Local plan scoping consultation

I wish to place on record my strong and unequivocal objection to the proposed 291-hectare development across 12 contiguous parcels of land at Ashley.

[redacted], I have a particular responsibility to the life and wellbeing of this community. St Elizabeth’s Church is deeply rooted in Ashley and serves people across the village and surrounding area. I therefore have serious concerns about a proposal which would fundamentally alter the character, scale and identity of this rural community.

This is high-performing Green Belt, not Grey Belt. It provides a vital countryside gap between Greater Manchester and Cheshire, prevents further urban sprawl and protects valuable, open and productive agricultural land. Once this land is developed, this important separation and the character it provides cannot simply be restored.

Ashley is a small rural settlement with limited services, no bus network and only limited rail provision. The roads serving the village are already constrained, with every approach involving narrow and restricted bridges. It is difficult to see how a development of this extraordinary scale could be accommodated without placing severe and lasting pressure on transport, infrastructure, drainage and essential local services.

The proposal also risks causing significant harm to the environment and heritage of Ashley. The potential impact upon protected landscapes, wildlife habitats and the setting of numerous listed buildings is particularly concerning. These are not incidental features; they form an essential part of Ashley's distinctive rural character, history and identity.

The issue is therefore not simply whether additional housing can theoretically be accommodated on this land. It is whether development on this unprecedented scale is appropriate in this particular location. In my view, it is not.
The proposal is fundamentally disproportionate to the size and capacity of Ashley and would place unacceptable demands upon a community and infrastructure that are simply not equipped to support it. It would cause lasting environmental, traffic, infrastructure and heritage impacts and would irreversibly change the character of Ashley.

I therefore strongly urge the Council to reject this proposal in its entirety and to retain the Green Belt protection of these fields.
Ashley is not merely land available for development. It is a living rural community, with a distinctive character, heritage and identity that deserve to be protected for present and future generations.