Having decided the village would benefit from having a Neighbourhood Plan, Alderley Edge Parish Council is keen that as many local residents as possible get involved and have a say in shaping the future development of Alderley Edge.
Neighbourhood Plans were introduced as part of the Localism Act 2011 and have replaced parish plans which no longer have any legal status.
They are a way for communities to have a say on what it wants its priorities to be over the next 15 years, including housing, employment, transport, leisure, health, education and the natural environment.
The Parish Council will be involved but it is not just a task for the Parish Council, the idea is that a Neighbourhood Plan is led by the people of the village. At the end of the process the Plan will be presented to the village and voted so it is essential that it represents the views of the residents.
Alderley Edge Parish Council will be holding a presentation evening on Wednesday, 6th July at the Festival Hall, starting at 7.30pm. During this launch meeting of the Neighbourhood Plan they will explain what is needed in order to create a Plan and help shape how the village will look in years to come.
Councillor Mike Dudley-Jones said "Whilst establishing a Neighbourhood Plan is not a speedy process, with the right support from the Village we should be able to bring some sense and influence to bear and position ourselves more favourably in the face of mounting development activity."
As reported recently on alderleyedge.com, Story Homes are keen to build 300 homes on the south west side of the village. They are holding a Public Consultation on Thursday, 30th June, from 2pm to 8pm at the Festival Hall to show their plans, explain what they consider the benefits of the development to be and invite residents to express their views.
Speaking about these plans, Councillor Mike Dudley-Jones said "Essentially they propose to build on Green Belt fields inside the bypass to the south west of the village, close to Pearson's tomato farm to Chorley Hall Lane and behind Ryleys School. We hope that as many people as possible will be able to attend that public consultation."
Tom Evans, the Neighbourhood Planning Manager at Cheshire East Council, will be at the Neighbourhood Plan launch meeting on Wednesday, 6th July to talk about the process and answer questions.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
The main reason (for me at any rate) was the likely spiraling of cost.
I'm sure the Parish Council have taken that into account and have up-to-date costings to show us.
I agree, it will be time consuming and probably costly, but what choice do we have? Unless I am very much mistaken, without a plan, we are powerless to prevent unwanted development around and within the Parish. It is apparent that there are many property developers from within the region and beyond who are champing at the bit to build as many 'executive' homes as they can - at vast profit to the developers, but at what cost to our village?
mayhaps you are correct.
Then again, do we truly think that 'they' will pay the slightest attention to we mere peasants?
The fact is, we don't know whether a Neighbourhood Plan will make any difference. But we also know that the absence of a Neighbourhood Plan will guarantee we don't have a voice at all.
Given the apparent level of interest shown by large-scale housing developers in our village and the surrounding green belt, I personally believe that it is worth doing something, rather than nothing. For all we know, we may complete the Plan only to find the following year that legislation has changed and it is not worth the paper it is written on, just like last time. But I don't think even that's a good reason to ask 'what's the point?' and do nothing.
I think that you 'misread' me.
I do not say 'what's the point'. I point out that there is very little chance that 'they' will listen to 'us' via a Neighbourhood Plan. Much as was the case with the parish Plan.
My own belief is that if you try to 'affect' 'them' via a 'system' set up by 'them', you will probably be wasting your energy.
Every now and then, there is an election and if you believe that 'they' are not willing to listen, then remove 'them'.
By the way, have you seen any sign of possible costings for this N. Plan? If it should rack up tens of thousands of pounds, who will you hold to be responsible?