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Respondent: Dominic Jones
Representation Summary:
I object to the proposed 291-hectare development across 12 parcels at Ashley. Having lived in the village for over 25 years, I value its strong community and rural character. I consider the land to be high-performing Green Belt rather than Grey Belt, protecting the gap between Greater Manchester and Cheshire and safeguarding productive farmland. Ashley lacks the public transport, road capacity, drainage and services needed to support development of this scale. I am also concerned about impacts on landscapes, biodiversity and the setting of listed buildings. I believe the scale of development is inappropriate and ask that Green Belt protection is retained.
Full text:
I am writing to object to the proposed 291-hectare allocation across 12 contiguous parcels at Ashley.
I have lived in the village for over 25 years and have grown to love the place and people. We have a strong and friendly community.
From a personal perspective, I welcome new people and challenges, but for various reasons, my strong view is that the proposed development is fundamentally flawed, and is in no way designed to improve the village or surrounding area, rather the opposite. I would suggest that the desire to push this forward is based on other motives.
REASONS FOR OBJECTION
My view is that the land in question is not "Grey Belt" - it is high-performing Green Belt and plays a critical strategic role in curbing urban sprawl, preserving the essential gap between Greater Manchester and Cheshire, and protecting active, high-grade farmland. We and other Ashley residents have a very good relationship with the farmers in this area.
Ashley is a sensitive rural settlement lacking the infrastructure to support development on this scale. With no bus network, limited rail services, and narrow approach routes constrained by substandard bridges, any large-scale housing here would be fundamentally unsustainable, driving heavy car dependence and overwhelming local roads, drainage systems, and public services. Furthermore, the development would cause irreversible harm to protected landscapes, biodiversity corridors, and the historic setting of nearby listed buildings.
I also believe the sheer scale of the application suggests a lack of sensitivity towards the community. I am not a planning expert, but as an ordinary resident, my feeling is that the very nature of this application (especially its size) demonstrates that those putting the plans forward are not suitable candidates, in that they appear to have little understanding of the people or place. Therefore the progression of any part of this application would be borne out of a lack of trust between the local people and the proposed developers, and hence unworkable.
SUMMARY
In conclusion, I urge the Council to uphold the site’s Green Belt designation and reject the proposal in full.
I would be happy to discuss this further as needed.
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