Last chance to have your say on draft Local Plan

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This week is your last chance to have your say on proposals for the future of Wilmslow and Handforth as the Local Plan consultation closes on Tuesday, 26th February.

Proposals in the draft Development Strategy for Wilmslow include: building 75 houses on green belt land at the Royal London site, 225 houses on safeguarded land at Adlington Road and taking Fulshaw Fields, west of Alderley Road, out of green belt and safeguarding it for future development.

Proposals for Handforth include a new settlement of 2300 homes on green belt land to the east of the A34 bypass, along with 5ha of employment land and supporting infrastructure such as a local retail centre, new secondary and primary schools, leisure facilities, open space and sports pitches.

Manuel Golding Residents of Wilmslow (RoW) said "It is therefore vital that you let Cheshire East have your "Objections" to its proposals to destroy some highly valuable green belt and greenfield areas of the town."

He added "RoW recommends that Wilmslow residents send a loud and clear message to both Cheshire East Council and the Government that we are not against some development but all brownfield sites must be utilised well before the green belt or greenfield sites are considered."

Last month RoW sent a list of brownfield sites to Cheshire East Council which they believe would provide locations for the 400 homes said to be required in Wilmslow.

Manuel Golding of RoW said "We believe our strategy and policy has the very best interests of Wilmslow's residents today and for our future generations. That is why we fervently believe that any development in Wilmslow must be on brownfield sites before any consideration of despoiling green belt and greenfield be allowed.

"Therefore no greenbelt and green fields should be developed until all brownfield sites have first been used. Developers will choose greenfield sites first, so if the estimate of the numbers of houses needed should prove to be too high, green belt and greenfield lands will have been used unnecessarily whilst brownfield sites remain undeveloped.

"RoW believe there are at least 400 sites that are either available or could become available in the 20 year time span of the new Local Plan. The Council has said repeatedly it would build only on brownfield if enough sites can be found - this RoW believes it has achieved.

"The list was put forward to Cheshire East as a basis for further discussion so that a list of brownfield sites would be mutually agreed. It is essential that all brownfield sites be identified and agreed long before even considering putting at risk greenbelt sites forwards. Failure by Cheshire East to agree this list with RoW before the consultation closes could result in the loss of other, green belt sites around Wilmslow."

A spokesperson for Cheshire East Council said: "The Council has had numerous meetings with residents of Wilmslow to discuss brownfield sites -and have commented in detail on a list of sites provided by residents.

"The Council has now received a further list of sites which we will assess as part of the current consultation. We recognise the importance of brownfield sites and so will be keen to gain an understanding of what has been submitted.

"The Council is currently engaging with residents groups across Cheshire East and is having considerable dialogue with residents in all towns to discuss brownfield sites. At the end of these discussions the Council will then identify which of the brownfield sites will be used for residential development."

Consultation documents are on the Cheshire East Council website and hard copies are available from Wilmslow and Handforth Library.

Responses to the proposals should be made either on line at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/localplan, via email to [email protected] or by letter to: Spatial Planning, Cheshire East Council, Westfields, Sandbach, CW11 1HZ.

All responses must be received by 26th February.

Tags:
Local Plan
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Richard Minton
Tuesday 19th February 2013 at 7:51 pm
Keep Wilmslow's Green belt green , CeC should be vigorously pursuing Brown belt usage,
But it takes more effort ! and more money is made concreting over green belt. Perhaps any
empty offices could be converted to affordable housing , Can ROW put some contact details
Here or on Facebook :- Wilmslow RAID so communication can happen . The people of Wilmslow who care about the fantastic environment we have , from Fulshaw , to the peat bog , the common, the Carrs , the Bollin valley in Wilmslow Park , etc, need to engage together to ensure we keep what we have . Once a piece of open land is concreted over it is never undone.
David Lewis
Wednesday 20th February 2013 at 11:30 am
Residents of Wilmslow (RoW) can be reached at
Tel 07 930 377 778
Wednesday 20th February 2013 at 8:18 pm
Its not just the obvious green belt land that needs careful protection but also the less
visible sections . ie the land down Moor Land just past Ned Yates that a professional group
[Matthew Green Planning Solutions Ltd] are trying to develop for a number of gypsies to live on
Wilmslow people need to pull together to preserve the green and pleasant land we enjoy.