Local plan scoping consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 4629

Received: 01/09/2026

Respondent: Mr Ross Belfield

I strongly object to the proposed 291-hectare development at
Ashley. This is high-performing Green Belt, not Grey Belt: it prevents urban sprawl, maintains
the vital countryside gap between Greater Manchester and Cheshire, and safeguards open,
productive farmland. Ashley is a small rural settlement with limited services, no bus network and
only limited rail; every approach crosses narrow, constrained bridges. A development of this
scale is unsustainable and would cause severe traffic, infrastructure and drainage
pressures, while damaging protected landscapes, wildlife habitats and the settings of numerous
listed buildings. The Council should retain Green Belt protection and reject this site entirely