THE leader of Cheshire East Council has defended the authority’s £3.7million spend on its local plan, stating it is ‘perfectly reasonable and sensible’.

Critics have attacked the authority for spending millions of pounds on the blueprint for development in the borough up to 2030.

However, Clr Michael Jones said the sum was money spent to protect Cheshire East from unplanned and unsustainable development and ‘a drop in the ocean’ compared to the economic benefit to all residents in the years to come.

Clr Jones said: “First of all, the council put the spending figure in the public domain in the first place. We have nothing to hide.

“It is perfectly reasonable and sensible to spend £3.7m putting together such a large, complex and vitally important document as the local plan and I don’t understand why some critics are seemingly so upset.

“A spend of £3.7m would equate to the monetary value of about 1.5acres of development on land in the north of the borough.

“When you consider that many developers are trying to get planning permission on our greenbelt and Greenfield sites, £3.7m to protect us from up to £81billion of development, again going in unsustainable locations, seems pretty good value for money to me.”

Criticism over spending is not the only thing to have rocked the local plan lately.

Following a damning report from the planning inspector, the council pressed paused on the examination process of the local plan for six months in order for further work to be done.

In the wake of the inspector’s findings, Clr David Brown, who has been in charge of the local plan since 2009, stepped down from his role and was replaced by a ‘task force’, led by Knutsford ward member Clr Peter Raynes.

Clr Raynes said: “It is important to bear in mind that the pause in the public examination of the local plan is not a rejection of the entire local plan – and we welcome the opportunity to address the specific areas of concern to the inspector.

“The report highlights some weaknesses in the local plan but there’s plenty that’s right – the duty to cooperate with neighbouring councils, for example.

“The delay is regrettable but it is important that this document is right for the people of Cheshire looking forward to 2030.”

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