: Draft Report 1 Data and Evidence for the Visioning Process, SQW Consulting, December 2009) The Duchy land provides an opportunity for clustering of such business, which would in turn deliver a more sustainable employment portfolio for Cheshire East. It is our view that the Council must address the supply of employment land within Cheshire East, providing choice in location, scale and availability. The concern is that without this boost in the supply of land that is seen by potential investors as being attractive, available and without significant physical constraints, then their decision to invest or relocate to Cheshire East will not come to fruition. This can be evidenced in part by looking at the industrial property and commercial enquiries made in the past four years. The LEA advises: Over the four years up to and including 2007/8, the annual number of commercial and industrial property enquiries fell 39% in Cheshire East (from 891 to 543), with Crewe & Nantwich (down 50%) and Congleton (down 36%) seeing much greater falls than Macclesfield (down 18%). This contrasts with the Cheshire & Warrington subregion as a whole, in which the number of enquiries fell just 1%. However, Crewe & Nantwich saw a 14% increase in enquiries in the most recent year (2007/8). Within Cheshire East, the number of enquiries about office/ serviced units has remained relatively stable, but interest in other major categories (industrial, warehouses, workshops and storage units) has declined in each successive year. Over the whole 2004/5-2007/8 period, 22.8% of Cheshire East enquiries (2,806) were about office/ serviced units, more than for any other category. Industrial units accounted for the next largest share (22.0%), followed by warehouse/ office units (17.5%), warehouse/ distribution units (15.4%), workshop/ studio units (14.0%) and storage (6.8%), with laboratories making up the remaining 1.5%. The proportions of enquiries in each of these property categories were very similar to those for Cheshire & Warrington as a whole. Recent research has noted that many businesses most commonly those in the light industry, transport and construction sectors have recently relocated from Crewe to Stoke. This trend may well continue, and it may be that businesses elsewhere in Cheshire East are, for various reasons relocating to another part of the country. It is important to understand the reasons behind these relocations, and to ensure that Cheshire East provides local firms with more incentive to stay. As noted earlier in this Section, it may be that some areas of Cheshire East, such as Crewe, have an unattractive image that deters investment and property take-up in some commercial sectors. This could in part account for the proportion of enquiries in each property category and it may (if perceptions are changing) account for the changes over time in the number of enquiries. There is a clear need for a sustained programme of urban regeneration and economic development within Crewe, and Cheshire East to reignite investor interest, restore confidence in the market and act as a catalyst for delivery of sites. Cheshire and Warrington Business Needs Survey 2011 The Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) within Cheshire and Warrington have assessed business needs in an attempt to understand how their Local Plan s should respond to business for the Plan Period. Cheshire East, Cheshire West & Chester and Warrington Councils and their partners commissioned BMG Research to undertake a Business Needs Survey amongst private sector businesses across Cheshire and Warrington. The survey was intended to identify the challenges, needs and opportunities facing businesses in Cheshire and Warrington, so that the Councils and their partners could effectively target public sector investment, support private sector investment and deliver services that address businesses needs and support their long term growth. The top three benefits of businesses being located in Cheshire East are overall attractiveness of the area, access to transport links, and access to markets/neighbouring cities. It is now the responsibility of the Council, through the Local Plan to build on these strengths and identify land for future growth that is attractive to business, accessible to key transport link and well related to adjacent urban areas and markets. The Duchy land fulfils these criteria. Economic Development Strategy June 2011 Informed by the Business Needs Survey and LEA Document, the Economic Development Strategy identifies key sectors for development. However the Strategy also highlights that a high proportion of existing employment land allocations are not immediately available, with significant amounts of investment needed to overcome constraints and bring them forward for development. The strategy lists objectives to be delivered. The first objective is to ensure that Cheshire East maintains and enhances its role as a knowledge economy, through innovation in its businesses and skills development in its workforce. 8 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

