Councillor Martin Loftus (Hartford and Greenbank, Con) has spoken out against the Labour-run Council’s “go slow” efforts over producing a new Local Plan under the old system, instead ignoring recommendations its own Cabinet agreed in January 2025 to produce a plan as quickly as possible.
Having previously spoken out about concerns around delays to the production of the new Local Plan, which is now unlikely to be completed before the end of 2028 (Cheshire West and Chester Council “kicking the can down the road” on developing new Local Plan as delays postpone it until after May 2027 elections | Cheshire West and Chester), in his role as Shadow Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Loftus took the Labour Cabinet member to task over a lack of political will and direction at the Cabinet Meeting on 15 July 2026.
Speaking at the Cabinet meeting, Cllr Loftus remarked that: “Residents are understandably concerned about the number of speculative applications being submitted by developers. These developers are keen to exploit the fact that, due to the new method of calculating local housing need introduced by the Labour Government which resulted in a significant hike in the Council’s housing target, the Council’s land supply figure has fallen well beneath the required 5 years.
“As stated at Paragraph 4.3 (of the 15 July 2026 Cabinet Agenda Item 13. Local Plan Update report) “The change to the housing need means some key Local and Neighbourhood Plan policies are considered out of date and speculative planning applications are more likely to be approved.” That being the case, together with the fact that the Council has essentially lost control of which areas are to be developed, residents might have expected this Council to have moved heaven and earth to limit the period of uncertainty by introducing a new Local Plan as an absolute priority.
“Indeed, at Paragraph 4.3 it is highlighted that “A report was brought to Cabinet on 15 January 2025 that recognised the need to put a Local Plan in place as quickly as possible due to changes to housing need requirements”. (and) My understanding is that the development of New Local plans is usually a 30-month process, although this period can be shortened.
“This report states that in July 2024 the period within which new local plans could be submitted, under what is now known as the legacy system, was extended to December 2026, providing a sufficient 30-month window of opportunity. There still remained 24 months to deliver a plan following the report brought to Cabinet in January 2025. I would suggest that with sufficient political will and direction, it would have been possible to submit a plan under the legacy system.
“This Council’s failure to provide that direction seems to fly in the face of the recognition of the need to put a Local Plan in place as quickly as possible, as expressed in the Cabinet report of January 2025. Residents are understandably concerned and disappointed about the continuing uncertainty and I fully expect them to register their disappointment at the ballot box next May.”
Responding to Cllr Loftus’ Cabinet speech, Cllr Adrian Waddelove (Farndon, Con), Leader of the Conservative Group on Cheshire West and Chester, added that: “Once again it falls to Conservative Councillors to highlight Labour’s response as wanting over their spectacular level of complacency for not delivering a new Local Plan under the old system.
“This report is yet further evidence that despite claiming to be on the side of local residents, they were far too quick to ignore their own recommendations whilst allowing their Government’s disproportionate housing targets to impact our communities.
“Martin is right – they should have moved heaven and earth to prepare the Local Plan that would have helped revive our towns and protect our villages. Instead, they have masterminded a go slow that leaves years of further uncertainty for our residents and allows housebuilders to attempt to bulldoze every green field in sight. This is not progress, this is punishment. And with an election in May 2027, I know every resident I speak with wants to punish this inaction at the ballot box.”
