6 Proposed local plan engagement strategy

Introduction and Purpose

6.1    This Engagement Strategy sets out how Cheshire East Council will engage residents, elected members, businesses, infrastructure providers, statutory consultees, partners and stakeholders in the preparation of the new Local Plan. It explains who will be engaged, when engagement will occur throughout the plan-making process, and how consultation and participation activities will be delivered.

6.2    The strategy supports the requirements of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026 and forms part of the evidence base required at Gateway 1. It identifies when public participation will occur in the plan-making process, sets out how documents and information will be made available, explains how representations will be invited and considered; and provides for the publication of summaries of engagement and outcomes. Compliance will be demonstrated through Consultation Summary Reports which will be prepared at each stage, and the production of a final Consultation Statement to be submitted alongside the Plan. This Strategy will be kept under review and updated where necessary, following each stage of consultation.

Role of the Strategy and Outcomes

6.3    The strategy sets out the key features of how the Council will undertake early scoping consultation to inform the scope, key issues and evidence base of the Local Plan. It provides the approach for consultation on proposed plan content and supporting evidence, as well as formal consultation on the proposed Local Plan prior to submission. At each stage, the Council will publish summaries of representations received, demonstrating how views have been considered and taken into account. The strategy also ensures that opportunities for participation are clear, transparent and accessible, in line with statutory requirements relating to the availability of documents and information.

6.4    The strategy also supports the effective delivery of the plan-making process by providing a structured and proportionate framework for engagement across all stages of the Local Plan. It ensures that engagement activity is timely and aligned with the Gateway process, supporting Gateway 1 (readiness), Gateway 2 (external advice), and Gateway 3 (compliance assessment). In addition, it establishes a consistent approach to recording, analysing and reporting consultation outcomes, and supports the preparation of required outputs, such as Consultation Summary Reports and the final Consultation Statement.

Outcomes

6.5    Through this approach, the Council will ensure that:

• Stakeholders and communities are able to influence the content of the Local Plan at key stages
• Consultation is proportionate, transparent and evidence-led
• A clear and auditable record is maintained demonstrating how consultation has informed plan-making
• The Council meets all relevant statutory requirements, reducing the risk of delay or challenge at Gateway assessments and independent examination

Context: The Plan-Making System

6.6    A Local Plan is the Council’s statutory framework for guiding the use and development of land across Cheshire East over the long term. Prepared under the reformed national plan-making system (a ‘new-system’ plan), it sets out the spatial strategy for growth, including the location and scale of new housing, employment and infrastructure, alongside policies to protect and enhance the natural and built environment. Importantly, the plan integrates the councils’ minerals and waste plan.

6.7    The plan is developed through a staged process of evidence gathering, consultation and independent examination, including a series of Gateway assessments. Once adopted, it forms the primary basis for determining planning applications and coordinating investment, ensuring that development is planned, sustainable and aligned with the Council’s wider priorities.

Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)

6.8    The Council’s adopted Statement of Community Involvement (2022)  (SCI) sets out the current statutory framework for consultation in planning matters and remains in force. For plan-making, the SCI sets out the Council’s approach to plans prepared under the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. 

6.9    This Engagement Strategy has been prepared to support the newer requirements of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026 which underpin the Councils production of a ‘new-system’ local plan, prepared under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act (2023). As such, it sets out the proposed approach to engagement for the preparation of the new Local Plan, under different legislation to that cited in the SCI.

6.10    As this strategy is consulted on and refined alongside the commencement of the Local Plan, it will guide engagement activity for this plan. The Council will keep the role and status of the SCI under review, including whether it is appropriate to update or replace relevant sections to reflect the new plan-making system and this agreed approach.

Key Issues

6.11    The preparation of the new Local Plan is taking place within a challenging and fast-changing local and national context. The Council is currently unable to demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites, with latest monitoring indicating a position below the required threshold, increasing the risk of unplanned development and speculative applications. 

6.12    At the same time, the Government has significantly increased housing requirements, with Cheshire East now expected to deliver around 2,530 homes per year; two separate call for sites exercises have been carried out to identify potential land for long term development in the local plan. 

6.13    The Local Plan is being prepared under the reformed national plan-making system and is expected to be delivered over an accelerated programme of approximately 30 months, supported by a defined timetable and Gateway process. 

6.14    The Council is also progressing wider strategic relationships, including working within a developing Combined Authority context which will be preparing a sub-regional Spatial Development Strategy, which will influence the scale and distribution of growth across the borough and have links to the Local Plan. 

