Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Issues and Options consultation on its new Local Plan runs until 29 August 2025. The plan will guide where homes, jobs and infrastructure go over the next 15 years and invites comments on three broad ways of distributing growth across the borough. Cheshire Community Action (CCA) has submitted two distinct responses on behalf of rural communities and the voluntary sector.

1. Rural, affordable and community‑led housing, services and infrastructure

In its own submission, CCA draws on parish‑level housing needs surveys covering 13 areas. These show demand for about 844 additional homes, with roughly 70% of those homes needing one or two bedrooms to serve concealed households, young families and downsizers. Because tenure patterns vary by village, CCA calls for parish‑specific housing mixes rather than blanket targets, with a robust affordable component even in market‑led areas. It welcomes a lower threshold for requiring affordable units on rural schemes but asks for flexibility so very small developments can make off‑site contributions or provide affordable home ownership options if on‑site provision is unviable.

CCA urges the Council to retain rural‑exception sites across all villages, not just remote ones, and to strengthen local‑connection criteria so that homes go to people with ties to the parish. It also advocates a dedicated policy to support community‑led housing via community land trusts and co‑ops, allowing modestly larger schemes where needed and offering technical support to groups. Beyond housing, CCA emphasises that new homes must be delivered alongside investment in health services, schools, bus routes, digital connectivity and community hubs. It calls for net‑zero–ready homes, age‑friendly bungalows, level‑access dwellings and renewable‑energy connections, and argues that small villages suffering from long‑term decline should be allowed modest revival housing if developers commit to delivering the necessary infrastructure.

Download CCA’s Local Plan response for rural housing, services + infrastructure

2. Community facilities and buildings – a joint CCA & CWVA response

CCA and Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA) jointly responded on the future of community buildings. They argue that village halls, social clubs, youth centres, faith venues and recreation grounds should be treated as essential infrastructure and safeguarded accordingly. Their key requests are to introduce a Community Asset Viability Test before any facility is lost, require like‑for‑like replacement within the same settlement, and reduce thresholds so that smaller rural developments provide on‑site open space or contribute to shared community hubs.

They also want village halls, youth and adult learning centres, volunteer hubs and social‑enterprise spaces listed as priority items for developer contributions, with phased delivery so any community buildings open for use earlier on large sites to enable new residents to access community facilities before large housing schemes are complete. To future‑proof these assets, the response calls for energy‑efficient designs, electric‑vehicle charge points, high‑speed broadband and support for shared “hub” models that combine hall, play area and health outreach uses on one site.

Download the CCA-CWVA Joint Local Plan response for community buildings and facilities

Working together

CCA’s two responses share a common theme: rural growth must be accompanied by the infrastructure that sustains communities. Parish councils and voluntary organisations can still respond to the consultation before 29 August 2025, highlighting local housing needs and the importance of community buildings.

CCA will continue to engage with the Local Authorities to make the case for rural development to be guided by local needs and supported by the appropriate infrastructure.

Link to CWaC Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation

For more information on the consultation responses, contact John Heselwood: john.heselwood@cheshireaction.org.uk