Town Council presents their revised Vision

As reported last week, Wilmslow Town Council (WTC) has completed the redraft of the controversial Wilmslow Town Vision.

The document, now entitled the Wilmslow Town Strategy, was discussed at last night's Town Council meeting where councillors voted unanimously to adopt it.

The working group of Wilmslow Town Council presented an executive summary of the revised document to fellow councillors and about 50 members of public who attended the meeting - identifying the key recommendations they have made.

Cllr Keith Purdom said "In trying to address the vision we came up with a number of things we thought were very important.

"We were absolutely committed that it would be a resident led response, equally we were very keen that whatever we did would be completely transparent, no nasty surprises and we would have a logic for every recommendation. What we wanted was an audit trail so if there is a recommendation in this document we will be able to defend that position.

"We met with everyone who asked us to meet, literally. The other thing we thought was important for the Council and for Wilmslow was that we came up with an unanimous report so what you will be presented with this evening and what you will read on the website is the unanimious opinion of the four of us on the working group."

The working group then revealed everyone they had met or spoken with during this process which included: Cllr Michael Jones Leader of Cheshire East Council (CEC), Adrian Fisher Head of Planning at CEC, Stuart House Planning Officer at CEC, Transition Wilmslow, Residents of Wilmslow (ROW), Ainsclough Strategic Land who have some proposals for site Aa and Ab, John Rose Associates regarding land at Stanneylands, Royal London and Wilmslow High School.

The revised document has reduced the suggested number of additional houses to be built in Wilmslow over the next 20 years from 1500 to 400 - which is to be achieved without building on any existing green belt land.

With regard to employment land, Site F, to the east of the Royal London site, has been identified as the least worst option for employment development.

Cllr Christopher Dodson said "We met with Royal London who are the largest employer in Wilmslow, the numbers fluctuate but they have had up to 1000 people on that site.

"They convinced us that looking over the next 20 years there is a unlikely to be sufficient employment space within Wilmslow. Over the next 20 years we feel, and Royal London feel, there is going to be a need for more employment space and so in relation to Site F, which is between Royal London and the railway, although it is in the green belt, which is controversial, we would make a recommendation that office space or employment related development should be allowed on that site.

"Now Royal London also wanted to build houses on that site and we're saying categorically no to the building of houses on green belt but on the southern part of the site in principle if the need is shown in the next few years there should be scope for employment related development.

"Royal London are also prepared to provide additional playing fields for the high school because part of the northern part of the site does adjoin the existing playing fields of the high school so solely for that purpose we will allow some development on the green belt but not for housing."

Cllr Adrian Bradley spoke about housing.

He said "The figure 1500 originally sparked all the interest that originally eroded in Wilmslow in the spring. The figure 1500 was reported in some places as a proposal from Cheshire East that there could be 1500 houses built on green belt in actual fact it is the very opposite of that.

"What CEC has done is looked at all the sites which are potential green belt development sites, from developers point of view, and said if the worst came to the worst there could be 1500 new houses. None of us wanted that so what we have tried to do here is build a very strong local plan to defend against any such developments in the future but we couldn't say no houses at all.

"We can anticipate up to 400 new houses being built in the town during the period of this vision (up to 2030) but there will be no green belt development for housing, no green field development - all the development will be on brownfield and windfall, which is brownfield sites which might arise in the future."

He added "The small piece just off Adlington Road, that at the moment is safeguarded our plan is to extend so that it is safeguarded until at least 2025. We also identified the need for smaller houses for starter homes, old peoples homes and not so much 4 ad 5 bedroom family homes.

"We couldn't say we needed no houses at all. We had to come up with a number which we thought would be acceptable to residents of Wilmslow. We believe 400 is the right figure.

"Why did we not say none at all? - well that would be indefensible, that wouldn't show any development had been considered. We probably need something like 8% more housing in the town each year simply to sustain the population we got."

