The Blacon Neighbourhood Alliance (BNA) is preparing the first Blacon Community Neighbourhood Plan (BCNP) to cover the period from 2025 – 2040. The BNA is defined as a ‘qualifying body’ for this purpose in line with the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended). As Blacon is unparished, the BNA was designated by the local planning authority, Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC), on 22 August 2023 as a ‘neighbourhood forum’ for a five year period within which to bring forward the BCNP.

The Blacon Neighbourhood Area was designated by CWaC as the area to which the policies of the BCNP will apply (see map below). The Area was chosen to coincide with the two CWaC electoral wards (Blacon Hall and Blacon Lodge). It covers all of the built up areas of Blacon, a small area of land off the Parkgate Road roundabout and the open land between Blacon and the commercial areas off Sealand Road. Its western boundary is part of the border between England and Wales.

Blacon has a secondary school – Blacon High School – and five primary schools. There are a number of places of worship, the Blacon Cemetery and two local shopping areas at The Parade and at Western Avenue.  

The BCNP will cover the period from April 2025 to March 2040. This version contains draft policies for determining planning applications for the use and development of land within Blacon during that period. In doing so it operates alongside other policies of the CWaC development plan that relate to Blacon.

The BCNP is published for statutory consultation under Regulation 14 of the Regulations. Comments on the proposals and content of the plan and its other published documents are welcomed from everyone living and working in Blacon as well as local organisations and landowners. They must be made either by email to secretary@BlaconNeighbourhoodAlliance.co.uk or by post to Blacon Neighbourhood Alliance, c/o 33 Ashfield Crescent, Blacon, Chester CH1 5AU by 5th May 2025 at the latest. Any comments made after that deadline may not be considered by the BNA. 

Anyone submitting comments to the BNA must provide an email or postal address and contact name. The BNA will keep this information confidential. However, it must forward information to CWaC in due course for the sole purpose of notifying all those that have submitted comments that it has received a final version of the plan for examination.

At the same time, the BNA is proposing a Blacon Community Neighbourhood Development Order (NDO) to grant outline planning permission for a scheme that will deliver the Sports & Community Hub scheme of Policy BLACON1 of the Plan at Cairns Crescent. It will be consulted on and examined at the same time as the BCNP and will be another question on the referendum ballot paper.

The BNA is working to this timetable:

• Draft BCNP and NDO Consultations – March/April 2025
• Submit final BCNP and NDO to CWaC – July 2025
• CWaC pre-examination publicity period – September/October 2025
• Independent examination of BCNP and NDO – November/December 2025
• Referendum on BCNP and NDO – February 2026