6.15    The plan must address a range of strategic planning priorities, including accommodating significant housing and economic growth, reviewing the role and extent of Green Belt and Grey Belt land, identifying and meeting our minerals and waste needs, and ensuring that new development is supported by appropriate infrastructure. It must also respond to the need to protect and enhance the natural environment, mitigate and adapt to climate change, and support the delivery of sustainable, well-connected communities.

Understanding Our Communities

6.16    The borough consists of several towns of varying sizes, along with an extensive rural area covering many villages and smaller settlements.

6.17    As the most recent (mid-2024) Office for National Statistics population estimates indicate, Crewe (population 81,300) and Macclesfield (55,200) are the largest towns. The other main centres of population are the towns of Alsager, Congleton, Knutsford, Middlewich, Nantwich, Poynton, Sandbach and Wilmslow (each with populations between 13,000 and 31,000) and Bollington and Handforth (with populations of 7,000 to 8,000).

6.18    However, more than a sixth of the population (18.0% as of 2024) live in rural areas. These areas include some sparsely populated and, in some cases, relatively isolated settlements, south and west of Nantwich. 

6.19    Cheshire East has a relatively old population, with 22.5% of residents aged 65 and above as of mid-2024, against only 18.7% for England. At the time of the 2021 Census, only 5.6% of the borough’s population classified themselves as non-white, compared to an England average of 19.0%. However, Cheshire East’s ethnic diversity has increased over time and the non-white proportion is significantly above the borough average (though still below the national share) in Handforth, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge and Crewe. Cheshire East also saw a substantial inflow of migrants from Eastern Europe, from the early 2000s onwards. Many of those Eastern Europeans are still living in the borough and are very heavily concentrated in Crewe.

6.20    Evidence from the Office for National Statistics and the English Indices of Deprivation shows that Cheshire East is relatively less deprived overall compared to many areas nationally; however, this masks significant variation within the borough. Deprivation is concentrated in specific neighbourhoods, particularly within parts of the main towns, while many rural areas experience lower overall deprivation but can face more dispersed and less visible challenges. These include barriers to accessing services, limited public transport, and higher living costs, which can contribute to hidden forms of disadvantage. 

6.21    Deprivation in Cheshire East is multi-dimensional, reflecting a combination of factors such as income, employment, health, education, housing affordability, and access to services. In particular, housing costs and accessibility issues are key pressures in both urban and rural areas, alongside significant health inequalities in some communities. This pattern highlights the importance of recognising localised need and addressing disparities through targeted and place-specific engagement and planning responses.

Our Commitment:

6.22    The Council recognises the diverse nature of our communities and the varied barriers they face to participating in the plan making process. Different communities may face different barriers to engagement, including access to digital services, awareness of the planning process, or the ability to take part in formal consultation. This strategy recognises these differences and sets out how engagement will be adapted to ensure a more inclusive approach.

6.23    A combination of digital and in-person methods will be used, supported by targeted activity where needed, to help ensure that engagement is accessible to a wide range of people. Printed materials will also be made available in the council’s principal offices.

6.24    Engagement activity will be supported by Equalities Impact Assessments where appropriate, and the Council will continue to review and adapt its approach to ensure that it reflects the needs of Cheshire East’s communities. 

Governance

6.25    The Council will manage engagement on the Local Plan in a clear and coordinated way, ensuring that activities are well organised, transparent, and aligned with the wider work of the Council.

Day-to-day delivery

6.26    The Strategic Planning Team and key partners within the Council, will lead the day-to-day delivery of engagement. This includes organising consultation activities, working with stakeholders, and making sure that all feedback is recorded and considered as the Local Plan develops.

6.27    The team will also be responsible for publishing consultation materials and sharing summaries of the responses received at each stage, so that people can see how their views have been taken into account.

Working across the Council

6.28    Engagement will be coordinated with the Council’s wider communications and engagement activity to ensure a consistent and joined-up approach.

6.29    This will include:

• Using the Council’s website and consultation platforms as the main way for people to take part
• Promoting consultations through appropriate communication channels
• Making sure opportunities to get involved are accessible to all communities

6.30    This approach helps avoid duplication and ensures that engagement is clear, consistent and easy to take part in.

Role of Elected Members

6.31    Elected Members play an important role in overseeing the Local Plan and its engagement. This includes:

• Acting as the ‘voice of the community’ representing the interests of their wards and the wider Cheshire East community
• Helping to shape the direction of the plan at key stages
• Taking part in workshops and briefings
• Considering the feedback received through consultation
• Making decisions on the publication of draft and final versions of the Local Plan

6.32    This ensures that the Local Plan reflects local priorities and that decisions are informed by community views. Updates and decisions will be reported to members via all member briefings, regular reports, briefings and engagement with Cabinet and the Members Reference Group.

