As construction boss John White prepares for his son's christening and an opportunity to launch his new trophy girlfriend onto Cheshire society, he discovers the bank has frozen his credit. Attributing the problem to a building site planning delay, he takes drastic action and demolishes the surviving façade.
Beth visits her father in Manchester only to find he has died in his armchair. John arrives to support her and they reflect on the area where they both grew up. Beth thinks it has "gone to the dogs," and resolves not to leave her father's remains in the dilapidated local cemetery but to scatter his ashes on the golf course in Cheshire.
Lauren conducts a passionate affair with Russell Neale, a young Premiership footballer who is uncomfortable with his fame. His celebrity gives her a new view on Cheshire life. But Lauren soon clashes with Russell's manager, Dean Kidd, who tries to pay her off like a groupie, but increases her determination to bend Russell to her will.
The press look for an angle on Russell's suicide and stake out Whiteoaks and Darren's house. But Darren and Charlotte manage to avoid them and join the school trip to London. With Darren away, Terese decides to spend a night in a motel with Keith. But when he teases her about what Darren could be up to in London she cancels their night of passion and makes a point of meeting Darren and Charlotte from the bus when they return.
It's the social event of the year and the Cheshire women are in a spin getting the must-have frock and all the necessary beauty treatments. But Terese faces a huge distraction: what to do about Jacqui. Meanwhile John's Avalon Basin plans look dodgy. His buddy at the Council has been replaced by a new planning officer: an earnest, ambitious young Asian man who can't be bought off.
Cassidy has discovered the pact between John and Beth and is furious, but John has no time to remedy the situation as the Avalon Basin decision is imminent and he has arranged a jolly to entertain the Planning Committee and Councillors. Cassidy resents not being invited, but her attention is soon diverted when her drug addict mother turns up at Whiteoaks.
Series finale double bill. Naomi is well enough to leave hospital but is nowhere near ready to live alone so John decides to bring her to Whiteoaks. Her arrival intrigues Cassidy and Lauren but Terese is hostile, worrying about her influence on Charlotte.
As Cassidy plans the wedding John hears a rumour that his Avalon Basin scheme is about to be accepted by the council. What he doesn't know is that Darren and Councillor Haq are negotiating to cut John out. Haq still hopes to re-open an inquiry into the Redstart flats fire and, as a condition of giving Darren the contract, asks him to bring Naomi to see him so he can discover what she remembers.