11 The second objective is to provide a better connected economy, through enhancing the existing transport connections to other areas, making the most of strategic location and assets. The third objective is to actively raise the profile of Cheshire East and sell the undoubted assets and opportunities of the area, particularly to external investors, influencers, decision makers and visitors. It is vital to ensure that the Cheshire East products, such as its commercial sites, transport infrastructure and visitor attractions, are developed with a view to improving external perceptions, attracting new investors and visitor spend, which will benefit the local workforce and businesses. The fourth objective is to facilitate economic growth through progressing schemes that will create jobs and improve the attractiveness of the area as a place to invest, live and visit. To achieve this objective, the main priorities include: promote high quality development to enhance the attractiveness of the area. actively work to bring forward and promote the availability of strategic employment sites that are commercially attractive to investors, developers and occupiers. To conclude, Crewe and its immediate hinterland of Cheshire East represent a nationally significant growth opportunity and a strategic gateway to the rest of the North West and to North Wales. b. Draft Sub-Regional Strategy (July 2010) Unleashing the Potential Cheshire and Warrington The Document contains the economic strategy for the sub-region and identifies key assets and opportunities in the area. Cheshire and Warrington is ready to significantly accelerate growth in population, jobs and productivity in order to boost its competitive position in a changed post-recession economy. The aim of the sub-region is to contribute significantly to economic growth by accommodating significant increases in population, housing, jobs and GVA, which will be achieved by sustainable development of existing settlements across the area. Objective 1d is to exploit appropriate employment and housing land in order to support the planned growth strategy. In respect of Crewe, the Sub Regional Strategy states that growth will be concentrated through the expansion of key existing urban settlements. Following the development of a comprehensive strategic visioning for Crewe, there was agreement that the town needs to significantly increase its economic productivity, and is well positioned to do so in terms of unique strategic connections and major development sites. This strategic visioning is echoed in the concept masterplan for the Crewe Estate presented in this submission. Crewe is the focus for growth in South Cheshire, building on its relationship with its neighbours including the Potteries to the South. The profile and image of the area will be improved and its location on major national road and rail corridors, with high quality local and strategic transport links will mean that Crewe becomes a location of choice for both public and private investment. Within the Sub Regional Strategy, key objectives include: Completing the development of the Crewe Gateway with the station on its current site or in a new location at Basford (which is now a Regional Strategic site) Completing essential infrastructure including the Crewe Green Link Road and A500 dualling in support of strategic employment sites at Basford Building on the success of the Crewe Business Park, on strengths in existing sectors such as engineering, and by attracting new sectors where possible. c. Cheshire East Core Strategy The Core Strategy will set out the strategic framework with which all the other Local Plan documents will have to conform. The overall requirement for growth will be set out in the Core Strategy, however this must be based upon a robust evidence base and this takes time to prepare and collate. In the interim, the Council, being newly formed, is without a single, joint Development Plan against which planning applications can be determined. Saved policies from each of the former District Local Plans are used where appropriate. In the case of housing, the Government requires all planning authorities to be able to demonstrate a five year supply of land available for new housing development. The most recently published Cheshire East Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment identified a 4.58 years supply of housing in the Borough as at March 2010 when measured against Regional Strategy figures. The Strategic Housing land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) is currently being reviewed and a provisional housing land supply of 4.06 years (as at March 2011) has been identified. In February 2011, the Council adopted an Interim Planning Policy on the Release of Housing Land in order to help address the shortfall in housing land supply. Whilst attempting to manage the release of land for housing, it is evident from the 2012 review of the Interim Policy Position, that it has facilitated piecemeal development on the edge of the urban area, which in terms of location may be appropriate, but in terms of their limited scale, fails to grasp the nettle in terms of addressing the wider needs of Crewe i.e. by not creating strategic infrastructure, providing properly planned settlements or building sustainable communities. The Interim Policy was reviewed earlier in May 2012 and was subject to consultation however a replacement version has not been issued. In view of the imminent revocation of the RS, the Council has agreed that the housing provision figure of 1,150 net additional houses per annum will continue to be the housing requirement for Cheshire East until it is reviewed through the Local Plan. The Draft Interim Position Statement (2012) allows for the original policy to be broadened, and at paragraph 2.24 suggests that modest housing development on sustainable sites on the edges of towns other than Crewe, would be acceptable. To avoid prejudice to the Development Plan process or undue harm to the countryside and settings of towns, the following key principles will be incorporated into the revised policy: Developments should be small scale Developments should not prejudice key strategic decisions about the growth of a town Sites should not be within the Green Belt or the Green Gap Impact on the countryside should be minimised Locations should be sustainable. The Council is clearly trying to address housing land supply, in the interim without seeking to encroach into Green Belt or Green Gap areas that surround the urban areas of Cheshire East. The principle of edge of urban area development is accepted. The case for Green Belt and/or Green Gap review is a task for the Cheshire East Local Plan to address, and in our view is a necessity. The Green Belt within this location of Cheshire East straddles two regional boundaries the North West and the West Midlands. The land within Duchy control is within the North West region, albeit the Green Belt designation is such that it separates Crewe in the North West from the urban environs associated with Stoke on Trent in the West Midlands. The West Midlands RS (2008) refers to the Spatial Strategy objectives of the RS as including the retention of the Green Belt, but allowing for the adjustment of boundaries where this is necessary to support urban regeneration (paragraph 3.14). The adjustment of the Green Belt boundaries in respect of the Duchy land would not weaken the function of the Green Belt in respect of either RS. Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 9

12 d. Crewe Town Strategy Consultation Draft The Draft Crewe Town Strategy is one of 8 Town Strategies being prepared in Cheshire East to inform the Core Strategy, that in turn forms part of the Local Plan. The Draft Crewe Town Strategy presents a set of different options to achieve jobs-growth led vision for Crewe. The document is not a set of development proposals. The context for the Draft Town Strategy reflects the aims of the All Change for Crewe publication that is also summarised in later sections of this Document. These aims will be delivered by objectives and strategy. Objective 2 within the Draft Town Strategy relates to connectivity and linkages, and of particular relevance to the Crewe Estate is the reference to the national connectivity of Crewe s rail network and the desire to improve connectivity to the M6 motorway. To deliver this road connection, strategic road improvements including Crewe Green Link Road South and the A500 Barthomley Link to the M6 Motorway are identified. The Draft Town Strategy includes development options on a key diagram. A series of development options for housing, employment and mixed use areas are annotated on the key diagram (Fig. 2.3). The diagram illustrates development around the perimeter of Crewe, with 2 mixed use and one housing development options identified east of the west coast mainline, and north of the A500. Fig 2.3 Key Diagram from Draft Crewe Town Strategy These three development options are coupled with a strong direction of growth earmarked by an arrow on the key diagram, that corresponds with suggested employment growth referenced in the legend. The direction of growth extends towards junction 16 of the M6 motorway. The proposals presented in this submission echo this direction of growth, and propose a strategic employment site adjacent to the M6 at junction 16. The Draft Town Strategy states that the all Change for Crewe Strategy can only be delivered in full if both Phase 1 and phase 2 of the strategy are forthcoming. Phase 1 relates to development at the two Basford sites for strategic employment, and peripheral housing sites, whereas Phase 2 relates to the step change in employment growth, and the advantages also offered by HS2. The Draft Town Strategy suggests that taking account of commitments, that additional sites for 3,300 dwellings were required. Fig. 2.3 identifies potential sites that could exceed this figure. The actual housing requirement that will appear in the Local Plan review will be a balance of evidence, including this Town Strategy. These three development options are coupled with a strong direction of growth earmarked by an arrow on the key diagram, that corresponds with suggested employment growth referenced in the legend. The direction of growth extends towards junction 16 of the M6 motorway. The proposals presented in this submission echo this direction of growth, and propose a strategic employment site adjacent to the M6 at junction 16. The Draft Town Strategy states that the all Change for Crewe Strategy can only be delivered in full if both Phase 1 and phase 2 of the strategy are forthcoming. Phase 1 relates to development at the two Basford sites for strategic employment, and peripheral housing sites, whereas Phase 2 relates to the step change in employment growth, and the advantages also offered by HS2. The Draft Town Strategy suggests that taking account of commitments, that additional sites for 3,300 dwellings were required. Fig. 2.3 identifies potential sites that could exceed this figure. The actual housing requirement that will appear in the Local Plan review will be a balance of evidence, including this Town Strategy. e. Partnerships for Action in Cheshire PACE (2010) Ambition for All - the Sustainable Community Strategy Ambition for All, the Cheshire East Sustainable Community Strategy for the period 2010 to 2025, was approved on 22nd July The Strategy provides a high-level vision for Cheshire East centred around seven priorities for action: Nurturing strong communities Creating conditions for business growth Unlocking the potential of our towns: Supporting our children and young people Ensuring a sustainable future Preparing for an increasingly older population Driving out the causes of poor health This represents a thread that should be woven through emerging policy making within Cheshire East. The priorities are focused on achieving sustainable growth. The challenge is to deliver against these priorities by supporting growth at a viable scale. 10 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