Keeping things clear and transparent

6.33    Throughout the process, the Council will make sure that:

• It is clear how and when people can take part
• Feedback is recorded and reported in a transparent way
• The results of consultation are shared openly
• The local plan timetable is kept up to date.

6.34    This approach ensures that engagement is meaningful, transparent and supports the preparation of a robust Local Plan.

Engagement Principles

6.35    Engagement in the preparation of the Local Plan will be guided by the following principles:

• Digital-first but not digital-only: Digital methods will be used as the primary channel for engagement, supported by targeted in-person activity to ensure inclusivity.
• Inclusive and accessible: Engagement will be designed to reach a broad and representative cross-section of the community, ensuring that all groups have the opportunity to participate.
• Proportionate and targeted: Activities will be focused on the key decisions at each stage of plan-making, ensuring that engagement is meaningful and aligned to the scope of the issues being considered.
• Stage-based and timely: Consultation will be undertaken at the defined stages of plan-making, including scoping, plan content and evidence, and the proposed Local Plan, in line with regulatory requirements.
• Transparent and accountable: The Council will clearly communicate the purpose of each consultation and publish summaries of representations received, demonstrating how responses have informed the development of the Local Plan.
• Evidence-led and auditable: All engagement activity will be recorded, analysed and reported to provide a clear audit trail supporting Gateway assessments and independent examination.
• Coordinated and efficient: Engagement will be managed in a coordinated way across the Council, aligning with wider communications activity and avoiding duplication.
• Collaborative and partnership-based: The Council will work with partners, infrastructure providers and stakeholders to support effective engagement and inform plan development.

6.36    These principles ensure that engagement is not only effective and inclusive, but also compliant with statutory requirements and capable of demonstrating how consultation has informed the preparation of the Local Plan.

Engagement Approach

6.37    Engagement will follow a structured, stage-based approach aligned to the requirements of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026. This ensures that consultation is undertaken at the defined points in the plan-making process and that feedback is clearly recorded and reported.

6.38    The Council’s approach is based on the principle of:

Inform → Consult → Participate → Feedback

6.39    This will be applied consistently across each stage of the Local Plan, as set out below.

Stage-based engagement

6.40    Engagement activities will be aligned to the following key stages of plan-making:

6.41    Scoping stage: Early engagement to identify key issues, priorities and evidence requirements. This will include open consultation and targeted engagement with stakeholders.

6.42    Plan content and evidence stage - Consultation on the proposed direction of the Local Plan, including spatial options, themes and supporting evidence.

6.43    Proposed local plan stage: consultation on the complete draft local plan prior to submission for examination. At each stage, the Council will clearly communicate the purpose of the consultation and the decisions being informed.

Recording and reporting

6.44    For each stage of consultation, the Council will:

• Publish a summary of representations received
• Set out how responses have been considered and have informed the development of the plan
• Maintain a clear and proportionate audit trail of engagement activity

6.45    These outputs will form part of the evidence base for Gateway assessments and independent examination.

Engagement Methods

6.46    A digital first but not digital only, approach will be used alongside more limited in-person and community-led engagement methods designed where they will be most effective to secure appropriate and qualitative research into planning issues.

6.47    In particular, the council recognize the inter-generational importance of long-term plan making and as such we are seeking to ensure a representative group of residents are closely involved in shaping the plan at critical stages. This will be achieved through holding four to five community assemblies in the process, involving circa 25 residents, with each assembly aligned to the stages set out in the table at section 11.

6.48    As far as possible, participants will be selected to be demographically and geographically representative of the borough to provide in depth qualitative information to help shape the plan and build consensus on key strategic matters. 

Key Approaches

6.49    Engagement will be digital-first, supported by a range of complementary methods to ensure inclusivity and reach. This will include:

• The Council’s website and the OPUS consultation platform as the primary engagement hub
• Online consultation tools, surveys and digital exhibitions
• Using social media to promote key stages, new events and core messages
• Community Assemblies
• Targeted in-person stakeholder briefings and workshops
• Member and officer briefings to support informed participation
• Provision of printed materials at the council’s main offices

6.50    This approach is designed to ensure that engagement is accessible, proportionate and capable of reaching a wide and representative audience.

