Major Milestone Reached in Cherrywood Town Centre Review Process

The Amendment supports the delivery of a vibrant and well‑designed Town Centre by allowing for more development and taller landmark buildings, where appropriate, well-designed civic spaces and streets, alongside a better balance of homes, shops, jobs, and services at the heart of Cherrywood. It updates how employment space is provided to better reflect modern town centre uses, while continuing to protect Cherrywood’s role as a strategic employment area. 

The Proposed Amendment, when fully approved, will also allow for the delivery of circa 2,000 additional homes, with potential for more in line with national apartment guidelines, and introduces clear phasing requirements to ensure that shops, services and other town centre facilities are delivered alongside new homes to meet the needs of the growing community.

 The work was led by an in-house team supported by a multidisciplinary team of technical experts with specialist expertise in urban design, retail provision, land use, sustainable transportation, servicing infrastructure, community infrastructure and micro‑climate analysis, including sunlight and daylight, and wind assessments, alongside viability assessment . The required environmental considerations:  Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA) were undertaken throughout the process on an iterative basis. Meanwhile, at the Special Council Meeting, Dr. Conor Norton of LOCI, Urban Designer and Town Planner, provided an overview of the Review Area, followed by a presentation of the Chief Executive’s Report by the dlr Team. 

The Amendment provides for:

• An intensification of the built form, through an increase in overall development quantum, arising from higher plot ratios,  increased building heights, and attractive public squares.
• A significant shift in land‑use mix within the Town Centre Core and Environs, with a rebalancing of retail, residential and employment uses. This approach is informed by the evidence‑based findings of the supporting technical reports and reflects Cherrywood’s role as a District Centre.
• Changes to employment zoning, with employment replaced by a mixed‑use employment and services category within the Town Centre Core to better reflect the nature of town centre businesses. Increased plot ratios for employment lands within the Environs Area continue to safeguard Cherrywood as a strategic employment location.
• A substantial increase in residential provision, delivering circa 2,000 additional homes, with potential for a higher yield having regard to the Apartment Guidelines published in July 2025.
• The introduction of clear phasing requirements to ensure the timely delivery of retail and other town centre land uses, aligned with residential development and the needs of the growing community.

*The modifications that are material in nature, arising from the submissions, the consideration of the issues raised and the input of the Elected Members, will proceed shortly to a further stage of Public Consultation this month, for a four-week period. This will be advertised on our consultation portal Citizenspace.

Following that process, a final Chief Executive’s Report will be considered by the Elected Members. 

Full meeting and all relevant presentations can be viewed on our website.