Local plan scoping consultation

Mobberley is a rural village that has already had a large part of its open green space concreted over by runway 2. For CEC to accept a call for sites in Mobberley is both unfair and unwarranted. The airport brings little (if any) benefit to the village. To now consider building in the remaining green areas is not conducive to a village lifestyle that the majority of residents in Mobberley seek when they live here. Add in the poor infrastructure - the remoteness of Mobberley railway station, poor bus service, potholed lanes, oversubscribed school, long waiting times for GP appointments etc. AS CEC are aware, much of Mobberley cannot be built on because of the noise and pollution from aircraft using Manchester Airport. This pollution and noise the village endures is, frankly, enough for a small village without the addition of additional houses and the infrastructure that results - traffic, car pollution, light pollution etc.

The consultation should focus just on the more suitable sites (i.e. Brownfield Sites) but all sites, including valuable Green Belt land etc. are being considered.
Green Belt land etc. should be used as a last resort.

It is not democratic to issue these documents for comment during a period when many people will not be able to respond due to school holidays.
In addition, many residents do not have access to computers or are not competent on a computer. The option to email comments is compromised for the same reasons. to submit the documents on paper requires the respondent to purchase the Consultation papers.
All in all, a poor way of encouraging participation, but typical of CEC.

The Local Plan needs to create sustainable communities, with residents able to access space for their well being. Trying to meet housing targets is putting the cart before the horse. New homes need employment, schools, good transport links, GP surgeries, reliable gas, electric and water supplies which all go towards building a community that can thrive with plenty of open spaces and no urban spread.

The plan seems to focus primarily on reaching housing targets.
Of paramount importance is the protection of the natural environment for the well being of all.

The new local plan is merely facilitating builders to go on a feeding frenzy, identify land up for grabs with no account being taken of its suitability for development.
This approach merely blights large areas of Cheshire to potentially be built on.

You state that planning applications may be passed in areas against the local community’s wishes. This will cause deep seated resentment and conflict in those communities which is not desirable.
Cheshire East's population grew by twice the national average between 2011 to 2021.
That being the case, is this fair that part of one county is being burdened with a target build of 2,530 new homes per year?
Valuable agricultural land is being sacrificed to achieve a unsustainable housing target at the expense of providing locally grown food for its residents.

If it is proposed that a Green Belt area is to be reclassified as Grey Belt etc. what procedures are in place for that reclassification to be challenged?
How are the issues of unrestricted sprawl and ribbon development going to be measured under the reclassifications? i.e. measures to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another?
Where I live Manchester airport runway 2 has already taken a significant acreage of Cheshire’s agricultural land and open spaces with no upside for the local community.
Green Belt should only be released where all available Brown Field sites have been utilised for building.
Green Belt prevents urban sprawl, protects the identity of settlements, supports biodiversity and provides recreational opportunities.

There are a large number of Brown Field sites scattered around Cheshire East, usually near an existing community and therefore accompanied with a certain amount of infrastructure already in place. Brown Field sites should be prioritised for redevelopment, made more attractive to developers by the use of tax incentives to encourage development.

It is not feasible to build these centres in places where the infrastructure for services, transport and workers are in short supply.
There are already enough people in cars driving daily to remote business parks built in fairly remote areas inaccessible by public transport.
It is no use blindly focusing on economic growth without taking into account the well being of the communities affected. There must be a balance.