Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s Local Plan – Main Modifications Consultation CLOSED – 17 December 2025
Residents and interested parties are encouraged to review the Local Plan Main Modifications documents, available at the link below:
https://www.newcastle-staffs.gov.uk/localplan
Click here to view the Local Plan Modifications on the Borough Council website
Please see below response submitted from Audley Rural Parish Council dated 17th December 2025 on the Main Modifications in relation to AB2:
Statement ARPC – Main Modifications Submitted 17 Dec 2025
Statement ARPC – Appendix 1 – AB2 Distance from Craddocks Moss and Cranberry Bog
Statement ARPC – Appendix 2 – Photos taken of incidents up to 4th November 2025 Redacted Statement ARPC – Appendix 3 A500 Exit Slip JW Alsager Road Collision Cluster Dec 2025 apprd
Representations on the modifications needed to be submitted before the consultation closed on 17 December 2025. All comments will be considered by the Planning Inspector as part of the next stage of the Local Plan examination. This consultation gave a final opportunity to comment on the proposed changes before the Inspector issues a final report.
Key proposed changes affecting Audley Rural Parish include:
- Removal of site AB33 (Land off Nantwich Road/Park Lane – 55 homes).
- Removal of site AB12 (Land east of Diglake Street – 125 homes).
- Retention of site AB15 (Land north of Vernon Avenue – 33 homes), with minor amendments to policy wording.
- Policy changes for Strategic Employment Site AB2, covering approximately 80 hectares near M6 Junction 16 by Park Lane, Moat Lane and Barthomley Road.
Following the Inspector’s final report, the Local Plan will return to Full Council in 2026 for consideration and potential adoption.
Audley Rural Parish Council’s Views on the Strategic Employment site (AB2) in the Local Plan
(NBC Local Plan Main Modifications Consultation Ends 17 December)
What is AB2?
AB2 is a proposed Strategic Employment site in the Newcastle-under-Lyme Local Plan. It covers almost 80 hectares of agricultural land and open countryside currently within the Parish and Borough’s Green Belt, located near Junction 16 of the M6 and bordering the A500, Park Lane, Moat Lane, and Barthomley Road. For context, the total site area is comparable in size to the combined villages of Audley and Bignall End.
In addition to the Local Plan, a planning application has been submitted by the developer for the AB2 site which includes:
- Six “Big Box” logistics warehouses
- A 200-space HGV lorry park
- A new left-turn access for A500 westbound traffic
- A traffic-light controlled right turn for vehicles approaching from the Junction 16 of the M6
- Creation of 2,500 to 3,570 jobs
- Green Infrastructure
As a Strategic Employment site, AB2 will provide jobs for Newcastle-under-Lyme, but also the wider areas including Cheshire East and Stoke-on-Trent. Cheshire East Council has formally objected to the allocation in the Local Plan stating: “Site AB2 is adjacent to the borough boundary and is slightly closer to the centre of Crewe than it is to the centre of Newcastle-under-Lyme (and much closer to the centre of Alsager). There are concerns over the impacts that the plan may have on Cheshire East, for example in terms of housing demand, infrastructure requirements and travel patterns”.
Parish Council considerations
Since 2021, the Parish Council has objected to the AB2 site allocation. At the Local Plan Examination hearings in May and June 2025, the Parish Council presented detailed representations using legal expertise. Key considerations included:
- Green Belt designation: National planning policy requires “exceptional circumstances” to alter Green Belt boundaries, and the Parish Council sought clarity on how these tests have been met.
- Environmental role of the land: The site provides a buffer between nearby settlements and major roads.
- Local impacts: Potential issues include noise, light pollution, air quality, increased traffic through local roads, and additional pressure on infrastructure and services.