13 f. All Change for Crewe Strategy Crewe has been identified as the biggest spatial priority within Cheshire East the Council is working in partnership to develop and implement an economic master plan for the town. All Change for Crewe sets out ambitious plans for Crewe s growth, seeking to make it a nationally significant economic centre by 2031 with a total population in excess of 100,000, a large skilled working age population, plus business density, start-ups and GVA rates that match or exceed national levels. The aim is to increase GVA (Gross Value Added per Worker) by 85% over 20 years, growing the economy by 850million per year by 2031, based on the Local Infrastructure Plan Baseline Report (2011). As part of the All Change for Crewe Strategy, key projects including the development of Crew Rail Station have been identified. Increasing the town s connectivity is a strategic aim. Other key projects listed within the Strategy include bringing forward sustainable urban extensions, and strategic sites such as Basford, to the south of Crewe. g. Cheshire East Local Infrastructure Plan 2011 Linked to the All Change for Crewe Strategy is a need to assess existing and plan for new infrastructure. The Plan acknowledges that for the full strategic potential of the Basford sites located to the south of Crewe to be realised, the completion of the Crewe Green Link Road (CGLR) will be necessary. The first phase (North) was finished in 2004 and has played an important role in making possible employment growth east of the town centre. The plan notes that completion of the Crewe Green Link Road South is an important part of delivering Crewe s vision for economic growth to the aim of which is to see Basford East firmly set up as one of the UK s largest science-focused business parks. It is considered that the southern link road will support sustainable economic growth and make sure that Crewe has the infrastructure needed as a key regional transport gateway. The Plan embraces the concept that Crewe is identified within the High Speed Rail evidence review as a key regional gateway with potential for the introduction of a high speed rail stop or provision of an additional station within the town. This will help support economic growth within Crewe, capitalise on private sector investment within the town, and serve a catchment covering South Manchester, Stoke-on- Trent and parts of North Wales. h. Local Transport Plan (LTP) ( ) The LTP embraces the potential of increased rail connectivity afforded by the Government s proposals for the North West. The LTP also supports the improvements to strategic road infrastructure, notably the A500 Barthomley link road and the Crewe Green Link Road Scheme, which the LTP states will be necessary to unlock the potential of strategic sites including Basford East. There is a strong policy initiative supporting the partnership working of developers, landowners and funding bodies to deliver this infrastructure, and unlock development opportunities. The Duchy is a significant landowner in so far as the A500 proposals are concerned and the Duchy s extensive land holdings offer the potential to deliver strategic growth with sufficient additional land for required mitigation and environmental compensation. i. National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Planning for Growth The NPPF (March 2011) sets out clearly the Government s requirements of the planning system and the expectation on Local Planning Authorities to deliver growth. The NPPF forms the basis for Local Plan making and determining planning applications, where a Local Plan is absent or not in conformity with the NPPF. The presumption in favour of sustainable development is a principle that runs clearly throughout the NPPF. One of the core planning principles within the NPPF is that planning should proactively drive and support sustainable economic development to deliver the homes, business and industrial units, infrastructure and thriving local places that the country needs. Housing remains a key priority for the Government, and the NPPF is clear that housing supply should be boosted by Local Planning Authorities. Housing needs should be met in full the NPPF states, with a five year deliverable supply being identified, alongside broad locations for growth for up to 15 years. The NPPF is clear that the supply of homes can sometimes be best achieved through planning for larger scale development, such as new settlements or extensions to existing villages and towns, following the principles of Garden Cities. The promotion of land to the east of Crewe, acts on this advice and presents a development that combines town and country, and a series of new villages linked through upgraded transport infrastructure. The NPPF states that these new areas can be an opportunity for Local Planning Authorities to provide the best way of achieving sustainable development. In doing so, the NPPF recognises that this may be an opportunity for establishing Green Belt around or adjoining such development. The NPPF acknowledges that Green Belts set the framework for settlement policy and that their alteration should be undertaken through the preparation or review of a Local Plan. This is timely advice, given the status of the Cheshire East Local Plan and the need to deliver the All Change for Crewe Strategy. Planning for Growth In March 2011, CLG wrote to Chief Planning Officers, following the Minister of State for Decentralisation speech earlier that month. The letter is clear that the Government s top priority in reforming the planning system is to promote sustainable economic growth and jobs. Government s clear expectation is that the answer to development and growth should wherever possible be yes, except where this would compromise the key sustainable development principles set out in national planning policy. This Strategy Document prepared on behalf of the Duchy embraces this priority and seeks to deliver the economic growth that Crewe aspires to, through a balanced sustainable community led development, with strategic employment opportunities located to maximum effect. Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 11

14 j. High Speed 2 Rail Link (HS2) In January 2012 the (then) Transport Secretary, Justine Greening, announced her decision to go ahead with the HS2 rail link proposals that would link London and the West Midlands, and a strategy for the second phase of the network that would link the West Midlands to Leeds and Manchester. The phase 1 connection to the West Midlands will commence in The Government has received advice from HS2 Ltd on the phase 2 route options, and this autumn will announce its preferred phase 2 route in a process of engagement and seeking local views. The chosen phase 2 route will not be announced until late The Cheshire East Local Plan will be prepared over the period of this phase 2 work, and with Crewe being strategically placed on the national rail network, and, located en route to Manchester; it is a location that could benefit from the HS2 proposals. Fig. 2.4 Javelin train at St Pancras International The Council has rightly sought to support HS2 and the opportunities for wider rail improvements and business development in the area that HS2 could attract. The proposals for the Duchy land demonstrate how one area of Cheshire East could be developed and provide opportunities for investment associated with HS2. In the longer term this could be capitalised through the siting of a transport interchange on Duchy land if accompanied by a viable scale of development. k. CLG Large Scale Development Prospectus The November 2011 Housing Strategy, Laying the Foundations made reference to the release of a Government prospectus seeking proposals for locally planned large scale development. Although anticipated in spring 2012, the document remains unreleased. However we understand the focus will be on principles of achieving a significant quantum of growth, yet maintain high standards of development, following principles of combining town and country originally set out by the Garden City Movement. Our proposals seek to develop these same principles on a scale and settlement form appropriate to Crewe and the landscape characteristics exhibited on the Crewe Estate. Fig. 2.5 Three Magnets Ebenezer Howard, Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

