Local plan scoping consultation

Re: Objection to proposed housing development, Bullocks Lane, Sutton, Macclesfield. Scoping Consultation.
Dear Sir or Madam

I writing to object to the proposed housing development on Bullocks Lane, Sutton. I am a resident of Bullocks Lane, my family home was here from 1971 until 2014 and I moved back to the road in 2023 with my own family. I have direct knowledge of how this locality functions, the existing infrastructure constraints, and the environmental and archaeological sensitivity of the proposed site.

My objection is for the following reasons:

Infrastructure

Bullocks Lane carries traffic across two bridges. One crosses the canal, the other crosses the river at the junction with Byron's Lane. Both bridges are often in poor repair and neither supports increased traffic volumes.

Current traffic levels exceed these bridges' capacity. I travel this road daily and observe the damage each year. Potholes require filling almost monthly and the road surface on the bridge near Byrons lane shows a large dip across the bridge structure, indicating possible subsidence and structural stress.

Adding housing to this site will increase traffic and accelerate damage to both bridges. The proposal depends on infrastructure does not support it.

In addition, Bullocks Lane is often used as a cut through for traffic heading to Leek and Congleton when there is congestion on London Road – increased traffic coming from a housing development is likely to cause more accidents on the road. Over the years I have seen excessive driving speeds on the road and in the last three years alone seen one car overturned on its roof, a dog injured by a speeding car when leaving a footpath, and numerous near misses along with evidence of minor collisions including lights and mirrors on the road on the corner near Sutton Hall.

Housing Growth Without Infrastructure
Housing has recently been built on Lyme Green without adequate infrastructure investment. The area lacks facilities including local shops and parking and London Road has no traffic calming measures and only one safe crossing point, yet traffic runs at high speed.

During peak commuting periods drivers often have to wait 5 minutes to be able to leave Lyme green onto London Road.

No new housing should be built on Bullocks Lane until the council demonstrates that all necessary infrastructure is in place. The pattern at Lyme Green shows that housing development without prior infrastructure provision creates lasting problems for residents and degrades the quality of neighbourhoods.

Environmental Sensitivity

For the past 50 years my family and I have seen Canada Geese breed annually on this site. I have observed breeding pairs and goslings every year since my childhood. These geese also use the canal and can often be seen on the road. Canada Geese are protected under UK law and their breeding habitat is a material planning consideration.

Developing this site would damage a breeding habitat used by a protected species. The council must consider this environmental cost when assessing the proposal.

There are also several badger sets in the area which would be disturbed by any development.

In addition, in recent years I have seen otters and even deer along the canal banks – increased traffic would be a danger to these animals

Archaeological Heritage
Close to the proposed site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. A Bronze Age barrow is situated at grid reference SJ924715. Historic England records confirm this site's archaeological importance.

James Forde-Johnston of Manchester University excavated the barrow in 1962 and unearthed evidence of several cremations. The excavation was incomplete. The discovery of cremations suggests a Bronze Age settlement in close proximity. The wider area remains unexplored and unexcavated.

Permitting development on this site would potentially destroy archaeological evidence and foreclose the possibility of future investigation. An incomplete Bronze Age site with significant research potential should not be built near without first conducting a full archaeological survey and assessment.

I do not believe that this site should be developed on in the future as there are numerous brownfield sites available which would not have an impact on the environment, wildlife or existing infrastructure but could provide the same housing.

I urge the council to reject building on this location and to require full infrastructure and environmental assessment before any further consideration of development in this location.

Yours
Robert Fox