KNUTSFORDIANS will have the chance to attend a probe into the ‘soundness’ of Cheshire East Council’s Local Plan, despite concerns over its ‘five-year’ housing supply.

The Local Plan Strategy document sets out the council’s case for sustainable economic growth and is the strategy that the council wants to adopt to manage development in Cheshire East up to 2030.

The strategy and all associated documents, including the comments received during the representation period, were submitted to the secretary of state for communities and local government on May 20, in preparation for independent examination.

The Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy will now be subject to an independent examination by the Planning Inspectorate at Macclesfield Town Hall in September.

More than 40,000 responses from residents and organisations were collated, assessed and fed-in to the ‘submission version’ of the Local Plan Strategy.

Clr David Brown, deputy leader of Cheshire East Council, said he believes Cheshire East has one of the best and most consulted upon local plans in the country.

He said: “What we have now is a highly consulted upon strategic document that will map housing, jobs and infrastructure for the next 15 years.

“This has been a huge undertaking and an incredible journey – but a vital one for the people of Cheshire East, if we are to have planned and sustainable housing, jobs and economic growth, while protecting our precious countryside and green spaces.

“We have had to steer through some tough challenges, but we are confident we have got a truly sound local plan that delivers the best deal for the people of Cheshire East.

“What we’ve achieved is testament to all the hard work of councillors, officers and the public, who have been a strong vocal presence throughout this process.

“We now hope they will continue to get involved to ensure that we have got it right.

“This plan, coupled with our five-year housing land supply, is also about protecting the residents of Cheshire East from unwanted, unsustainable and unplanned development.”

However, the council has come under fire this week, after having three planning appeals for homes in the east of the borough rejected by a government inspector, on the basis it does not have a five-year housing land supply.

Inspector Stephen Pratt has been appointed to conduct the examination to determine whether the Local Plan Strategy is sound. The programme officer for the examination is Miss Kerry Trueman.

The hearing sessions, however, will be open to any parties who wish to attend to observe proceedings.