New town plan 'is not going to happen on my watch'

Adlington Parish Council chairman Simon Gleave said he was concerned about the loss of farming land

Leaders in part of Cheshire which could become a new town say local councils are "up in arms" about the plans and that the area's infrastructure already "can't cope".

The village of Adlington, which is home to about 1,200 people, was recently named as one of 12 potential locations for a new town.

Concerns have been raised by residents, parish councils, countryside organisations and local Labour MP Tim Roca.

The government said it was looking for assurance that any new town would be "effectively and efficiently delivered in partnership with local communities".

The Adlington proposal was submitted by landowner Belport and could see between 14,000 and 20,000 new homes being built in the area.

Its potential was recognised by the New Towns Taskforce, an independent expert advisory panel established in September 2024 to support the government to deliver the next generation of new towns.

Locals have concerns abou the impact the plans would have on local infrastucture

Much of the land in the Adlington area is designated as green belt by Cheshire East Council.

The authority said the Adlington proposal was "prepared independently and not proposed by Cheshire East Council".

Simon Gleave, chairman of Adlington Parish Council, told BBC Politics North West the main concern was "the destruction of the local green belt and the farming land".

He said: "All the parishes and the town councils were absolutely up in arms about it because it's total devastation of their areas and it affects them all.

"It'll be a merger of many towns and parishes into one big settlement.

"We can't cope already with the current road system and the infrastructure.

"We're going to join forces and it's not going to happen in Adlington on my watch."

Parish councils in the area have raised concerns about the proposals

Neighbouring Poynton Town Council said it had written to Housing Secretary Steve Reed about its concerns.

The local authority complained of "significant planning issues" and pointed out there had been "zero consultation" with local people.

"As well as the devastating impact this development will have on the countryside and landscape, it will cause significant challenges to the current infrastructure of the area with inadequate roads and public transport," it said.

Roca, whose Macclesfield constituency includes Adlington, said he was "deeply concerned" about the proposals.

"I cannot and will not support a scheme that would inflict significant, large-scale, and irreversible harm on our cherished green belt," he said.

"We need more housing, but it must be delivered in the right places."

Local resident Aysha Hawcutt is campaigning against the plans

Local residents have launched a campaign against the plans.

Aysha Hawcutt said her concerns were not just about her village of Adlington.

"It's not a NIMBY (not in my backyard) thing, it's not even about the other towns around us, the proposals here affect the whole country," she said.

"As a nation we need to be worried about the loss of green belt, the loss of productive farming.

"I'm not saying don't build houses. I know we need houses, we've all got children, they're going to have to live somewhere but town centres and brownfield [sites] need to be the way forward."

The proposals for a new town in Adlington could include up to 20,000 new homes

Freddie James, developer at Belport, said his firm believed a new community at Adlington would be "an opportunity to address housing pressure in the area".

He said any development would include improvements to local infrastructure.

Belport was "very aware that there will be concerns about the impact on green spaces and farmland", said Mr James, who added that his company was working closely with local farmers to "ensure their interests are protected".

"With the government's announcement, our focus has now turned to local engagement, design, and planning - all of which we recognise must be rooted in meaningful conversations with local residents, businesses, and civic leaders," he added.

The government said no final decisions would be made until a strategic environmental assessment has been completed.

In response to the task force's recommendations, a spokesperson said: "The government will be looking for assurance that any location can be effectively and efficiently delivered in partnership with local communities, has a clear economic purpose, and will support national economic growth.

"New towns provide a once-in-a-generation opportunity to both provide the homes that people need but also fundamentally reshape the way that large-scale communities are built in this country.

"We will work tirelessly across government and with delivery partners and local communities to ensure that new towns are, in the words of the task force, not just places to live, but places to live well."