Local plan scoping consultation

I'm writing to you concerning the proposed local plans for my area, I hope that my views will be taken into consideration.

Macclesfield has huge potential to regain its crown of being the centre of excellence as it was when the silk industry was at its height and its reputation was global.
Today I see its town centre rapidly diminishing, shops closing, empty retail spaces and gaining a ghost town image.
Macclesfield has a lot of heritage which should be brought to the fore. There are numerous events throughout the year which are great but there is no flourishing industry to make people want to stay. I must commend the council on its provision of children's playgrounds which is excellent. We have Astra Zenica a huge employer but we need more small buisinesses to employ people, independent shops and an improved bus service. To install pride of place, pride of working in Macclesfield.

It would be a journey but I'm convinced to raise pride of place, to enjoy working in Macclesfield will help to improve the wellbeing of its people. It would then have the knock on effect of improving the health and well-being of its residents, taking strain off service e.g. NHS. To continue on the current path of building houses to fill a tick box and create a dessert in the town is in my opinion foolhardy. I urge you to look at your infrastructure and ask what attracts people to Macclesfield or do you want it to become a satellite commuter town for Manchester?

Services are already stretched here, the hospital, fire service and the police. Road maintenance is low, gutters are filling with vegetation which can only lead to surface flooding, a huge expense for all ( clearing, cleaning, insurance rises etc)

The council needs to look at the town centre and brownfield sites. There are so many retail buildings with the
possibility of housing and buisiness, derelict land and beautiful mills ripe for retrofitting for business and housing. I understand that a current modern house has a lifespan of 60 years, how much better would it be to bring back life to the town, utilise brown field sites and regenerate the town centre. It has been done in Manchester and in process in Wigan through careful thinking about regeneration. This should be a priority before additional houses being built on the perimeter of Macclesfield, this building would not address the key issues for Macclesfield. To build on brown field sites I understand is expensive, however the long term gain is more, I use the old Kings school site developed initially by PJ Livesey property developers who sensitively conserved the old buildings whilst making room for additional houses. I've known this company who made an excellent job of creating houses, apartments at Rufford New Hall. Projects like this would benefit Macclesfield, answer some housing needs and conserve our heritage.

Do not let the easy build attitude destroy the identity of place allowing settlements to merge.

CFS 26460 land west of Whirley Road

This land is totally unsuitable to build upon.

1. It is classed as peat moss, has a large peat pond, and always floods. The water table is high even towards Henbury.
To build on it would release carbon and add to our current predicament of global warming. Global warming predicts wetter winters as well as dry summers thus greater movement in ground structure.
Since moving here I have seen people skating in this field In winter. To build here would damage the ground structure, devastate wildlife.
Bellway homes built on peat at Broken Cross. Homes have had problems with flooding already and the developers have not yet completed. This will in turn cause problems for the council, in raised insurance fees for the householder and have the worry of subsidence.

2. This land is crossed by a footpath which is constantly in use, it is a huge recreational resource used by people far and near. People drive to come here and walk, I have spoken to many.

3. It has electricity pylons crossing it and also power cables held by telegraph poles. Personal family experience of living near a pylon has proved concerning over the electromagnetic field as two children from the same family experienced rare cancers.

4. Whirley school is at full capacity as it is known that children from Bellway Homes Broken Cross could not go to this school so there is no infacstructure to support more housing in this area.

5. Whirley Road is narrow and I understand that this was a reason for previous applications to build to be rejected. Nothing has changed. The new housing has brought more cars being parked on the road and pavements.
During school hours the road is congested. [REDACTED] I have seen the school coach unable to get through to the school entrance and have to park in the middle of the road and let the children out which is dangerous and blocks the road.


CFS26557 land south of Whirley Road

This land has a water tower with radio masts which is a concern. It is boggy in places with pools of water.
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Whirley Road is narrow, the pavements too are narrow and limited. There is a nasty junction with Whirley Road and Birtles Road, unsuitable for more traffic.

CFS26590 land north of Birtles Road, Whirley Grove

Again this land is boggy, the housing plan goes too near the old quarry.

There are no footpaths for this part of Birtles Road.

This land has an electricity pylon which always crackles.

Birtles Road is narrow, unsuitable for more traffic, let alone the dangerous junction with Whirley Road.

Where the plans go onto Sandy Lane, Sandy Lane is of concern. It is narrow with no footpaths, the exit onto the B5087 is on a dangerous bend. At the other end where it leads onto Whirley Road, the junction has very limited veiw to safely go onto Whirley Road. Sandy lane floods in two places and in winter is very prone to black ice.

All the areas highlighted in this email all have considerable issues and are not suitable for development. This land is used by farmers and there is an urgent call for farmland to be conserved, looking as a country to be self reliant on our ability to farm and feed the nation. Climate change is a very concerning issue and we should not be destroying peat, it is irreplaceable.

I strongly urge the council to look at brownfield sites, consider the type of housing they allow. Bellway homes failed to deliver on low cost housing, they are not alone as I have seen this happen in many counties, profit comes first.

I urge the council to look to your infrastructure first and make good long term decisions for the future of Macclesfield .