National planning policy
The National Planning Policy Framework, known as the NPPF, is the Government’s main planning policy document for England. We must take it into account when preparing the Local Plan.
National decision-making policies
The Government published a new NPPF in August 2026. It introduced National Decision-Making Policies. These provide one set of national policies for deciding planning applications.
Our Local Plan will focus on issues that are specific to Cheshire West and Chester. It should not repeat national policy unnecessarily, although it may add local detail where this is justified.
Spatial Development Strategy
Cheshire West and Chester is part of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority. The Combined Authority will lead the preparation of a Spatial Development Strategy for the area. This is expected to deal with strategic matters such as where growth should happen, how housing is distributed, infrastructure and issues that cross council boundaries. The Local Plan will need to reflect this wider strategy.
Supplementary Planning Documents
Councils can no longer prepare new Supplementary Planning Documents, known as SPDs. Our existing SPDs provide extra guidance for policies in the current Local Plan. If we want to keep using relevant parts of them in future, we may need to include that content in the new Local Plan.
- House extensions and domestic outbuildings (January 2021)
- Houses in Multiple Occupation and Student Accommodation (April 2016)
- Oil and Gas Exploration, Production and Distribution (May 2017)
- Parking Standards (February 2022)
- Travel Planning Guidance (March 2016)
Supplementary Plans
Supplementary Plans can sit alongside the main Local Plan. They must be consulted on and independently examined. Once adopted, they become part of the development plan. They may be used for site-specific frameworks, design codes, masterplans or policies for a particular area.
Environmental assessment
For now, Strategic Environmental Assessment, known as SEA, remains the process for considering the likely environmental effects of the Local Plan and reasonable alternatives.
The Government intends to replace SEA with Environmental Outcomes Reports. Until that system starts, we will prepare a Sustainability Appraisal that meets SEA requirements and also considers social and economic effects. We will carry out a separate Habitats Regulations Assessment to consider possible effects on protected European habitat sites.
Neighbourhood plans
Neighbourhood plans will remain part of the development plan. They can deal with local matters such as site allocations, design, local character, green infrastructure and community priorities. They may plan for housing, but they cannot reduce the amount of housing that would otherwise be delivered in the area.
Paying for infrastructure
Infrastructure needed to support the Local Plan may be funded through developer contributions, private investment and public funding. As the Infrastructure Delivery Plan develops, we may review the Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy charging schedule.