It wasn't possible for me to attend the July 2025 meeting of Saughall & Shotwick Park Parish Council, but I sent parish councillors my usual report and have repeated it below in full.
Light & Life Mission / Event, June 2025
As parish councillors will be aware, this event dominated activity and engagement many weeks leading up to it taking place and during the period of time when it was underway in the village. I have responded to large amounts of correspondence on the matter, and I know it exercised many of you extensively too. Your support was appreciated during a challenging time.
I am collating a note of experiences from residents which I hope will be of use to stakeholders going forward if such an event is encountered again. Those living on Long Lane and Church Road (to a lesser, but still significant degree) bore the brunt of this activity, but there was clearly a wider village impact also and it is important that this is reflected on properly going forward. I maintain my view that this field was not a suitable location for an event of this scale, regardless of what the organisers might say about their ability to arrange such an event in other similar places on a regular basis. The powers of the council were very limited in terms of what it could do and all avenues I am informed were explored, including whether a legal process could be followed to prevent it.
It has been suggested that a form of community meeting might be held where residents can offer feedback on their experiences. I am not opposed to such a meeting being held, but I have found so far that it is much better for me to receive written observations which can then be easily collated into an overall document for onward transmission to relevant officers. Perhaps the parish council would consider this point at their meeting and advise me of their view on the matter in due course.
Land off Thomas Wedge Road
In May I received the following note from the CWaC Commercial Management & Delivery team. Hopefully it is self-explanatory. This land has long been identified, I understand and as the note states, for potential housing development following the logic of the previous development in Thomas Wedge Road / Humphrey Close. As such, I have indicated I am not opposed in principle to what is outlined and in any case, this is the ‘first stage’ of any process. I have also stated, that engagement with adjacent landowners is crucial as there have been consequential drainage challenges owing to previous development which must be avoided going forward. We are not at the point of this as yet in terms of development, as you will see from the notes below.
Note from CWaC officers to SE:
“It is possible you will have been previously consulted with in respect of this site by my colleagues in Strategic Housing who have been considering the Housing Needs of the Saughall and Shottick area, and through that activity have considered the land remaining at Thomas Wedge Road. I am now consulting with you, from Property Services, as part of the Council’s disposal process. Your consideration is sought on whether the site be declared surplus to Council requirements to facilitate a disposal (freehold or leasehold) that can support residential development. It is proposed that a disposal/marketing strategy would be developed between Property Services supported Strategic Housing colleagues.
The land remaining at Thomas Wedge Road is c3.77 acres. To the southern boundary is Saughall All Saints CE Primary School.
[Image not reproduced here - available on request to residents who might wish to view it].
The site was formally part of the Council’s Farms Estate but is no longer part of the operational estate as it is isolated from the main land holding. The adjoining part of the site has already been disposed by long leasehold (999yrs dated 29.06.2012) to achieve residential development as a rural exception site. It was understood at the time that this site would be brought forward as a second phase.
Property Services have consulted with all Council Services and no service has proposed that they have an operational need for this site. Strategic Housing did confirm that they support that the site be declared surplus to enable it to be brought forward for residential development, via market engagement, with a targeted approach to all Cheshire Registered Housing Providers, and their known developers, along with the Cheshire and Warrington Housing Alliance. The work to date of Strategic Housing has identified a net affordable housing need in the locality of 23 units.
- A shortfall of 1-bedroom units (net need 11), primarily driven by demand from over-55 households
- An unmet need for 2-bedroom units (net need 9), particularly for affordable home ownership.
- Demand for 3-bedroom units, while lower than 1-bed and 2-bed still exceeds available demand (net need 3)
In response to the review of housing need for Saughall and Shotwick Park, a capacity study for the subject site was undertaken and below layout suggested c31 units could be provided. Please note this indicative only, and to simply provide a suggestion of housing unit numbers.
[Image not reproduced here - available on request to residents who might wish to view it].
Please could you consider the above and confirm your position on whether the site be declared surplus to Council requirements to facilitate it being brought forward for residential.
Should the site be confirmed surplus, the next steps would be to confirm the Marketing Strategy and appoint a suitable agent. You will be kept informed of progress and will share with you any marketing brochure.”
Track racing – field near Saughall
CWaC PRoW have been making further enquiries on this, as below (from 12/06/25) and following on from the comments I mentioned in my June 2025 report:
“I have spoken to the landowner, the event organiser and [PRoW officer] from Flintshire council. Flintshire council advised that the landowner on their side is Welsh Highways, they have not had any other complaints and have not any issue with the event. The landowner at [Farm name] gives his consent for the event to take place and his permission for mechanically propelled vehicles to access his land.
