Local plan scoping consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 1271

Received: 01/08/2026

Respondent: Kate Barker

Dear Cheshire East Local Plan Team,
I am writing to formally submit my strong objection to the potential inclusion of greenfield and Green Belt sites in and around Adlington (including the excessive number of sites submitted by Belport Adlington Ltd) within the Cheshire East Local Plan.
The scale of developer-led land submissions across Adlington threatens to destroy irreplaceable countryside, overwhelm local infrastructure, and undermine the democratic integrity of local planning. I urge the Council to reject these site submissions on the following statutory and planning grounds:
1. Inappropriate Development in the Green Belt (NPPF Compliance)
The vast majority of the land put forward in Adlington consists of protected Green Belt. Paragraphs 147–151 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) strictly protect Green Belt land against inappropriate development.
• No Exceptional Circumstances: Green Belt boundaries should only be modified in exceptional circumstances. Commercial land assembly by speculative developers does not constitute an exceptional circumstance.
• Prevention of Urban Sprawl: Development in this area would result in the direct merging of settlements, creating continuous urban sprawl between Macclesfield, Poynton, and Stockport—directly violating the core purposes of the Green Belt.
2. Destruction of Best & Most Versatile (BMV) Agricultural Land
The sites submitted comprise high-quality, active agricultural land and family farms.
• National Policy & Food Security: Government planning policy requires local authorities to prioritize brownfield land and protect high-grade agricultural land. Permanently concrete-capping productive farmland during an era of heightened food security concerns is unsustainable and legally unsound.
3. Critical Failure of Supporting Infrastructure
Adlington is a rural parish with virtually no local infrastructure capable of absorbing high-density residential development:
• Highways & Congestion: The local road network (including the A523) is already heavily congested. Adding hundreds of commuter vehicles will cause severe traffic paralysis across Adlington, Poynton, and surrounding arteries.
• Public Services: Local primary and secondary schools, GP surgeries, and hospitals are already operating beyond maximum capacity.
• Drainage & Flood Risk: Parts of the proposed allocation sit within river valleys and flood zones (River Dean) with historical coal workings, posing significant geo-technical and hydrological risks.
4. Overwhelming Local Opposition & Democratic Mandate
The level of opposition across Cheshire East is overwhelming and unequivocal:
• Cheshire East Council voted unanimously to oppose speculative large-scale developments in Adlington.
• Parish and town councils—including Adlington, Poynton, Bollington, Prestbury, and Pott Shrigley—along with local MPs and thousands of residents, have expressed firm opposition.
• Speculative submissions driven purely by land promoter self-interest (such as Belport) ignore the community’s vision, the democratic process, and the principles of genuine localism.
5. Ecological Harm & Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain
Adlington features historic field boundaries, ancient hedgerows, and high-value habitats supporting protected species. Under the Environment Act 2021, developments must deliver a mandatory 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). Ecological assessments by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust demonstrate that the high baseline ecological value of this land makes mitigating biodiversity loss on-site virtually impossible.
Conclusion
I urge Cheshire East Council to listen to its residents, uphold its own unanimous resolutions, and reject all greenfield/Green Belt site submissions in Adlington. Development must be directed toward brownfield sites in sustainable urban locations where infrastructure already exists.
Please confirm receipt of this representation and ensure it is logged for the Local Plan consultation.
Yours sincerely,
Kate Barker