Traffic and A500 slip-road safety
The concerns raised by the local residents regarding transport and road-safety conditions around the A500 slip road, which serves the area, have been raised within the representations. Increases in traffic collisions at the Audley/Alsager Road slip-road exits, linked to congestion on the A500, reinforce the validity of these concerns. The Parish Council has requested that these existing conditions be carefully considered by the Planning Inspector when assessing the site’s suitability. The Parish Council has also asked for clarification on how additional vehicle movements—including HGV traffic associated with the proposed development—would be managed, and what measures may be required to ensure safe access to and from the site.
Next steps
Further representations will be made in response to this last consultation which ends 17th December 2025.
You can view earlier representations to the previous stages of the Local Plan below:
Newcastle Borough Council’s (NBC) Final Draft Local Plan – Examination (May and June 2025)
This took place during May and June 2025. You can find more information here:
https://www.newcastle-staffs.gov.uk/planning-policy/local-plan-examination
Please see below the Parish Council’s representations, which included legal representation, made at the Local Plan hearings in May and June.
Newcastle Borough Council’s (NBC) Final Draft Local Plan – Consultation (12th August to 7th October 2024)
Audley Rural Parish Council’s responses to the NBC Local Plan:
The Parish Council’s response to the Final Draft Local Plan consultation Oct 2024:
Please click here to view the Parish Council response Letter Oct 2024 – Submitted 04.10.24
App A SWT Audley Parish – Natural Capital Assessment FINAL REPORT Submitted 04.10.24
The Parish Council’s response to the First Draft Local Plan consultation July 2023
Please click here to view the Parish Council response July 2023
The Parish Council’s response to the Local Plan Issues and Options consultation Dec 2021 Please click here to view the Local Plan Issues and Options Questions – Audley Rural Parish Council Response submitted 22.12.21 (PDF)
Final Draft Local Plan Consultation:
Please see below 3 proposed housing sites in Green Belt around the Parish (total of 213 houses) and also the large (198 acres of Green Belt) employment/warehousing site proposed at land off Park Lane/Moat Lane/Barthomley Road, Audley.
Visit here to see more information by clicking this link here www.newcastle-staffs.gov.uk/Localplan
Interactive map showing all sites: Please click here to view the NBC Local Plan Consultation 2024 Interactive Map (arcgis.com)
NBC Local Plan summary: Please click here to view the NBC Local Plan Summary document (PDF)
NBC Local Plan leaflet: Please click here to view the NBC Local Plan Leaflet (PDF)
NBC Video presentation for all areas including Audley: NBC have issued a video which can be viewed here – Please click to view Emerging Newcastle-under-Lyme local plan Video – Audley
Consultation on the Draft Local Plan has now ended (7th Oct 2024) it will now be submitted for examination
Website – Further information on the Plan, how to make representations and the consultation portal can be accessed via the Council’s website at www.newcastle-staffs.gov.uk/Localplan
Map below annotated by the Parish Council to show the proposed sites in Audley Rural Parish.
Map above showing context of the AB2 site in Audley Rural Parish Green Belt
Below for info only:
The Preferred Option Consultation report and 16th January 2024 Cabinet report on the Local Plan update – can be viewed here please click the link to view Cabinet Report 16th January 2024 and please click the link to view the Consultation appendix
The Parish Council wrote to Newcastle Borough Council in January 2023 to ask for a review of the Housing numbers which denote how many houses are required in the Local Plan. The letters and the response from Newcastle Borough Council are included below:
Letter 1 APRC to NBC housing target review 24 Jan 2023 redacted
Letter 1 from NBC to ARPC response 16 May 2023 Hsg Targets Local Plan Redacted
Letter 2 APRC to NBC housing target review 07 June 2023 redacted
Letter 2 from NBC to APRC housing target review 13 June 2023 Response Off Complaint redacted
The Parish Council wrote to Mr Aaron Bell MP in August 2023 to ask for his support regarding the potential loss of Green Belt for AB2. The email and response are below:
Text of an email sent to Mr A Bell MP 080823 from ARPC
Letter From Mr Aaron Bell MP 300823 AB2 Green Belt issues