Defending the Green Belt – Thank You
The recent consultation by Cheshire East Council on their new planning document, the Core Strategy, has now ended. This sets out three options for development up to 2030.
Over 400 comments were made on the options. Many were from Poynton residents, who overwhelmingly supported Option 1 (to focus new development around Crewe), and opposed any development around Poynton and building in our Green Belt (as proposed in Option 3). Poynton has just four per cent of Cheshire East’s residents, but a much higher proportion of the comments received came from Poynton residents.
These comments supported the Town Council’s stance, and referred to issues such as traffic, pollution, failure to build a bypass, past over-development, strain on schools and public services and the need to defend the Green Belt separating Poynton from Greater Manchester. Many people opposed the way that Cheshire East class Poynton as a “key service centre”, with “good public transport”, considering that we have only limited bus and train services.
One issue of concern is the impending closure of Woodford Aerodrome and the on-going planning process relating to the part of the site within Stockport Council’s area. British Aerospace (BAe) and Stockport Council are discussing developing part of the site for housing and employment uses, with up to 900 new houses mentioned.
The part of the Woodford site within Cheshire East is designated as Green Belt, but the submission to the Core Strategy consultation from Cass Associates, agents for BAe, appears to suggest that they also wish to develop the parts of the site within Cheshire East and Poynton, and attempt to remove those areas from the Green Belt.
Your local Conservative councillors believe that any such development will be strongly opposed by the vast majority of people in Poynton. There is simply no capacity to take any more traffic, leading to more traffic jams and air pollution. Our schools, GP’s and other public services are also used to capacity. We will be watching developments very closely and will keep you informed as the Core Strategy is compiled.
Poynton needs YOU!
The Core Strategy shows why Poynton needs good candidates for next May’s local elections. If you would like to work for the village, why not consider becoming a Conservative councillor? YOU could make a difference.
