​These background documents will be relied on when testing the soundness of development plan documents at examination.

• Article 4 Direction - Garden Quarter area of Chester - looks at the issue of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).
• Article 4 Direction - King Street - looks at the issue of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).
• Article 4 Direction - Newry Park - looks at the issue of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).
• Chester archaeological plan provides guidance on the impact that development may have on heritage assets and their settings.
• Chester characterisation study - intended to guide development in Chester city centre and will help architects and designers.
• Chester's One City Plan: vibrant history, dynamic future is a 15 year strategy to guide the future economic regeneration of Chester.
• Conservation area appraisals - aim to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of the designated areas.
• Creating growth, cutting carbon: making sustainable local transport happen - a Department for Transport white paper - sets out the Government's vision for a sustainable local transport system.
• Ellesmere Port vision and strategic regeneration framework - identifies key development zones in Ellesmere Port and will stimulate, focus and support activities and developments over the next 10 to 15 years.
• Green infrastructure (GI) framework for North East Wales, Cheshire and Wirral and the Ellesmere Port and Chester GI links action plan - provide a guide for green infrastructure planning, investment and delivery.
• Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) - assesses land for housing and economic development. The 2017 HELAA updates the Council’s 2013 Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment and Employment Land Review Update
• Monitoring reports - annual monitoring of: the Council's housing land supply; the Local Plan documents and policies; and minerals and waste technical information.
• National flood and coastal erosion risk management strategy for England- prepared by the Environment Agency and Defra - describes what needs to be done by all organisations involved in flood and coastal erosion risk management.
• Northwich area flood risk assessment - a strategic and holistic approach to managing flood risk for the Northwich Vision development areas.
• Open space study and playing pitch strategy - identifies the needs, deficits and surpluses of open space, sports and recreational facilities in the borough.
• Retail studies - assess the need for additional retail development and include town centre 'health checks'.
• Strategic flood risk assessment - identifies and assesses the risk of flooding from all sources across West Cheshire.
• Strategic housing land availability assessment (SHLAA) - is an assessment of how many units can be accommodated on identified sites and the timeframes for when these sites are likely to be available. The exercise also identifies constraints associated with bringing potential sites forward and how and when these can be removed to help improve the potential for housing.
• Sustainability appraisals and strategic assessments - set out key baseline information for the West Cheshire area along with plans, policies and programmes which are relevant to the Council's Local Plan.
• Water cycle strategy - looks at how additional development may affect Cheshire West and Chester's water environment.
• West Cheshire and North East Wales sub-regional spatial strategy and strategic environmental assessment process report 2006-2021 - provides a non-statutory framework for greater cross-border co-operation and development between North East Wales and West Cheshire until 2021.