There is a small section of the Bridleway that is used to access the Enduro track which is owned by National Highways. I spoke to the Organiser [-] who advised he had been running events at this location for around 4 years and believed he had consent from the landowner. I advised him to check and get back to me.
I shall keep you appraised.”
Golden Jubilee Field – Spacehive project
I have confirmed with CWaC officers that I am prepared to contribute £250 from my annual Member Budget to support this project. Arrangements will be made to reflect this on the Spacehive project page in due course.
Public Right of Way matters
The CWaC PRoW officer for the area was ‘on site’ on 04/06/25 and reported as follows on 06/06/25 to me and Cllr Willett who has been liaising with him on few matters, including those listed below in the ‘miscellaneous’ section of this report.
- Saughall FP1 – Kissing gates overgrown. Officer spoke to the landowner who said he will cut back the vegetation.
- Saughall FP4 – Weeds growing from side of path. Officer will speak to contractor as the whole path was meant to be gravelled including the verges.
- Saughall FP17 – Contractor instructed to cut this back in front of Shotwick House.
- Saughall FP6 – Paths cropped over and not reinstated. Officer to identify who owns the fields and write to landowner.
- Saughall FP6 – Section from Hermitage Road - completely overgrown and prone to flooding. Officer will arrange to get this section cleared and the drainage ditch dug out.
Miscellaneous reports / matters
- Public Right of Way – FP17 (near Shotwick House) – vegetation growth reported, 03/06/25. Ref. CE720109716.
- Public Right of Way access – FP4 (off Church Road) – vegetation growth reported, 03/06/25. Ref. CE720108002.
- PRoW issue – sent direct to CWaC PRoW officer following correspondence with Cllr Willett, 03/06/25. Wooden stake dangerous.
- Lodge Lane flytipping (green waste) – near main wooded section – reported on 10/06/25. Ref. CE722026836.
- Hermitage Road (Little Saughall end of the village) – hedge cut back notice request for a specific property. Reported on 10/06/25, ref. CE722030420.
- Community speedwatch engagement. I was pleased to join a session with the team on Friday 27th June on Church Road. In the hour long stint, four vehicles were observed going at speeds in excess of the 30mph limit in this area – 36mph, 55mph, 41mph and 38mph respectively.
- Manhole cover repair request, near Wain Court. At the May 2025 ‘joint surgery’ an issue with a manhole cover was raised with me as being dangerous and a trip hazard. The matter was taken up with Sanctuary Housing who advised on 19/06/25 as follows: “I’ve investigated this again and would like to sincerely apologise that the repair was not carried out as I previously advised. After speaking with the team, I’ve been informed that they were unfortunately required to attend an emergency repair, which caused the delay. We attended the site on 6 June and placed a cone to highlight the trip hazard. I’m pleased to confirm that the repair has now been completed, and I’ve attached a photo for your reference.” See image attached of the repair undertaken.
Planning application - 23/02512/FUL – field/land at Fiddlers Lane – use as dog exercise
This long-standing planning application has now been resolved: Permission has been granted, subject to conditions as detailed below.
- The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: Location Plan. Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.
- Dogs shall not be permitted within the site except during the following periods:
Between 1 April and 30 September: 0800 to 1800 Monday to Friday and 0800 to 1300 Saturday. Between 1 October and 31 March: 0800 to 1600 Monday to Friday and 0800 to 1300 Saturday. The site shall not be used for any purpose at any time on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Reason: To safeguard the amenity of surrounding occupants.
- Use of the dog exercise area shall be limited to one customer at a time and no more than 6 dogs at a time. Reason: To safeguard the amenity of surrounding occupants and to preserve the openness of the Green Belt.
- Prior to the installation of external lighting, a scheme detailing the lighting equipment to be installed shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The scheme shall include full details of the hours of operation, location, size, design of luminaries and fittings, type/output of light sources with lux levels. The lighting equipment shall be installed and used in accordance with the approved details. Reason: In order to minimise the impacts of any required external lighting upon visual amenity, residential amenity, and pollution of the night sky.
- Within three months of the date of this decision, a plan showing outdoor storage on the site associated with the use hereby permitted, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. No outdoor storage should be placed on the site except in accordance with the approved details. Reason: In order to minimise the impacts of any requires outdoor storage upon visual amenity and to preserve the openness of the Green Belt.
