Local plan scoping consultation

To: Spatial Planning Team, Cheshire East Council.

Re: Objection to proposed housing development at and around Ashley Cheshire.

I am writing to formally object to the proposed housing development around Ashley and the 12 adjoining sites totalling 291.03 hectares in the Cheshire East local plan/SHELAA.
While I recognise the need for appropriate housing, I do not believe that this proposed development is suitable for this location. I respectfully ask Cheshire East Council to refuse the application for the following reasons.
1. Impact on the character and identity of Ashley
Ashley is a rural village with a distinctive character, and the proposed scale and nature of this development would significantly alter that character. The development risks introducing an urban form of housing that is out of keeping with the existing settlement pattern and the surrounding countryside.
Any development should respect the character, appearance and setting of the village rather than fundamentally changing it.
2. Pressure on local roads and highway safety
The additional housing would inevitably generate more vehicle movements on local roads, which may already experience congestion and safety issues.
Particular concern should be given to:
• the suitability and capacity of local roads;
• increased traffic through the village;
• road safety for pedestrians, cyclists and children;
• the adequacy of junctions and access arrangements;
• the cumulative impact of existing and proposed developments in the surrounding area.
The application should not be approved unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the local highway network can safely accommodate the additional traffic.

3. Pressure on local infrastructure and services
Further housing development would place additional demands on local infrastructure and services, including schools, healthcare provision, drainage, utilities and other community facilities.
It is important that the Council is satisfied that existing infrastructure has sufficient capacity, or that appropriate and deliverable improvements will be provided before or alongside the development.
4. Loss of countryside and impact on the local environment
The proposed development would result in the loss or urbanisation of land that contributes to the rural setting of Ashley.
The potential impact on the landscape, views, wildlife, trees, hedgerows and biodiversity should be carefully considered. Any claimed biodiversity improvements should not automatically outweigh the permanent loss of open land and the wider effect on the character of the area.
5. Drainage and flood risk
I am also concerned about the potential effect of the development on drainage and surface-water runoff.
The Council should be satisfied that the proposed drainage arrangements are robust, deliverable and capable of dealing with both current and future extreme weather conditions. Development should not increase the risk of flooding or surface-water problems for neighbouring properties or elsewhere in the village.
6. Cumulative impact
This proposal should not be considered in isolation. The Council should take proper account of other housing and development proposals in and around Ashley, together with the cumulative impact they may have on roads, infrastructure, the countryside and the character of the local area.
A series of individual developments can collectively have a significant impact, even where each proposal is presented as relatively limited in scale.
Conclusion
For the reasons set out above, I believe that this proposal represents inappropriate and potentially harmful development in this location.
I respectfully request that Cheshire East Council refuse planning permission for this application. At the very least, the Council should require the applicant to provide clear and satisfactory evidence that the development would not cause unacceptable harm to highway safety, local infrastructure, drainage, the environment or the character and setting of Ashley.
Thank you for taking my comments into consideration. I ask that this letter be recorded as a formal objection to the planning application.
Yours faithfully,

Mr and Mrs John and Geraldine Kennedy