Engaging with Site Promoters

6.51    The availability of sites to meet development needs is a fundamental component of plan making and the Council seeks to work positively and proactively with the development industry to assess, select and refine development opportunities.

6.52    The Council will carry out call for sites exercises at multiple points throughout the plan making process with the aim of ensuring all stakeholders have sufficient and appropriate opportunity to represent their interests. It is essential that the council is able to consider all available land options to develop its draft plan and to enable this, call for sites exercises will be widely promoted. 

6.53    In our approach to sites we will adopt a transparent, proportionate and plan-led approach to engagement with site promoters and other stakeholders, ensuring that all parties are treated consistently and fairly throughout the plan-making process. Engagement will be undertaken at clearly defined key stages, with all promoters given equal opportunity to provide information and respond to call for sites exercises. The Council will publish clear guidance on submission requirements, assessment criteria and timescales to support this process. All representations will be recorded and considered in a structured and impartial manner, and feedback will be provided through published reports rather than through ongoing individual negotiation.

6.54    To ensure fairness and avoid any perception of preferential treatment, the Council will only enter into discussions on the merits of individual sites at appropriate stages within the process. Engagement will be focused on clarifying process, evidence requirements, timescales and informing the development of site-specific policies in order securing the best outcomes for communities.

6.55    This approach will help maintain the integrity of the plan-making process, ensure a level playing field for all promoters, and support robust, evidence-based decision-making that can withstand independent examination.

6.56    Whilst the council cannot prevent promoters from submitting sites at any point within the plan making process, the council will not consider and assess proposals after the publication of the draft plan. Any sites submitted after this point will be recorded as omission sites and retained for presentation to examination if required.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

6.57    The council may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist with the administration and analysis of consultation responses, preparation of summary reports, accessibility improvements and other engagement activities. AI will not determine planning policy or replace officer judgement and all outputs generated using AI will be reviewed by suitably qualified officers before being relied upon. The Council will ensure that any use of AI complies with data protection legislation, information governance requirements and the Council's corporate AI policies.

6.58    The council welcomes representations prepared with or without the assistance of AI tools. The Council will consider representations on their planning merits and not on the basis of whether AI has been used. AI is developing and improving all the time and to ensure that officers are able to focus on efficiently on fact checking of responses, including whether legal references are correct, respondents are encouraged to disclose where AI has been used to generate significant parts of a submission. 

Feedback and iteration

6.59    Engagement will be iterative, with learning from each stage used to inform subsequent consultation activities. Feedback will be clearly communicated to participants to demonstrate how their views have influenced the Local Plan.

Plan Programme and Timeline

Stakeholders

6.60    The preparation of the Local Plan involves engagement with a wide range of stakeholders across Cheshire East and beyond.

6.61    This strategy identifies the main types of stakeholders who will be involved in the plan-making process. It is not intended to provide a definitive or exhaustive list of individuals or organisations.

6.62    Stakeholders will include:

• Residents and communities, including local groups and organisations
• Elected Members, town and parish councils, and MPs
• Businesses and employers, including local, regional and national organisations
• Developers, landowners and site promoters
• Statutory consultees and prescribed bodies, including those with environmental, infrastructure and regulatory responsibilities
• Infrastructure providers, such as transport, utilities, health and education organisations
• Neighbouring authorities and strategic partners, including those involved in cross-boundary planning
• Community and voluntary sector organisations, including groups representing specific interests or communities
• Media and communication stakeholders

6.63    Detailed stakeholder records are maintained separately to support the delivery of the Local Plan and ensure that all relevant parties are identified and contacted where required. This includes:

• A Stakeholder Register, which records organisations and categorises stakeholders
• A Consultation database, used to manage statutory consultation notifications
• An Engagement Register, which records interactions and feedback

6.64    These systems ensure that stakeholder engagement is coordinated, proportionate and auditable, and that all relevant parties are identified and consulted in line with statutory requirements.

Monitoring and Feedback

6.65    The Council will monitor engagement activity throughout the preparation of the Local Plan to ensure that it is effective, proportionate and accessible

6.66    This will include:

• Reviewing participation levels at each stage of consultation
• Understanding which groups are engaging and where additional targeted activity may be needed
• Monitoring feedback and enquiries to identify key themes or areas of concern

6.67    The outcomes of consultation will be published at each stage, including summaries of representations, so that participants can see how their views have been considered.