Local plan scoping consultation

I am writing to formally object to the inclusion of the 291.03 hectare land submission around Ashley (12 adjoining sites totalling 291.03 hectares) in the Cheshire East Local Plan / SHELAA.

1 Conflict with the Green Belt Policy
The parish of Ashley is designated as a “wash over” Green Belt - the most protected form of rural Green Belt classification.
It was established in the 1950s specifically to prevent urban sprawl.
Ashley forms the crucial narrow buffer separating South Manchester and Trafford from villages in South East Cheshire.

Green Belt land can only be considered for release if it meets the definition “Grey Belt” (previously developed brownfield land or land that makes a negligible contribution to Green Belt purposes) Ashley does not fit this category. It is open productive farmland, rather than previously developed land.
a development on this scale would see the loss of high grade agricultural land, which national policy protects for food security.

2 Sustainable Settlement
Ashley is a small, rural parish with very little public transport, primary infrastructure, medical facilities, or local employment. Allocating large scale development here is fundamentally unsustainable.

3 Transport, Highway Constraints, and Safety Issues The surrounding narrow rural road network is already heavily congested with farm vehicles, goods vehicles, cars, and bikes. In particular, the network contains singular bridge crossings over the railway, the River Bollin and Birkin Brook.
Footpaths throughout are either non existent or too small. Accidents are common.
Ashley railway station provides only a very limited service. It operates on a maximum frequency of just one train every hour in each direction. There is no adequate parking and furthermore, with the planned new station at Cheadle progressing, service reallocations would reduce Ashley’s service frequency to a single train every two hours.

4 Flood Risk and Drainage
Parts of the area, particularly towards the M56, are already susceptible to flooding and surface water problems. Extensive development of the areas submitted would inevitably introduce large areas of impermeable surface and could exacerbate the flood risk. The area lacks deep sewer, grid, and surface water drainage capacity presenting high surface water flood risk to the River Bollin catchment.

5 Manchester Airport
The potential development land falls directly beneath operational flight paths associated with Manchester airport and is affected by aviation related constraints, including aircraft noise and bird strike considerations, making high density housing unsuitable.

6 Ecological Impact
The proposed allocation would result in the urbanisation of a large large area of currently open agricultural land.
This would fragment existing habitats, interrupt ecological connectivity and place pressure on surrounding habitats and protected sites.

7 Landscapes and Heritage Impacts
The sheer scale of the proposed development would permanently transform the character of the Ashley countryside. A large scale housing development would introduce extensive built form, roads, lighting, infrastructure and associated urban activity into a predominantly rural landscape, fundamentally altering its openness and visual character.
There are also significant heritage considerations.
The open agricultural setting contributes to the significance and setting of 19 Grade Iisted buildings, including Ashley Hall. A development on the proposed scale would damage the settings of these listed buildings.

We request that Cheshire East Council formally classify this 291.03 hectare area (12 adjoining sites totalling 291.03 hectares) as Unsuitable and Undeliverable in the SHELAA assessment.