15 l. The Case for Green Belt Review The Council has for two years, publicly acknowledged an absence in five year housing land supply when using a modest housing requirement that is not based upon the latest available data relating to housing need and demand. Once the true housing need is identified within the Local Plan process, the challenge will be to determine the strategy for allocating sites to meet that need. The evidence base included All Change for Crewe, the SHMA, the Economic Assessment and Local Infrastructure Plan will all help to shape that strategy. The SHLAA already identifies five year deliverable sites and cannot match the modest housing requirements within the Borough. A strategy that looks outside the urban areas is required. Focussing on Crewe, as the main settlement, and capitalising on its strategic location within the national rail and road network provides an opportunity for a strategy for growth to take shape. The policy constraints implied by the Green Belt and Green Gap to the east of Crewe should be subjected to a review that establishes whether adjustments to these boundaries would enable a more sustainable growth strategy for Cheshire East. Tackling housing land supply in a comprehensive way will enable Cheshire East to build upon its strength, maximise its key assets and manage growth constructively over the Plan Period. The NPPF is clear in advising that Local Plans should set out strategic priorities and be prepared on the basis that objectively assessed development needs are met. Cheshire East is at the outset of preparing its Local Plan, and there is a real opportunity to set the strategic priorities for the Borough, their development needs, and how they will be accommodated. The NPPF maintains the principles of Green Belt, and is clear that Green Belt boundaries should not be changed other then in exceptional circumstances; however it is recognised that Local Plan preparation is an appropriate circumstance in which boundaries can be changed. If this is done, then account should be taken of the need to promote sustainable patterns of development. Therefore it follows, that if objectively assessed development needs exceed the development capacity of land which is not Green Belt as is the case demonstrated through the Council s SHLAA, then it must be a legitimate case for the reduction in the extent of land in the Borough that is currently designated as Green Belt. We would urge the Council to consider a review of the Green Belt, including land to the east of Crewe. We have considered the extent to which the Crewe Estate fulfils the five purposes of including land within the Green Belt and having assessed this land, conclude that there is scope to roll back the Green Belt boundary from its current northern extent where it follows the railway line into Crewe, from the M6 motorway, to a boundary that is further south, and could potentially follow the A500. This linear feature is similar in presence to that of the current railway line, and performs a strong east-west boundary within the landscape. The Duchy of controls land on either side of the A500 and could introduce a structured landscaping scheme that could reinforce a defensible edge for a revised Green Belt boundary. Purpose One Merging of Towns The extent of Green Belt land within the Duchy s control does not prevent neighbouring towns from merging into one another. The Green Belt land within the Duchy s ownership separates the south eastern edge of Crewe Hall from the M6, and indeed spills across the M6 towards Congleton. The M6 itself, aligned north-south, provides a more permanent and physical boundary preventing Crewe from merging with other towns to the east. Purpose Two Unrestricted Sprawl The proposed development within this Strategy offers the potential for a planned development of a select number of villages within the Duchy Estate, and opportunity to frame these new communities with revised Green Belt boundaries where appropriate. The opportunity for a structural landscape strategy, illustrated within this Document provides measures by which the unrestricted sprawl of urban areas can be kept within check. Indeed by creating a purpose for the existing countryside by linking food production, recreation and nature conservation to proposed settlements creates a stronger raison d être for the retention of the landscape and its stewardship in the long term. Purpose Three Safeguarding the Countryside from Encroachment The open countryside that extends from the east of Crewe towards the M6 is not disputed, however it is criss-crossed by a plethora of urban features, from transmission lines, through to A and B roads and railway lines. Small farms and hamlets including Barthomley and Englesea Brook also feature. The area does perform a function in terms of open countryside, however the particular topography of the Duchy Estate providing areas of countryside that fold in on themselves, could allow for land to be brought forward for development without compromising the wider countryside areas beyond. Purpose Four Preserve the Setting and Special Character of Historic Towns We are not aware that the town of Crewe has a special historic character that needs to be preserved, and there are no historic towns within the Duchy Estate that would lend themselves to fulfilling this role of Green Belt. Purpose Five To Assist in Urban Regeneration There is insufficient land within the East Cheshire East urban area to satisfy the existing housing land requirements and deliver economic growth It is proposed that the Council review the Green Belt to release some of that designated land for housing and economic growth. This purpose of Green Belt is not in our view, therefore relevant to the release of Estate. Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 13

16 03 Evaluation of Constraints and Opportunities The Crewe Estate sits within the single ownership of the Duchy and extends to circa 1,376 hectares (3,400 acres). The Crewe Estate sits within the single ownership of the Duchy and extends to circa 1,376 hectares (3,400 acres). Circa 275 hectares (678 acres) is being promoted for development (or associated uses) within this Strategy and focuses primarily on the corridor between the A500 and electrified rail artery that serves Crewe connecting it to the M6 motorway. The east-west rail line, A500 and M6 alignment help to structure the extent of the proposals and determine the land with the greatest capability to support new development The majority of the Estate is located within the Green Belt. The NPPF states that Green Belt serves five purposes, one being; the prevention of urban areas merging and in this case, the designated Green Belt prevents the urban area of Crewe merging with the settlements of Alsagar to the east and Newcastle under Lyme to the south east. Both settlements however are to the east of the M6 motorway which itself provide a strong barrier to urban sprawl. The Green Belt is referenced within the adopted Local Plan for the then Crewe and Nantwich Borough, and reference is made within that Plan to the role of the Green Belt in reinforcing the north Staffordshire Green Belt and the strategy within North Staffordshire of regenerating the Potteries. The Estate is essentially a rural landscape, traversed by major transport infrastructure (east-west) and utilities (oil, gas, and high voltage electricity, north-south). Some 15 farms operate a mixture of arable and livestock activities across the Estate which also supports rural enterprises including equestrian and off-road motor sports and estatebased business activities such as veterinary services. Environmental In summary, natural constraints are few on the Crewe Estate. The landscape benefits from a varied and interesting field pattern which has its roots in historical partitioning of field boundaries. Woodland coverage is limited but valuable where it exists, agricultural land quality is mostly grade 3 but pockets of more fertile soils exist. Longer range views of Crewe are available from the higher ridges but on the whole the landscape folds in on itself and is harder to read as a whole. Areas to the west of the Estate are subject to a Green Gap designation (south of the A5020) which stems from the saved Local Plan policies of Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council. There are also small pockets of Ancient Woodland and woodland across the site, although principally these are within the Historic Park and Garden of Crewe Hall. Figure 3.1 Environmental Constraints 14 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