Cllr Bradley added "Cheshire East has got a directive from central government to create so many houses across Cheshire East and we were let off very lightly because places like Congleton, Sandbach and even Handforth up the road are likely to be hit by much bigger numbers than we are being asked to provide.

"We also need to have some development for employers who are looking to occupy the empty office space and keep the town centre vibrant. The figure 0 was a non starter."

Speaking about the people they had met and what they came to the Town Council to talk about, Cllr Bradley said "We met with an organisation called Ainscough who have got quite detailed plans to work on the land which is on the corner of the Prestbury link road and the bypass they wanted to build round there on behalf of the landowner.

"Royal London have come up with two interesting propositions. As you go out of town on Alderley Road on the right they wanted to build some houses there, its green belt land and we gave them absolutely no encouragement whatsoever.

"On their own site on the left side of the road we listened to what they had to say about office space which is required, there is some merits in that argument we did encourage them to talk to the school about more playing fields but they also wanted to build houses, probably to support the cost of their own development but the rule is no houses on green belt land.

"We also had a visit from the people representing the land of Stanneylands which is to the right where there's been race horses in the past. Once again we listened to what they had to say, we gave them no encouragement, no suggestions of which way to go forward. We just listened to them without discussion.

"Finally there was some talk about a potential science park on the land between the railway and the bypass at the beginning of the A34 where it comes from Alderley Edge bypass."

Cllr Keith Purdom concluded "Its a judgement call, we think 400 is a defendable number but if it was a higher number it would be more defendable if it was lower number it would be less defendable. We think 400 is right, we think 400 can be satisfied from brownfield which allows us to come out with our vision that there is no housing development on green belt sites at all.

"We have the support from the conglomerate of Residents of Wilmslow for that number and we've had a pretty strong informal response from the Leader of Cheshire East that he also believes that is a number that CEC will be able to defend."

The presentation was followed by an extended period of public participation.

Manuel Golding, representing ROW (an amalgamation of six residents groups that came together to protect the green belt and green fields) said "We have worked closely with Wilmslow Town Council advisory group and we came out by and large in agreement.

"I was little bit disturbed by Cllr Dobson's mention of Royal London of having convinced you of their need for them to develop their office site. It is not necessary there is ample office space on there."

Martin Lewis, representing Dean Row added "I must congratulate you, you have listened and we're all very encouraged with the result of this presentation tonight.

"How long it is now going to take for CEC to integrate your recommendations into the bigger picture and put the jigsaw together, when is there decision going to made and what in your opinion is the likely outcome?"

Cllr Purdom responded "My personal opinion is we have given CEC one hell of a headache, and in that I mainly mean residents groups that side of the table, there were more responses as a proportion of the population than anywhere ever known about in Cheshire.

"So when planning applications are made and they are looking at evidence they now have a heck of a lot of evidence of local peoples views and hopefully we think we are pretty much aligned with those residents views, maybe on employment there is a little gap still but on housing we certainly side to side. "

Cllr Gary Barton added "Spring 14 is the end date when we will hopefully have an approved plan.

"We're hoping a full one will be prepared early to mid 2013 which will then go out to consultation.

"We are confident that the excellent work the group has done gives it a strong position, we can't thank enough the response we have had from the public because it has made our position stronger and easier to deal with."

Regarding the potential development of the town centre, Cllr Keith Purdom said "Cllr Jones has told us nothing will happen in the town centre without full consultation."

Cllr Gary Barton added "If any proposals were to be considered, for the library or leisure centre Cheshire East has said they would certainly liaise with Wilmslow Town Council and the residents before any further proposals were put forward."

The Wilmslow Town Strategy document will inform the new development plan for Cheshire East, called the Local Plan, which will guide the future planning and development of towns and villages up to 2030.

Click here to read the redraft of Wilmslow Vision - the Wilmslow Town Strategy.

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Wilmslow Town Council, Wilmslow Town Strategy, Wilmslow Vision