Local plan scoping consultation

The village of High Legh recently voted in favour of and approved a Neighbourhood Plan (Dec 2024). I would like to second the points made in the letter from High Legh Parish Council to Stewart House (Strategic Planning Team Leader at Cheshire East Council) dated 26th August 2026, and add some points of my own.

Firstly, the residents of High Legh would expect that the decisions made in the NP and the logic behind them will be properly valued and retain the same level of importance throughout the development of the new Local Plan. If not, CEC must produce compelling evidence regarding what has changed and why the community's vision as set out in the NP can no longer be respected. For example: what exceptional circumstances are present to explain why Brownfield sites are not being fully utilised ahead of disrupting the Green Belt?

As noted in the letter, High Legh is lacking in most of the infrastructure needed to sustainably support the addition of many more houses. Public transport links are severely lacking and many of the roads/paths in the village are not in good shape.

In my experience, the density of vehicles often makes it awkward to get in and out of the village, with people constantly parking on the pavement due to a lack of space. This congestion would only be made worse with lots more houses.

Other points to be considered:
The local primary school could not sustain a large influx of new pupils.
The fields around High Legh frequently flood, especially those adjacent to the golf course.
The fields surrounding the village are quite rich in wildlife. Just in the field between the village and the golf course I have observed: a buzzard, heron, tawny owl, badger, fox, hedgehogs, toads, pipistrelle bats, and numerous species of garden birds.

Finally, I would like to reiterate the view expressed in the Parish Council's letter, that substantial development around the village would be grossly unsustainable and deeply inconsistent with the agreed upon Neighbourhood Plan.

Regards,
George Cook