17 Desk based research does not indicate any local or statutory designated sites of ecological interest within the Estate, however two Ramsar/SSSI sites are located approximately 1.2km and 2.8km north and south (respectively) of the areas under consideration for development. Further survey work will be undertaken on these designated sites to inform the evolution of master plan proposals. The Environment Agency Flood Risk areas suggest principally an area of potential flood risk, towards the western half of the Estate at Monneley Mere, and along the Englesea Brook as it passes through Crewe Hall Park. Proposals will work with this constraint and maximise the benefits that water can bring to a new village community. Opportunities will be investigated that explore the creation of new woodland and nature conservation functions around this potential area of flood risk, and create a feature and environmental asset out of a potential constraint. This should inform the Green Infrastructure Strategy for the proposals. Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) across the Estate is largely ALC Grade 3. Poorer quality land follows the lay of the floodplain and the area around Monneley Mere. Pockets of better quality land are located on areas of higher ground, radially around the periphery of the site within the nonwooded areas of Crewe Hall Park. Topography Vertical relief on the site ranges from 50m AOD to circa 100m AOD. Key features are an undulating ridge broadly parallel to the M6 running north-south through the eastern central part of the site, downlands from Butterton Lane southwards and the valley bottom of Englesea Brook. Longer range views are mainly restricted to the higher ridge areas. Once in the interior of the Estate, the folding topography restricts strategic views and the closed network of field patterns creates the impression of a landscape of rooms providing a strong sense of place and intimacy of structure. Farther reaching views can be obtained on the railway and road infrastructure of the A500 and at level crossings, although these are also limited to the mature vegetated corridors that accompany these features. Centrally located within the Estate, north of the A500 but south of the railway is a large gently rolling plateau (circa 80m AOD) enclosed by Mill Lane and Barthomley Road. Additional plateaus feature either side of the M6 and south of Crewe Hall. Figure 3.2 Topography and Relief Figure 3.3 Agricultural Land Classification Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 15

18 Utilities For such a large rural area, the Estate is crossed by a series of services and utilities. These include high pressure gas and high voltage (132kv) electricity, non-hazardous product pipelines (operated by Mainline) and a 12 water main. Consultation zones exist for the majority of these although easements are less constraining (the Mainline pipeline that carries mixed oil product requires a 3m easement). Although an immediate constraint for development, these can be managed within the scale of the proposals by being located outside of development areas and provide potential access to a range of strategic services. Figure 3.4 Strategic Utilities 16 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

19 Movement In addition to the already noted primary corridors of the M6, the A500 and the railway, the Estate features a circular network of minor roads (B5077, Park Road and B5078) that link the villages of Weston and Radway Green with strategic infrastructure. This loop is further expanded into rural lanes (Snape Lane, Barthomley Road and Mill Lane) that provide connectivity to Englesea Brook, Barthomley and the Estate lands between the A500 and the railway. There are extensive public rights of way in the core of the Estate, mainly focused on the area north west of Barthomley. Potential exists to create an enhanced network linking into the centre of Crewe for both walkers and cyclists on off-road routes within Duchy ownership. Figure 3.5 Movement and Rights of Way Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 17

20 Heritage The National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens lists 201 hectares of Crewe Hall Gardens as Grade ll, along with the buildings and other structures within the Crewe Estate, comprising Grade l and ll listings. Also encompassed by the land promoted within this document are three designated Conservation Areas at Weston, Englesea Brook and Barthomley. Proposals will respect and take account of these when considering opportunities for growth. The character and setting of these Conservation Areas will inform the context and quality of new development on Duchy land. Figure 3.6 Combined Constraints 18 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

21 04 Defining the Location for Growth Constraints and opportunities identified in the previous section have been categorised into a Red-Amber-Green assessment diagram for the purpose of identifying land more readily suited to accommodating sustainable settlement growth. The grading system ascribes a value to key features which broadly considers existing settlements: strategic infrastructure and national level constraints as red no build; local or regional level constraints (including green belt which for the purposes of the diagram is illustrated through a continuous orange dotted line) as orange - caution; and the remainder green most suited to development but subject to further site analysis. The more significant limits on development relate to the flood plain and the existence of utility corridors. More steeply sloping topography serves to constrain development from encroaching closer on the floodplain which also overlaps with areas featuring better ALC grades. Fig 4.1 demonstrates how the floodplain area and the infrastructure corridor of the M6 and other utilities divide the Estate into 2 main foci of growth, which are in turn divided north south by the railway and the A500. The intervening landscape forms a framework for potential zones of growth, creating a defensible, part wooded, part floodplain valley landscape south of Crewe Hall, continuing as a component of the Green Gap northsouth, following the line of utility constraints on the ridge landscape between the M6 and central plateau. Four areas for further consideration have been identified as having potential as locations for growth along the broad A500/railway. A 5th area north of the railway and the Crewe Golf Club has also been identified within Duchy ownership. Based on residential densities of dwellings per hectare (dph), the total land area of combined areas represents more land than would presently be required for the uplift in growth discussed in Section 2 of this Submission. The next section discusses how development within selected parcels can be arranged to provide the most sustainable and contextually appropriate form for the future growth of Crewe. Figure 4.1 Potential Locations for Growth Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 19

22 05 Investigating the Nature of Growth Key Principles The direction of broad growth at Crewe has been considered in the Draft Crewe Town Strategy. In addition to the concept of a ring of urban extension sites (none of which other than the Basford mixed use and employment sites appear to have found particularly strong local support), the strategy identifies a corridor of growth along the railway and A500 to the M6. This corresponds broadly with the ownership of the Crewe Estate and suggests consideration is given to growth in this location. Form The preceding exercise to determine the potential location of growth in the corridor identified 5 possible locations. These can be viewed in several configurations and compared against both availability of land and impact on constraints. In diagrammatic form three possible options have been considered: Crewe Alsager Crewe Alsager Crewe Alsager Figure 5.1 Figure 5.2 Figure 5.3 Compact urban extension This suggests an intensification of the development adjacent to Basford East towards Weston and around Crewe Hall. In isolation this is unlikely to yield sufficient additional land to meet demands for growth without encroaching on more sensitive parcels south of the A500 within Weston. This option would result in less desirable enclosure of Crewe Hall Park and the loss of continuous green space. Proximity to Crewe and to future employment at Basford East would be a benefit however of this option. Continuous corridor development More closely following the alignment of growth set out in the draft strategy, this option considers more consolidated infill along the A500 corridor. Strategies are under consideration for the possible upgrading of this route to improve capacity. This is unlikely to be compatible with frequent and increased access onto this route, and, whilst there are no existing settlements to constrain blanket growth in this fashion, the environmental constraints of floodplain and topography present issues to the contiguous development of land. Polycentric, connected growth This option seeks to connect corridor growth with the south eastern extents of Crewe and link this through a sequence of smaller villages (including a distribution hub at Junction 16 of the M6) working within areas of less constrained land to form a chain of well connected villages with links to both the urban area and the strategic network. Villages would function within a strategic framework of pooled facilities for education, employment and leisure, bonded by 2 wedges of land less suited for development but providing mutual opportunities for recreation, food production and conservation. 20 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

