MP joins the fight to save green belt
CALLS have been made to protect Ma c c l e s f i e l d ’ s countryside by removing five pieces of green belt land from potential development plans.
The areas in question are in Bollington, Prestbury and Disley and they are currently allocated for development in Cheshire East Council’s site allocations development policies document (SADPD).
Residents as well as town and parish councils have aired their opposition and now Macclesfield MP David Rutley has joined them.
The SADPD earmarks land that is ‘safeguarded’ for possible development - a term from national planning policy that some have criticised as misleading.
While the council says the parcels of land in the draft document have been selected using clear evidence others dispute this.
Mr Rutley said: “Protecting our much-valued green belt remains a vital local priority.
“I am actively supporting concerned residents in Bollington, Disley and Prestbury by opposing proposals the council’s SADPD which would allow housing development on green belt land.
“The council has not conducted an up-to-date assessment of the need (to release further land from the green belt), nor made the necessary case for such development.
“That’s why I strongly agree with local campaigners and local town and parish councils that these proposed sites should not be ring-fenced for development after 2030.”
In Bollington a piece of land off Henshall Road and another off Greenfield Road have been ‘safeguarded’.
But campaigners say the town already has its share of houses, flood risk would increase and no ‘special circumstances’ required for green belt development exist.
While Save Disley Green Belt group say land off Jacksons Edge Road should not be earmarked as the village has enough houses and extra traffic pressure will be put on the already congested A6. Both sets of residents have criticised the council’s consultation on the matter, which ended last month, as poorly advertised so few people took part.
In Prestbury issues include access to sites, housing density and environmental damage.
Mr Rutley has written to the council backing these residents’ stances.
Sites in the SADPD would become available for development after 2030 when the current Local Plan ends.