Local plan scoping consultation

I am responding in my capacity as a citizen of Macclesfield regarding the Local Plan Scoping Consultation, as I am deeply concerned re. the environmental and infrastructural future of my home town which I care about wholeheartedly.

I implore the council to consider the below key concerns with regards to the local plan:

Greenbelt Preservation and Prioritisation of Brownbelt.

This is a key concern of mine. Speaking from personal experience, I have noticed the volume of large-scale developments in Macclesfield increasing at an alarming rate. There is currently one 200-home development - The Prestbury Road development - that has recently been greenlit, to which I am strongly opposed due to the significant ecological impact this will have on the rich biodiversity of the River Bollin, where I walk and track wildlife - specifically the populations of heron, kingfishers and buzzards.

My mother, also a lifelong citizen of Macclesfield, [REDACTED] within the area of Pennington's lane - effectively Macclesfield's existing greenbelt boundary into Gawsworth. Only metres away, stands Dane's Moss, a well known nature reserve and subject of extensive conservation efforts to protect this space, now stands at risk of yet another housing development. Dane's Moss is home to countless species, including but not limited to the Willow Tit, one of the UK's fastest declining birds (94% in recent decades).

Should these, only 2 proposed sites out of countless, go ahead, vast scales of habitat and species will be lost forever and the natural boundary of Macclesfield creep further outwards. Houses can be can be replaced, habitat and precious species cannot.

Now, personal accounts aside, I urge the council to consider the following in relation to the above:

Purposeful prioritisation of brownfield sites. Can these private developers prove that brownfield sites have been thoroughly and realistically considered as first points of call?
Can data be shared publicly with residents re. the exact number of existing brownfield sites, such as the multiple empty properties throughout our town centre (namely Mill Street). The development of which, perhaps into apartments, would significantly reduce the environmental destruction while boosting necessary football and revenue into our town centre.
Consider what is truly meant by 'affordable housing.' If an existing two-bedroom Macclesfield terrace can be marketed on the open market for around £150,000, why aren't these developers building simpler homes specifically aimed at first-time buyers at around that sort of price? Not £300,000+ properties where £75,000 buys a quarter. It seems as though the government's call for "affordable" housing is being wilfully exploited by private developers who fail to deliver on the 20-40% "affordable" homes they pledge to build.
An investigation into the current developments still in production and what failures and requirements remain unmet. Such as the Henbury development and it's failure to meet and comply with condition 6 of the Weaver Green Planning Permission.
A serious and thorough consultation with hydrologists re. the significant impact developing on existing greenbelt sites will have on our already increasing risk of flash floods and annual flooding. Given this is an incredibly serious cause for concern with recent evidence of climate change and the government's subsequent urgent responses to this, it is unacceptable that these risks are not prioritised.
Alongside the above, an urgent and thorough review of the ecological obligations that private developments should be held to. What will their efforts be to preserve and repair the ecological damage caused by their developments? Who will ensure that these conditions are met? (More than a few cursory saplings dumped on the sites and immediately neglected).
An urgent review of the proposed Aldington development - including the unfathomable prospect of this being used to develop a new 'town' - which would take Macclesfield definitively out of the category of town and more a 'city' (catastrophic if no serious enhancements of infrastructure are carried out in preparation of this, alongside the innumerable ecological risk factors).
Once more, I cannot stress enough the consideration that needs to be given to the wildlife habitat and biodiversity that our greenbelt currently provides. It is now widely accepted that climate change is accelerating at an alarming rate - nature itself is one of our biggest defences against it (such as re-wilded areas of land proving to have much greater resilience to the recent wildfires this summer). Is is known and evidenced that our bird and insect populations are dwindling, which will in turn prove devastating on our crop and agriculture if not addressed.
To reiterate the above points. Climate change is our biggest threat, we as a town have seen this only weeks ago in the hottest summer on record with drought and wildfires throughout the country. It is inexcusable for councils and indeed our wider government to consider the preservation of green spaces and habitats, our defences against extreme heat, not one of the most paramount concerns of this generation.

Infrastructure

As referenced above, another key concern again relating specifically to the apparently unbridled amount of housing developments being pushed through for Macclesfield, is whether our existing infrastructure can cope with this.

I urge the council to consider the following:

Our current flood risks and drainage systems, are we able to cope with the torrential rains that are becoming more frequent? What precautions will be taken to protect our homes, roads, sewage systems and electricity will be taken if greenbelt sites continue to be jeopardised in favour of private developments.
Road planning. Following the disastrous decision to turn the Broken Cross roundabout into a significantly more dangerous 4-way traffic light system, what measures will be taken to ensure that the surge of population from new developments (thus triple the cars on the road) will be managed in terms of safe and effective road and traffic management? For example, how will the routinely grid-locked roundabout top Westminister Road manage with Prestbury Road's development?
GPs and healthcare services. It is no secret our services are stretched. [REDACTED] I am only too aware of the overwhelming pressure the department are facing. The staff are incredible, but how on earth will they be expected to cope when the population triples from the ongoing developments multiplying while our already stretched services remain neglected and underdeveloped. It is irresponsible and dangerous to allow them to remain as they are and be expected to absorb the new swell of residents populating these developments.
Public transport. Will bus services be enhanced to support the surge of new residents and to ease the strain of private vehicles on the roads?

Closing Comments

To conclude, and indeed to stress again my love for my home town and appreciation for the incredibly difficult job the members of the council do, especially given the financial and governmental pressures placed on Cheshire East, I would like to pose the following questions.

Before further land is destroyed and sold to benefit private developers who hold no stake or interest in the wellbeing and concerns of the local community in Macclesfield, I urge the council to ask the following questions:

Did population and employment growth match the forecasts?
How many existing permissions remain unbuilt?
Why aren't all permitted sites delivering at the expected rate?
How much realistic brownfield capacity remains?
How much Green Belt was released?
How many genuinely lower-cost homes were actually produced?
How much developer infrastructure was originally promised?
How much was subsequently changed?
How much was actually delivered?
Were school places available when families moved in?
Did road improvements arrive when they were supposed to?
Did healthcare, drainage and sewage capacity keep pace?
These aren't anti-development questions.

I thank you for taking time to read my comments and concerns, and hope that they will make a meaningful contribution towards the future of a town that we all love.