Full text:
I wish to formally object to the inclusion of HE61 – Sych Farm, Ledley Street, Bollington (approximately 18.66 hectares) as a proposed housing site in the Cheshire East Local Plan.
I strongly believe that the release of this Green Belt land for housing would cause significant and irreversible harm to Bollington, its surrounding countryside and the character of the town.
1. Loss of Green Belt
Sych Farm is currently part of the Green Belt surrounding Bollington. The Green Belt serves an important purpose in preventing the outward expansion of the town and protecting the open countryside that separates Bollington from neighbouring settlements.
The proposed development would represent a substantial incursion into this countryside and would permanently change the relationship between Bollington and its rural setting.
Once this land is developed, the Green Belt and the open landscape it provides cannot realistically be restored.
2. Harm to the character and setting of Bollington
Bollington is a distinctive historic town with a strong relationship with the surrounding hills, farmland and open countryside.
The Sych Farm site is not simply an area of unused land. Its open character contributes to the landscape setting of Bollington and to the sense that the town remains a separate settlement surrounded by countryside.
Developing approximately 18.66 hectares for housing would substantially urbanise this part of Bollington and would have a detrimental effect on the visual character and appearance of the area.
The cumulative effect of this development, alongside other potential housing sites around Bollington, must also be properly assessed rather than considering HE61 in isolation.
3. Green Belt purposes should be properly assessed
Previous Green Belt assessment work has identified that land in this area makes an important contribution to Green Belt purposes, including maintaining the openness and countryside setting around Bollington.
The Council should therefore provide clear, site-specific evidence explaining why this land should now be considered suitable for release from the Green Belt and what has materially changed since earlier assessments.
The fact that land has been submitted through the Call for Sites process does not, in itself, demonstrate that it is suitable or sustainable for development.
4. Infrastructure and highway capacity
Bollington already experiences pressure on its road network and local infrastructure.
A development of this scale would inevitably generate additional vehicle movements and place further pressure on local roads, junctions, parking, drainage and other infrastructure.
The Council should require a robust assessment of the cumulative traffic impact of HE61 together with other proposed developments in and around Bollington.
It is not sufficient to assess the impact of the site in isolation if several developments could ultimately be brought forward simultaneously.
5. Pressure on local services
Any substantial increase in the population of Bollington would place additional pressure on schools, healthcare, drainage, utilities, public services and community facilities.
Before releasing Green Belt land, the Council should demonstrate that the necessary infrastructure can be provided at the appropriate time and that existing residents will not be left with inadequate services as a consequence of development.
Development should be infrastructure-led, rather than allowing infrastructure to attempt to catch up afterwards.
6. Landscape, wildlife and biodiversity
The farmland and surrounding hedgerows, trees and undeveloped areas provide important habitat for wildlife and contribute to local ecological networks.
A housing development of this scale would inevitably result in the loss or fragmentation of habitats and would introduce additional lighting, noise, traffic and human disturbance into the countryside.
Any assessment should consider not only the individual site but also the cumulative impact of development around Bollington on wildlife corridors and the wider landscape.
7. Agricultural land and countryside
The development would result in the permanent loss of open agricultural land.
There should be a compelling planning justification for sacrificing productive countryside when alternatives, including previously developed and brownfield land, should be properly considered first.
Green Belt land should not be treated as an easy solution to housing requirements simply because it is available.
8. Cumulative impact on Bollington
Perhaps most importantly, HE61 should not be considered in isolation.
If a number of Green Belt sites around Bollington are released for housing, the combined effect would be far greater than the impact of any individual development.
The Council must consider the cumulative consequences for:
• Green Belt openness;
• landscape character;
• traffic and highway capacity;
• schools and healthcare;
• drainage and utilities;
• biodiversity and wildlife;
• the town’s historic character;
• agricultural land; and
• the separation and identity of Bollington as a distinct settlement.
Incremental release of individual sites could result in the gradual loss of the very countryside and Green Belt that makes Bollington such a distinctive and attractive place to live.
9. Brownfield and alternative sites
Before allocating Green Belt land for housing, the Council should demonstrate that reasonable opportunities on previously developed land, brownfield sites and other more sustainable locations have been fully investigated and appropriately prioritised.
Housing requirements should not automatically override the long-term environmental and community interests of Bollington.
Conclusion
For the reasons outlined above, I strongly object to HE61 – Sych Farm, Ledley Street, Bollington being allocated for housing.
The site represents a substantial loss of Green Belt and open countryside and would cause unacceptable harm to the landscape setting, character and identity of Bollington.
I respectfully request that HE61 is removed from consideration as a housing allocation and that the land remains protected as Green Belt.
If the Council nevertheless continues to consider this site, I request that it publishes full evidence addressing the Green Belt assessment, exceptional circumstances for release, landscape and visual impact, biodiversity, agricultural land, highways, drainage, infrastructure capacity and the cumulative impact of all proposed development around Bollington.
