Policy REC 5: Community facilities
- Development proposals should seek to retain, enhance and maintain community facilities that make a positive contribution to the social or cultural life of a community. The particular benefits of any proposal that secures the long-term retention of a community facility will be given positive weight in determining planning applications.
- Any community facility that makes a positive contribution to the social or cultural life of a community should be retained unless suitable alternative provision is made.
- Proposals for new community facilities will be supported where they are in accordance with policies in the development plan.
Supporting information
11.14 LPS Policy SD 1 'Sustainable development in Cheshire East' requires development to, wherever possible, provide appropriate infrastructure to meet the needs of the local community, including community facilities. LPS Policy EG 2 'Rural economy' seeks to support the rural economy and promotes the retention and delivery of community services such as shops, public houses and village halls.
11.15 Facilities such as public houses; places of worship; village halls and other meeting places; schools; and local shops are important to the communities that they serve and they improve the sustainability of towns, villages and rural areas.
11.16 Proposals should avoid the loss of such facilities and in deciding planning applications, positive weight will be given to the benefit of securing the long-term future of community facilities through a development proposal.
11.17 The Localism Act 2011 also allows community groups to assemble bids for assets considered to be of community value and included in the ‘list of assets of community value’ held by the council. This policy applies to all community facilities that make a positive contribution to the social or cultural life of a community and not just those on the list.
Related documents
Policy information
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