NEW documents that will ensure new development in the town is designed to the ‘highest standards’ have been approved.

The cabinet approved the updated supplementary planning documents (SPDs) at its meeting on Monday.

According to a report to cabinet, SPDs are documents which add ‘further detail’ to the policies contained in the Local Plan.

“They can be used to provide further guidance for development on specific sites, or on particular policy areas,” it said.

“SPDs do not have the same status as the Local Plan but they are a material consideration in planning decisions.

“Once adopted, the SPDs will add further detail to the policies of the Local Plan and will become a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.”

The report said the planning obligations SPD will ensure that that contributions from new development towards the infrastructure required to support Warrington’s growth are ‘maximised’ – while the Warrington design guide SPD and environmental protection SPD will ensure that new development provides ‘well designed, healthy environments, promoting active and healthy lifestyles and reducing the pressure on social and health care services over the longer term’.

Furthermore, it said the preparation of the SPDs is funded from existing budgets.

The reasons for recommendation, as stated in the report, are to ensure that new development provides the ‘appropriate range and value’ of planning obligations to mitigate its impact and to contribute to the new and improved infrastructure necessary to support Warrington’s growth, is designed to the ‘highest standards’ and makes a ‘positive contribution’ to the town, its settlements and surrounding countryside, and ‘minimises levels of pollution and provides appropriate mitigation against any impacts’.

As recommended, the cabinet agreed the proposed amendments to the planning obligations SPD, Warrington design guide SPD and environmental protection SPD, approved the final version of the planning obligations SPD for adoption, approved the final version of the Warrington design guide SPD for adoption, approved the final version of the environmental protection SPD for adoption, and agreed that the director for growth, in consultation with the cabinet member for housing services and licensing, can make ‘any necessary minor factual amendments’ to the SPDs prior to their final publication.