Key points to raise

We have already shown the strength of local feeling against this development with the volume of objections to the initial planning application, and to Bellway Homes’ application not to complete an Environmental Impact Assessment.

Help us make it clear to Ashton Hale and Bellway Homes that we will not let further applications go unchallenged.

Underestimation of the peat

• Peat volume and quality: The wider LPS59 site is peat-heavy and Bellway has actively tried to avoid completing an Environmental Impact Assessment to establish the true picture of the peat on-site.
• Local policies: Cheshire East Council has specific policies aimed at protecting these specific landscape types and any development absolutely contradicts these policies
• Carbon impact: Peat plays a valuable role in carbon absorption, thus supporting the council’s own carbon neutral plans. We are in a climate emergency: peatlands must be protected as a matter of urgency
• Biodiversity: The site is home to rare and uncommon species of birds, wildlife including bats, badgers and foxes, and a rich habitat of plantlife.

Archaeological importance

• Recognition of the Lindow importance: The site is a stone’s throw from the Lindow Man find site and proper archaeological excavation must take place
• Historic features: This land is of historic and ecological importance and the LPS59 site as a whole should be returned to green belt

Impact on the local area

• Traffic management: The proposed access to the Bellway site is poor and Cumber Lane and Moor Lane – already congested and poorly maintained roads – cannot cope with increased traffic volume.
• Highways: Cumber Lane and Moor Lane are not major roads and are not wide enough to cope with increased traffic, either from construction or more residents
• Infrastructure: The road surfaces on Cumber Lane and Moor Lane are already significantly damaged, and traffic from construction and more residents will compound this
• Traffic: The traffic impact generated by the initially proposed 133 houses would be substantial. An additional 50 houses will make it completely unworkable.
• Lack of public transport: There’s only one bus per hour serving the town centre from the area, making it likely that most new residents will rely on cars. It is therefore reasonable to expect majority of new homes will be primarily reliant on cars, exacerbating existing congestion and placing additional strain on roads that are not fit for such volume
• Impact on major roads: Increased traffic will contribute to already congested key roads such as Water Lane, Chapel Lane, Knutsford Road and the A34. The Wilmslow Neighbourhood Plan says that larger developments in the area should consider the impact on the traffic flow in town
• Safety: Pavements along Moor Lane are narrow and sloping, and an increase in traffic would reduce safety for pedestrians. With the higher number of cars that will be on the roads, there is a particular concern for the high number of children walking to local schools in the morning. 
• Schools: Wilmslow High School is oversubscribed. 17% of applicants did not get a place at Wilmslow High School last September.

Current application not approved

• Current status: It is outrageous to be consulting on an extension to a development which has not been approved. Ashton Hale should withdraw this consultation until further notice.