23 Crewe Scale Village A Figure 5.4 Possible Extent of Future Villages Settlements invariably function at a variety of scales, and the sustainability of settlements is closely linked to adequate and viable provision of facilities. Below 1,000 residential units, the social catalyst of a primary school is unlikely to be viable (although alternative forms of community delivered education may be achievable in the short term while growth delivers). Above this threshold, local services increase in viability and primary schools can grow to include additional forms of entry or second sites. However it is not usually the case (depending on local capacity) that the major community focus of a secondary school is delivered for growth of less than 5,000 units. The polycentric model of a series of linked villages with shared green infrastructure and public transport is capable of supporting a primary school in each village, for a combined population of at least 4,000 units. Village B Alsager Employment Village Development parcels forming a western village (Village A ) north of the A500 and south of Crewe Hall could provide capacity for some 2,000 2,500 units. A second, smaller village (Village B ) with access onto an improved A500 is likely to deliver 1,500 1,750 units. Both villages would feature local centres with development at higher densities than on the rural periphery. Unlike mono-centric, radial settlement forms, the polycentric model provides a robust form for accommodating future post-plan growth. This allows for the expansion of development and associated facilities such as the key element of a secondary school, should demand arise in the future. Other functions such as community food production could be maintained until subsequent local plan reviews require growth to be revisited. Organic Growth Housing delivery in the UK is at an all time low. The traditional UK model where the majority of homes are built by a small collective of volume house builders has been hard hit during the economic downturn and whilst a return to construction and healthy annual completions is beginning to emerge, these are well down on pre 2008 levels. Mixed use development projects that require significant up-front investment in major infrastructure are among those projects hardest hit. They are compounded by requirements for additional information before planning approval can be granted and by the inflexibility shown by developers to work successfully in consortium arrangements. The organic growth model is a potential solution to these issues. This is most successful where land is in a single ownership (as is the case with the Duchy at Crewe), release of land can respond more gradually to changes in market conditions. The polycentric model utilising wherever possible, existing infrastructure is capable of providing alternative sources for cash-flow by accommodating several outlets across the wider project. In addition to this, the Duchy has the flexibility to invite smaller local, as well as cooperatives of self builders to invest in smaller parcels of land, largely unattractive to the larger house builders to speed up delivery. Working to a unified framework, but one that the community should have the ability to vary (e.g. through Local Development Order or Neighbourhood Development Order legislation) development could begin in several areas at once, and deliver the quality and variety associated with gradual, locally driven growth, whist being underpinned by larger areas of growth as viability and the market allows. We believe that in the case of singularly owned estates such as at Crewe, taking such an approach can more closely involve communities in determining the quality, composition and feel of their neighbourhoods and attract local pioneers to make their own contribution to designing their environment. Year 0-5 Year 5-10 Year Year Residential Employment Mixed Use Figure 5.5 Organic Village Growth Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 21

24 H i n t e r l a n d Alsager Settlement Community grown food for local residents Rural Fringe Crewe Village B Single Train Rail Crewe Hall Village B School + Leisure Learn to grow, food technology and food growing schemes Community Greenhouses Village A Local Loop A500 Employment Village Village A Employment Village Produce to local centre (restaurants, cafes, bars etc) Local Centre Community grown food to market Market Square Community Supermarket Green Waste Compost Community Allotments Community Orchards West Coast Mainline National Movement Regional Movement Local Movement Crewe Hall Great Crewe Park Figure 5.6 Figure 5.7 M6 Figure 5.8 Produce to local supermarket Connectedness Section 4 describes the status quo regarding movement within and around the Crewe Estate. Access to this hierarchy of national, regional and local movement corridors is readily achieved from the employment village located at junction 16 of the M6 at the interface with the A500 and the B5078, and for the proposed village south of Crewe Hall which may benefit from new infrastructure provided at Basford East and the existing A500/A5020 arrangement. Proposals for Village B will require access to the A500. This would be delivered as part of future improvements to the A500 along the single carriageway stretch between junction 16 of the M6 and the A5020 roundabout. Although beyond the scale of the development proposed in this submission, potential exists as part of future growth for the staging of a rail halt on the single track east/west railway as it passes the northern boundary of proposed Village B. A myriad of local routes, building of existing lanes and footpaths (where these exist) will be overlaid on top of this network of strategic rail and road access. The extent of Duchy ownership on the Crewe Estate is capable of providing off-road cycle and footpaths virtually to the centre of Crewe and to the Railway Station, where routes could link up with existing green infrastructure via the Crewe Campus of Manchester Metropolitan University, and in reverse, provide direct, continuous off-road links from the centre of Crewe to the enhanced infrastructure of the Estate. Integrating Countryside The original Garden Cities were a response to creating a more meaningful relationship between town and country. The Government has come out in favour in paragraph 52 of the NPPF of schemes and policies that support a return to Garden City principles and apply these to towns, villages and urban extensions. Whereas the founders of the Garden Cities promoted the countryside around their settlements as an area of universal access, refuge and for a multiplicity of rural uses, the 1947 Town and Country Planning Act caused in some cases, a degradation of the quality of the landscape due to neglect and lack of investment. The Duchy Estate at Crewe is thankfully a more valuable landscape than poorer quality greenbelt immediately adjacent to many metropolitan cities. However the landscape as a recreational resource and refuge is still largely detached from the urban areas that surround it. The natural constraints of the floodplain along with the historical designation of Crewe Hall Park as a designated Historic Park and Garden links into the wider green gap and provides the basis for a landscape with improved connections and productive purpose. Local Food Production Cycles This presents a particular opportunity to repair the mismatch between British food production and the on-selling of goods that increases carbon emissions though excessive and profligate food miles rather than linking local production to local needs. Providing for local outlets for local food, and creating community networks whereby some land is given over to the community for food production in lieu of commuted payments for less well appreciated informal open space (e.g. through allotments, cooperatives and horticultural clubs), is one way of building a stronger bond between communities and the countryside and a model that could expand and contract under the banner of organic growth. 22 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

