Local plan scoping consultation

As a resident of Mobberley, I wish to register my objection to the inclusion of Site MB08, Land off Ryecroft Lane, Mobberley, in the Cheshire East Local Plan Scoping Consultation for several reasons.

Firstly, the essential contribution this Green Belt land represents towards preventing the merger of the village of Mobberley with the town of Knutsford, as documented in Cheshire East Council’s own Mobberley Settlement Report, Local Plan ED37, pages 49-53 dated 2020 which states: “Land off Ryecroft Lane makes a major contribution to providing an essential gap of less than 700 metres between Mobberley and Knutsford and development of it would significantly reduce the actual and perceived gap between settlements”.

In reality this gap has already been very significantly eroded since 2020 by a 236 home development along with huge expansion of the commercial development at Parkgate, and permission for housing developments at Booths Hall and 225 homes at Longridge, bordering Dog Wood, Mobberley, which marks the end of Pavement Lane.

Site MB08 is bordered by unlit narrow lanes with ancient hedgerows, most of which have no footpath.

The site is also one of the very few remaining dark areas between Mobberley and Knutsford and is habitat for Pipistrelle bats, foxes, owls, hedgehogs and other wildlife. It also becomes extremely water-logged and I understand it used to be regarded as floodplain. Local gardens regularly flood during the winter; a large housing development here will certainly exacerbate this problem.

I’m quite sure others will mention the obvious additional strains on our local infrastructure that would result from any large-scale development anywhere in Mobberley.

My second main concern is regarding aircraft noise. The site falls within Manchester Airport’s 60dB noise contour which is above the Aviation Policy Framework and the World Health Organisation levels for significant community annoyance, affecting quality of life and health.

In 2016, when CEC refused planning permission at appeal for housing on a neighbouring Brown Field site in Mobberley within this noise contour, flight traffic movements were 183,731 per annum. Traffic movements have increased to 203,212 in the past 12 months, with 32 million passengers and 120,000 tonnes of freight. In recent press statements MAG have stated that this is only 50 per cent capacity and that they hope ultimately to reach a target of 60 million passengers per annum, so the noise problem, which is already highly intrusive, is likely to become intolerable.

It is therefore quite clear that by both Cheshire East Council's own guidelines, by National Planning Policy Framework guidelines, by Aviation Policy Framework and by World Health Organisation guidelines, site MB08 is completely unsuitable for development, regardless of the pressure to provide more housing, and the Council should seek to prioritise suitable Brown Field sites.