Adlington still at risk of major development

Though Adlington has not been selected for the main New Towns programme, the government has said it remains a viable proposition for development and that there is government funding available to help bring forward large development sites.

Lillian Burns, Adlington New Town spokesperson for CPRE Cheshire, wrote to the Macclesfield Express to explain the issues and outline the consultation that has been launched on the strategic environmental assessment. The newspaper used the letter in its entirety in their April 1st edition.

In the light of discussions around alternative locations for development based on dispersed greenfield sites submitted to Cheshire East’s current ‘Call for sites’ (which is effectively only a developer’s wish list), we have also contacted the relevant Town and Parish Councils to explain:

• Government guidance on housing land assessment.
• The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requirement to focus on brownfield land first.
• The current Cheshire East policy of prioritising development first in Macclesfield and Crewe, followed by development in the Key Service Centres, and then next in the Local Service Centres.

CPRE are now urging Cheshire East Council, the potentially affected Town and Parish Councils and local people to respond to the consultation which closes on May 19th.

Text of letter published in Macclesfield Express

Dear sir

I write to draw attention to the fact that the threat of big scale development at Adlington has not gone away. Headlines reporting that proposals for a New Town have been dropped are misleading. Adlington has merely been de-prioritised – for the time being. It has been placed into a new category of ‘reasonable alternatives’ which the government have said are “strong propositions” for large sites which could be supported through alternative government programmes.

It is important to note how carefully worded the government press release issued on March 22^nd was: It said:

“The locations of seven new towns have been named for consideration as part of the most ambitious housebuilding programme for more than half a century” and “Final locations will be confirmed later this year after the consultation and Strategic Environmental Assessment and any further required environmental assessment.” 

Take this on board alongside the four consultation papers that were launched on the same day which apply to all the original 12 New Towns proposed by the New Towns Taskforce, plus a new one in South Barking, East London.

1. The New Towns Draft Programme consultation document

This has 25 questions, with a foreword by Matthew Pennycook, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, who says: “We were impressed by the strength of propositions across the board, including the six locations that we have identified as reasonable alternatives to the programme”. (Note that Adlington is one of the ‘alternatives’).

The draft programme maintains that the department has conducted a “robust assessment” of all the original locations proposed and concludes: “Following this assessment, the government has determined that 13 locations are capable of meeting the objectives” that had been set (paragraph 3.2). It repeated this claim at the beginning of the following paragraph. It prioritises the taking forward of seven towns – Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Crews Hill and Chase Park in Enfield, Leeds South Bank, Manchester Victoria North, Thamesmead in Greenwich, Brabazon in South Gloucestershire and Milton Keynes. It also indicates the intention to invest in the regeneration and further development of Plymouth

Here’s the rub. It goes on to state that the six ‘alternative’ sites “are strong propositions” and “Insofar as possible, we are supportive of these sites coming forward as large sites through our established programmes and interventions”. 

The six ‘alternatives’ listed are Adlington, Heyford Park, Cherwell in northern Oxfordshire, Marlcombe in East Devon, Plymouth, South Barking, Barking and Dagenham and Wychavon Town in Worcestershire (para.3.3). Of Adlington it says: “Adlington offers the opportunity to develop a standalone settlement on a site largely owned by a single developer. In taking forward this primarily greenfield site, the environmental impacts on land use and landscapes would need to be mitigated, but there is significant opportunity for land value capture to fund this” (page 461). 

That statement, in common with the almost identical one in the New Towns Taskforce report, continues to ignore the fact the land is not just ‘greenfield’ but ‘Green Belt’. It also ignores the fact the uplift value of the land would go to the developer who has proposed the site, Belport, not to public bodies or a development corporation. Belport said at a recent House of Commons committee hearing into New Towns that they did not see it as their job to provide the infrastructure needed.    

2. Annex A: Draft New Towns Planning Policy

This document sets out criteria that should be applied to New Towns. It says nothing about criteria that should be applied to the ‘alternatives’.

3. Annex B: Final Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) environmental report.

To say that this is a high level appraisal by consultants WSP would be an understatement. It takes desktop study to a new level. For instance, under ‘Landscape and Townscape’ it says: “There are no National Parks or landscapes within the broad location, however there is one National Park (Peak District) within 15 km”.  As most local people will know, but for a few metres, Adlington shares a boundary with the Peak District National Park.

4. Annex C: Locations Methodology – New Towns Draft Programme.

This document sets out the criteria that the government applied to each of the recommended locations put forward by the New Towns Taskforce and it lists all the 100 plus areas that were promoted to the Taskforce and gives a brief assessment of each one.

The consultation closes at midnight on May 19^th 2026. It is essential that thoughtful, well reasoned responses are submitted in reply to it. CPRE will, of course, be making a submission. We earnestly hope that Cheshire East Council will also respond to this consultation.

More information

What is a Local Plan Call for Sites?

Seven new towns proposed to kickstart housebuilding push – GOV.UK

New Towns Draft Programme consultation – GOV.UK

CPRE Cheshire Adlington information hub