25 Community Building Many of the measures outlined above will have a role in rooting a new community on the Duchy s land at Crewe, by creating a stronger relationship between the place, the landscape and those who live and work there. Furthermore this Vision includes the opportunity to build or custom specify your own home, play a role in the maintenance and purpose of the landscape as well as determine the shape and future of village life and aesthetics. Places that are exclusively designed by others, built by others and governed by others can serve to alienate communities from the responsibilities that comes with making good neighbourhoods. The inputs of residents most profoundly felt where the composition of individual buildings and spaces is valued and treasured by the community. A flexible framework for growth could be developed as part of an outline planning permission that accommodates greater involvement for the future inhabitants of the proposals laid out in this Document. This would clearly need to provide the necessary assurance, checks and balances required to ensure the security and protection of the existing population of Crewe and its environs. Long term stewardship of the proposals could gradually shift from the Duchy, as land owner/manager, to the new residents and users of these villages as they grow and develop supporting facilities and governance structures. This Document suggests that many of the decisions of the composition, design, scale and management of new villages are better decided by the future residents of the villages, rather than by others from afar. This can be achieved by more regular community engagement, and the setting up and maintenance of ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders. Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 23

26 Efficient Use of Existing Infrastructure Cheshire East has at the time of writing, not yet formulated a strategy for the delivery of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). The anticipated investment required in the rail and road infrastructure critical to the successful growth of Crewe, as well as the need to enhance the urban fabric of Crewe Town Centre suggests that future CIL levels are likely to be challenged on grounds of viability as these emerge. The suggestion for delivery via a range of means and scales could allow for the villages suggested as part of these proposals to create a gradual uplifting of growth with self-sustaining cash flow with the twofold benefits of creating investor confidence in the projects, and allowing for the financing of key infrastructure over time, thereby bringing CIL requirements down to more realistic levels. By means of example, investment in transport infrastructure could focus initially on minor upgrades to existing routes, reserving corridors for future expansion, allowing for their initial continued functioning as greenways, and facilitating a gradual transition to a public transport loop. Simultaneous investment in lower cost transport such as cycling and community bus services, could allow for the build up of patronage over time whilst allowing for connectively from the earliest years. A similar approach to education, community services and local retail could be achieved through the construction of adaptable, flexible buildings in village centres changing use over time much in the same way that historical market halls played a pivotal role for rural communities. Figure 5.9 Existing Use of Country Lanes Figure 5.10 Widened Country Lane with Pedestrian Access 24 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

27 Figure 5.11 Movement Network Motorway A Road Minor Roads Pedestrian routes - existing Proposed new Transport Loop Transport Interchange Strategic Green Links New pedestrian connections Development Local Centres Open Space Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 25

28 06 Putting it all Together This Document has set out a vision of organically developed, light touch, low impact villages that respond to calls for growth and investment in Crewe whilst respecting and integrating development with valued, historic models of settlements. These proposals consider the potential to extend the limits of Crewe into areas less constrained by natural features. This will protect valuable farmland, flood plain areas and existing rural livelihoods, and create new opportunities for employment through traditional construction, community food production and the provision of land services. Two compact, walkable villages, easily accessible between enhanced landscaped from each other, are also linked to strategic employment sites in the west (Basford East) and the east (at Junction 16 of the M6 where enquiries have already been received for hectares of food distribution linked to the local food supply economy). Opportunities exist to create an even stronger mixed use corridor by linking to the BAE Systems plant at Radway Green and improving longer term sustainability through potential rail links if growth continues into the post plan period. The two mixed use villages at 2,000 2,500 units in the west, south of Crewe Hall (Village A ), and at 1,500 to 1,750 units (Village B ) are of sufficient scale to provide and sustain local services based around a primary school and village centre and support a range of home based, rural and workshop based entrepreneurial activities, whilst providing easy access to strategic employment opportunities (including excellent transport links) on the doorstep. Set within an environment of a closeknit, locally determined community with a strong and meaningful relationship with the countryside as well as strategic connections, we believe this model of growth for Crewe has the capacity to become a benchmark for sustainable living in the future. Village A Residential Park Village B Employment Village Figure 6.1 Concept Masterplan The framework opposite shows the critical role of the landscape in holding villages in a pattern of linked, yet managed growth and how the scale of these responds to the familiar scale of local villages. Employment Potential Future Employment Mixed Use Primary School Craft Academy Crewe Park Farm Landscape Community Productive Landscape Secondary School Ecology Park, woodland and wetlands 26 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

29 Table 6.1 Land Use Schedule, Village A Village A Land Use Description/Assumption Area (Ha) Approx Area (Ac) Approx Residential *1 2,000-2,500 dwellings at densities of 30-35dph Education *2 1 x 2fe Primary School Local Centre Green Space*3 Infrastructure Local Mixed Use/Retail Office/Workshops Community Health Leisure Town Park Village Greens Formal Sport Informal/Formal Open Space Local Food Production Renewable Energy and Recycling Roads Cycle Routes TOTAL Table 6.3 Land Use Schedule, Employment Village Employment Village Land Use Description/Assumption Area (Ha) Approx Employment First Phases west of M Employment Later Phases East of M Area (Ac) Approx TOTAL TOTAL ALL AREAS 4,250 Dwellings *1 Higher density accommodation will be provided in the market and local centres *2 The size and form of the school provision will be subject to review *3 Excluding Crewe Great Park N.B. All figures are gross Table 6.2 Land Use Schedule, Village B Village B Land Use Description/Assumption Area (Ha) Approx Residential *1 1,500-1,750 dwellings at densities of 30-35dph Area (Ac) Approx Education *2 1 x 2fe Primary School Local Centre Local Mixed Use/Retail Office/Workshops Community Health Village B Green Space *3 Infrastructure Town Park Village Greens Formal Sport Informal/Formal Open Space Local Food Production Renewable Energy and Recycling Roads Cycle Routes Village A Employment Village TOTAL Figure 6.2 Land Use Plan Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 27

30 Crewe Great Park Providing Landscape and Green Infrastructure As important to Crewe as The Great Park is to Windsor, Crewe Great Park could provide the structure from which the new community will grow. Rooted in the parkland of Crewe Hall the new park could evolve the existing landscape of fields and river valleys. A network of pedestrian and cycle routes could be laid out so as to thread their way through the landscape linking the components of the new development to each other and onwards to Crewe town centre. In areas of low quality agricultural land the existing field pattern could be teased back to allow the creation of large wetland areas, ecologically diverse with resilience to flood risk and climate change. The park could maintain the productive potential of the landscape. Large areas of existing productive agriculture could be retained while pedestrian access could be enhanced and managed to improve its ecological value. Selective areas of existing agriculture could become diversified to provide opportunities for small scale food production on small holdings, allotments and orchards maintained and farmed by the new community. At the heart of the new park the historic landscape of Crewe Hall could be restored and re-energised as a learning resource for local schools and as a destination for informal leisure intimately linked to its landscape hinterland of the green gap to the north and formal parkland westwards towards Crewe Town Centre. 28 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document Figure 6.3 Crewe Great Park

