Policy IN 1: Infrastructure
- Infrastructure delivery will take place in a phased co-ordinated manner guided by the Infrastructure Delivery Plan and any additional site specific requirements to support the Local Plan Strategy proposals. These will include mechanisms for the funding and delivery of physical, social, community, environmental and any other infrastructure required to support development and regeneration. The Infrastructure Delivery Plan will be kept under review and if necessary revised as and when required. Cheshire East Council is working in partnership with infrastructure providers and other delivery agencies to provide essential infrastructure to deliver the Local Plan.
- The council will also require new and improved social and community facilities, utilities infrastructure and other infrastructure to be provided in a timely manner to meet the needs of new development as they arise so as to make a positive contribution towards safeguarding and creating sustainable communities, promote social inclusion and reduce deprivation.
- The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), upon adoption of the Charging Schedule, will be used to pool developer contributions towards local and strategic infrastructure that will serve a wider area than any one development in particular. Further information is set out in Policy IN 2 'Developer Contributions'.
Justification
10.3 The term 'infrastructure' is broadly used for planning purposes to cover all the service requirements that are needed to make places function efficiently and effectively and in a way that creates sustainable communities. Infrastructure is commonly split into three main categories, defined as:
- Physical: the broad collection of systems and facilities that house and transport people and goods, and provide services including:
- Transportation networks - including public transport, road networks, provisions for walking and cycling;
- Water - including wastewater treatment and water supply, including fire hydrants;
- Flood risk management;
- Energy - including heat, gas, electricity;
- Telecommunications networks - telephones, mobile phones, broadband and other new communication technologies;
- Waste provision - including domestic waste and recycling, commercial and construction waste;
- Public realm - street lighting, seating, planting.
- Green: the physical environment within and between our cities, towns and villages. A network of multi-functional open spaces including formal parks, gardens, woodlands, green corridors, waterways and open countryside.
- Social and Community: the range of core learning, well-being, sports and other activities. It can include the provision of:
- Health facilities - including hospitals, doctors and dentists surgeries;
- Social care;
- Education - including schools, colleges and skills training
- Social and community facilities - including places of worship, community centres, support for community groups and projects;
- Leisure facilities - indoor and outdoor, including sports pitches and changing facilities;
- Cultural facilities - including libraries, museums, theatres and heritage.
10.4 Improvements to infrastructure will be fundamental to achieving the vision for the development of Cheshire East up to 2030 and are necessary to deal with existing deficiencies and to cater for a growing and ageing population. The proposed growth of Cheshire East must be supported by improvements to physical, social and green infrastructure.
10.5 Improved connectivity forms a vital part of the Local Plan Strategy in terms of assisting economic growth and improving the environment. As well as maximising the benefits of Crewe as a national rail hub, substantial new road infrastructure will be required to open up the east of Cheshire and better connect the M6 with main settlements and surrounding major roads. At this stage, only corridors of interest or preferred routes for new roads are indicated. Detailed alignments will be included in the Site Allocations and Development Policies Document.
10.6 It should be recognised that the delivery of the full range of infrastructure needs of existing and new communities is dependent on partnership working between a variety of public and private sector agencies. Throughout the preparation of the Local Plan Strategy, discussions have taken place with key infrastructure delivery partners and will continue to take place through the production of the Local Plan.
10.7 Where new development creates a need for new or improved infrastructure, contributions from developers will be sought to make the development acceptable on the impact on local services.
10.8 The infrastructure requirements of development proposals will be assessed on their own individual merits; but in some circumstances there will be a necessity to view individual applications collectively in assessing the combined off site requirements in line with the Infrastructure Delivery Plan.
10.9 Strategic infrastructure requirements are set out in the Local Plan Strategy and in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan. Whilst particular infrastructure needs have been identified, it is recognised that there needs to be flexibility to allow the council to seek developer contributions through Section 106 agreements and other mechanisms for infrastructure needs that emerge during the plan period.
10.10 The council intends to locally introduce the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) approach to Developer Contributions. The Levy will partly replace Section 106 provisions and is a charge based on the floor area of new developments. The charge rates will be set out in a Charging Schedule which will be implemented after the adoption of the Local Plan Strategy.
Key Evidence
- Infrastructure Delivery Plan.
Policy information
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