‘Community led Minor Highway improvements’ scheme
I have been advised by CWaC Highways as follows:
“I am pleased to inform you that we are looking to undertake a trial initiative focused on small-scale maintenance works on the Highway network that local communities and Parish/Town Councils consider valuable for enhancing their areas.
Our budgets are focused on safety led decisions, but we want to work with residents, communities and Town / Parish Councils on highway matters that are important to them. A small budget has been allocated for this trial, which is supported by our delivery partner, Colas, as part of their social value initiatives.
This trial will involve one of our contractors’ dedicated maintenance crew, consisting of two operatives and vehicle, equipped to carry out minor tasks that do not require additional materials such as tarmac.
The types of minor maintenance work included in this initiative would typically involve :
- Clearing encroaching small areas of grass and weeds from footways or paths
- General low-level tree pruning and branch removal to address overhanging vegetation (tree ownership would need to be confirmed)
- Low level hedge trimming and maintenance (would not include private hedges)
- Cleaning road signs, fingerposts, street nameplates and bollards
- Straightening / refixing loose signs
- Removing debris off the top of gullies (not cleansing)
To ensure fair distribution of the resource we have split the wards across the borough up into 16 areas, and each area will get the benefit of the maintenance crew for a week each. Some areas with include more than one ward. We appreciate that a week in each area may not be enough time to be able to complete all the works identified. However, if this trail is successful, it maybe something that will be considered in the future.
It would be appreciated if you can please liaise with the Parish or Town Council’s in your Ward and provide us with a list of suggestions and locations that you all think would benefit from this trial. We would like to programme this work as soon as possible so it would be great if this information can be returned to us by 31st July 2025.
We appreciate that these timescales are tight but want the work to start as soon as we can before the winter period. It would be appreciated if you can please complete the attached form and return it to me. It would be helpful if pictures can be provided as well. Once returned, these suggestions will be reviewed by the team and a programme of works will be put together for all 16 areas.”
I have a number of ideas already of areas within the parish which might benefit from this focus of work, but I’m open to further suggestions and would ask that you send any you might have to me, by email, by Monday 28th July in order that I can consolidate a note to CWaC officers accordingly.
IMPORTANT - developing a new Local Plan for Cheshire West and Chester
At its meeting on 11 June 2025, the CWaC Cabinet approved an eight-week public consultation of the Local Plan ‘Issues and Options’.
Local Plans are key documents that ensure development takes place using a planned approach across the borough, through allocating sites for different types of development, taking into account the needs of local people in terms of housing, employment and infrastructure.
The first formal stage in preparing a Local Plan is consultation on the ‘Issues and Options’, which notifies people of the intention to produce a new Local Plan and invites views on what it ought to contain, whether the right issues have been identified and which options are the best for addressing them.
The new plan will create a single local plan document that updates and replaces all policies in the current Local Plan (Part One) and Local Plan (Part Two) and will set out how much development is required in the borough.
The consultation sets out three spatial options for meeting future development needs, which based on a 15-year plan period, would be around 29,000 new homes and 150 hectares of employment land. The options are accompanied by a series of maps identifying potential areas for growth around settlements in the borough.
The options consider both accommodating development without Green Belt release and where Green Belt release should be considered as a reasonable alternative option. The consultation also seeks views on how policies in the existing Local Plan could be amended and updated to take them forward as part of the new Local Plan.
Comments can be made via the Council’s online consultation platform (and can also be submitted by email or by post). People will be able to comment on as many of the topics in the consultation Local Plan that they are interested in.
A number of face-to-face drop-in sessions and online virtual information events will be held during the consultation period, where officers will be available to answer questions and help people to respond to the consultation. Details can be found via the link to the consultation page.
The consultation began on Friday 4 July and will run until Friday 29 August via the Council’s website, which will allow consultees to submit their comments online, and also by email or by post. The Council will consider and analyse all responses received to inform the next stage of the plan in 2026.
Please consider engaging in this consultation by visiting: https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/localplan
Residents may be concerned to see potential growth areas identified on a map and assume these areas are coming forward imminently for future development through a planning application or will be allocated in new local plan. It will be important to help residents to understand that the identification of an area and its inclusion in the consultation document does NOT mean that the Council supports the area for allocation in the new Local Plan or will approve future development proposals through a planning application.
Decisions on the level and location of future development have not been made, and it is the responses received from this consultation that will inform discussions on future options for meeting development needs in line with national planning guidance.
