Local plan scoping consultation

I am writing as a Disley resident in response to the scoping consultation for the new Cheshire East Local Plan. Specifically, I have comments about how Green Belt land will be assessed for the local plan, and about the impact of development on a small village. My observations are as follows.
• First and foremost, I am disappointed that the initial consultation period has been run during the summer holidays, as this limits the ability of many stakeholders to engage fully with such an important matter.

• The timescale for concluding the borough-wide Green Belt assessment should be made clear, and the results specific to Green Belt/grey belt land should be published in full and well publicised once complete.
• The new grey belt criteria cover three of the five traditional Green Belt purposes, excluding safeguarding the countryside from encroachment and assisting urban regeneration. These two purposes should continue to be given appropriate weight in site selection and decision-making.
• Disley already experiences significant traffic congestion along the A6, and is served by only one GP surgery and one primary school. Updated, settlement-specific evidence on GP, school, drainage and road capacity should be commissioned for Disley before any site options in the village are considered, rather than relying on borough-wide averages.
• Where more than one site is proposed within a village, their cumulative impact on landscape, traffic and infrastructure should be assessed together, not in isolation.
• The setting of long-distance recreational routes, including the Gritstone Trail, should be assessed as part of any site selection work, given their contribution to the local visitor economy and village character.
• Some of the land put forward for consideration in Disley lies close to the proposed route of the Peak Cluster CO2 Pipeline. The Council should clarify how this constraint is being factored into site assessment and selection in the area.
It is crucial that consideration of sites in Disley should give proper weight to village character and sense of place.
I would ask the Council to ensure residents get a clear, well-publicised opportunity to comment on any site-specific proposals, including any Green Belt boundary changes, before those decisions are substantially shaped.