31 07 Phasing and Delivery This Sustainable Development Strategy Document demonstrates that the Duchy land is suitable, available, achievable and ultimately deliverable within the context of the NPPF. This Document sets out a vision for the Crewe Estate in the context of deliverability that can be taken forward and evolved through public and local stakeholder consultation and engagement. This Document and the accompanying illustrations within this section confirm that elements of the Duchy land can be delivered within the early part of the plan period. The Duchy is committed to this programme. The Duchy land is unique in terms of its scale and sole ownership and unique in its strategic location, between Crewe and the national transport network afforded by the M6 and junction 16. Criss-crossed by additional major roads (the A500, A5020) and rail lines, the Duchy land already benefits from strategic infrastructure and there are opportunities to tap into this. This provides opportunities for the delivery of Village A without the need for wider strategic investment but still capable of functioning within an overall concept master plan to provide a string of villages. Elsewhere on the Estate smaller scale development could still come forward and deliver early wins working to the comprehensive framework as a whole. This provides the Council with flexibility in terms of how the Core Strategy embraces the Duchy land, and provides investors in the proposals, with confidence that small scale development sits within a wider, broadly supported concept. Engaging Communities Conventional approaches to development often seek to determine the detail of proposals before engaging with communities. Both Barton Willmore and the Duchy are experienced in, and proponents of the recognised Enquiry by Design (EbD) method of engaging communities which allows for genuine collaboration in the design process. This document sets out a concept; however the form and detail of development as it moves forward should become an opportunity for collaboration, not merely consultation with communities. Furthermore, development proposals often stall due to the lack of participation from either a mixed and balanced demographic, or due to the fact the potential purchasers/investors in a project are under represented. We would seek to undertake early and meaningful engagement with both the existing communities and new residents. We will work to identify with the Council and through other means such as the National Self Build Association (NASBA) and elderly housing providers, the less well vocalised groups in favour of opportunities to build as part of a sustainable community. As part of this process we would agree the key stakeholders to be contacted with the Council, and devise a series of events for both the public and key stakeholders. Best practice suggests that projects of this scale should include leadership representation from the local community (both existing and proposed) and factor regular meeting with community leaders throughout the planning/design process. Where future residents and current users of the Estate participate in this process, there exists the possibility that involvement could continue to allow a more active role in the discussion and determination of design codes and briefs. Community champions could be involved the production and vetting of guidance for areas of community interest as the plan develops, thus ensuring a local stamp on design quality in the long term. Deliverability The NPPF is clear that deliverability is dependent upon sites being available, suitable, developable and achievable. To be deliverable, sites should be available now, offer a suitable location for development now, and be achievable with a realistic prospect of delivering housing within five years and in particular that development of the site is viable. Clearly the entirety of the Estate is not deliverable now, due to its scale, the capacity of the site and potential for 4,250 dwellings to come forward. Clearly, some of these development areas will require more comprehensive planning and associated infrastructure for example Village B is limited in terms of early capacity until links to the A500 are provided. However the approach of the concept master plan, to introduce a string of small, medium and larger village settlements, some located adjacent to existing strategic roads and junctions, enables incremental delivery within an agreed overall concept. With an agreed overall concept in place, there will be opportunities for the Duchy land to deliver early opportunities that could contribute towards the five year land supply position within Cheshire East. Immediate lands to the south and east of Crewe Hall for example provide logical small-medium scale development sites, that the Duchy can confirm are available now for development. The edge of urban area locations lends these locations to being suitable for development, within the context of current spatial priorities and the development could be achieved within five years and without strategic infrastructure being required. The location of the Crewe Estate is suitable for development, with opportunities to connect through green infrastructure and public transport opportunities, to the Crewe urban area and to individual hamlets located between Crewe and the M6. There are opportunities to visually contain parts of the proposed villages, using the prevailing land form, enhanced through a landscape strategy and layering of built and natural form within proposals and acknowledging viewpoints into the Duchy land from adjacent roads and footpaths. The research undertaken to inform this Document does not present any major constraints to development of the Duchy land that would render it as being unsuitable for development. Environmental and hydrological constraints can be absorbed within the overall scale and context of the site and used to shape and influence the proposals positively. The site is available now, with the Duchy actively promoting the land through the LDF process, and looking to explore and agree a phased programme for bringing the land forward for development. It is recognised that this will be phased over the Plan Period and potentially beyond, with initial stages of development (such as up to 2017) providing opportunities for smaller scale growth now, for example on land immediately south and east of Crewe Hall (outside the registered park) and medium to longer term growth coming forward post 2017 through to 2030 for the remainder of this area in conjunction with the new Village B. This phased approach will also enable key stakeholders (e.g. the highways authority, highways Agency, Environment Agency and utility providers) to prepare their own business plans and strategies for implementing the associated infrastructure that might be linked to growth beyond an initial scale of 2,000 2,500 dwellings. The residential development of the Duchy land is therefore capable of being achieved within the Plan period with a willing land owner and suitable location being in place. The scale of growth can be phased to deliver across the short to medium/long term, incrementally and thus with confidence in respect of viability. Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 29

32 Phase 1 Phase 2 Figure 7.1 Phase 1 Figure 7.2 Phase 2 Phase 1 Village A 500 Total Village A 500 Village B 150 Total Village B 150 Total Dwellings Built in Phase 650 Total No. of Dwellings on Duchy Land 650 Residential Employment Potential Future Employment Mixed Use Primary School Secondary School Park Craft Academy Crewe Park Farm Landscape Community Productive Landscape Ecology Park, woodland and wetlands Phase 2 Village A 1000 Total Village A 1500 Village B 300 Total Village B 450 Total Dwellings Built in Phase 1300 Total No. of Dwellings on Duchy Land Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document

33 Phase 3 Phase 4 Figure 7.3 Phase 3 Figure 7.4 Phase 4 Phase 3 Residential Park Village A 1000 Employment Craft Academy Total Village A 2500 Potential Future Employment Crewe Park Village B 700 Mixed Use Farm Landscape Total Village B 1150 Primary School Community Productive Landscape Total Dwellings Built in Phase 1700 Secondary School Ecology Park, woodland and wetlands Total No. of Dwellings on Duchy Land 3650 Phase 4 Village A 0 Total Village A 2500 Village B 600 Total Village B 1750 Total Dwellings Built in Phase 600 Total No. of Dwellings on Duchy Land 4250 Duchy of Lancaster Crewe Estate Sustainable Development Strategy Document 31