Campaigners who have been fighting to protect the Green Belt around Wilmslow say the Council has not listened to the views expressed by local residents and risks having the plan rejected on the grounds it is flawed.
Following the publication of Cheshire East Council's Local Plan Strategy document last week, Residents of Wilmslow (RoW) also feel that we urgently need an approved Local Plan because without one "predatory developers" will continue to target sites within the Green Belt.
David Lewis, of RoW said "Three rounds of consultation have delayed the plan a great deal but to what avail? The opinions expressed have been ignored almost completely. Cheshire East have gone through this long drawn out process which has delayed submitting a plan simply to be able to tick the box 'residents consulted' (but ignored – we know better!). But are our Councillors not elected to represent the views of the electorate? Does the Localism Act have any meaning at all?"
David added "Unfortunately there are a number of aspects to the submission core strategy that the government inspector may see as flawed. This could result in the plan in its present form being rejected, causing even further delays.
"Stockport and Greater Manchester may still object to Cheshire East's proposal to develop in the Green Belt almost right up to the northern boundary of the borough; there seems to be no proper assessment or provision for the infrastructure needs and the A34 and the new SEMMS road will simply not be adequate to cope with the extra traffic. These shortcomings need to be addressed urgently before the plan is submitted. To risk rejection and the consequent delay in getting an approved Local Plan in place will simply play into the hands of greedy developers who, motivated by profit, will get even bolder in the schemes and sites they put forward to the detriment of our countryside and the quality of all our lives.
"If Cheshire East had been less ambitious and not gone for a high growth strategy we would not have these problems. CEC is only required to find 22,000 homes, so why the 27,000 target? Is it for someone's own personal vanity or a stepping stone to political fulfilment?
"Building houses does not alone regenerate the economy. Should Government and local authorities fail to realise that economic growth and prosperity will not come about by excessive and unwarranted house building, the country will sooner rather than later revert to the economic crisis of 2007. To compound this, there is already oversupply of commercial developments, offices that have been empty long before the recession. Meanwhile the whole basis of working life is changing from office based employment to work-away status, thanks to IT. As for Wilmslow and Handforth, there is already evidence of excess supply of employment related buildings in the north of Cheshire East which has areas such as Manchester Airport City being established on its border to offer approximately 16,000 jobs."
David continued "Cheshire East's desire of 'employment led growth' consists of building far in excess of the homes required, 27,000 instead of 22,000, plus developing numerous sites under the guise of 'business parks' all without an inkling of where this employment will materialise. Meanwhile our Green Belt will have been destroyed for ever - all over the whim of a few misguided men's dreams of self-gratification and political glory.
"We are told by councillors Jones and Brown that the Council has listened to both developers and residents. The message we get, loud and clear, is that developers and land owners, e.g. Royal London, are certainly listened to but residents views, expressed over three sham public consultations, have been almost entirely ignored. The taxpaying public just didn't give the 'right' answers! They've listened but not heard!"
Meanwhile Wilmslow's Conservative Cheshire East councillors, have given the Local Plan Strategy document a "cautious welcome".
Gary Barton, Wesley Fitzgerald, Don Stockton, Rod Menlove and Paul Whiteley issued the following statement:
"As the Conservative Councillors for the Wilmslow wards on Cheshire East Council, we are giving the latest draft of the Local Plan a cautious welcome. We are pleased that some of our objections have been recognised and disappointed that others have not. We have to be pragmatic and, like all other councillors in Cheshire East, accept that there has to be compromise to achieve a sound Local Plan which will provide the best defence against unwanted development.
"A figure of 400 new houses over 20 years for Wilmslow successfully protects the essential character of our area. A combined effort between Wilmslow's Cheshire East Councillors, Wilmslow Town Council and local residents has ensured that initial projections of 1,300 houses for Wilmslow were rejected and our Green Belt land remains protected. We have also ensured that a Green Belt barrier will remain along the Airport Link Road to protect us from the spread of the Greater Manchester conurbation.
"We acknowledge that the Local Plan is required to consider development beyond 2030. However, the late notification of proposals for areas 'Safeguarded' for possible future development was an unwelcome and unhelpful surprise. The previous draft put an unreasonable burden on land near Cumber Lane/Lindow Moss and the Prestbury link road. We strongly opposed the amount of land proposed and our objections secured a 50% reduction of 'Safeguarded' land in Wilmslow and fairer distribution across our town. We remain opposed to any housing development at the Royal London site and we will continue to campaign for a further reduction in the amount of 'Safeguarded' land.
"The Local Plan is a critically important document that has to be sufficiently evidence based and robust to be acceptable to the Planning Inspector. Our efforts to ensure that the concerns of local residents have been heard has meant that this plan has gone through six separate periods of consultation – consultation that has resulted in significant redrafting of the Plan as it affects Wilmslow. We are grateful for the input from residents that helped us shape our arguments and to protect Wilmslow's character.
"We hope that the plan will be submitted to the Government by early summer. In the meantime, local residents and groups can continue to make representations concerning the Plan, all of which will be forwarded to the Planning Inspector."
The Local Plan Strategy document can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council website.
The Strategic Planning Board will discuss this document at their meeting on Wednesday, 26th February, and any recommendations made by the Board will considered at a meeting of the Full Council on Friday, 28th February.
