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Cheshire East councillors vote unanimously to oppose Adlington New Town
We’re happy to report that at the 10th December 2025 full council meeting, Cheshire East councillors voted unanimously to oppose proposals for a potential New Town at Adlington.
Adlington was one of 12 locations recommended as a potential site for a new town in the September 2025 New Towns Taskforce report to central government. With up to 20,000 homes accommodating roughly 47,000 people, the population of the new town would not be far short that of Macclesfield.
We have been campaigning against the idea since the start, with activities including speaking at public and parish council meetings and at Cheshire East Council’s October meeting, publishing a fact sheet, writing articles for external publications and our own website, and contacting Cheshire East councillors individually to urge them to vote to oppose the New Town.
What happened at the meeting
Elected representatives of Poynton and Bollington Town Councils and Prestbury Parish Council, along with half a dozen members of the public and 20 Cheshire East councillors, all spoke against the Adlington New Town proposals.
No-one spoke in favour.
The arguments made echoed our own concerns and included:
- Destruction of 1,000 hectares of Green Belt, much of which comprises some of the oldest fields and hedges in England and provides a rich wildlife habitat.
- Permanent loss of productive farmland at a time when food security is becoming an ever-more pressing concern.
- Creation of urban sprawl running from Macclesfield to Stockport.
- Lack of infrastructure, with (for example) hospitals already struggling.
- Car-dependency – the station is on the main Manchester-London line, on which the need to accommodate fast trains limits capacity for more frequent stopping services.
- The importance of prioritizing brownfield sites for development (which ensures homes are built where they are needed and drives urban regeneration).
- The fact no account has been taken of the Council’s democratically-produced Local Plan.
When the vote was taken, all 69 councillors present voted for the motion opposing the New Town.
The unanimous vote was greeted by extended applause from members of the public present.
Earlier letter to the New Towns Taskforce
A number of councillors criticised a letter written in June 2025 by Cheshire East Council’s Leader and Deputy Leader to the New Towns Taskforce Chair, Sir Michael Lyons. Both the Leader, Councillor Nick Mannion, and the Deputy Leader, Councillor Michael Gorman, admitted the letter gave the impression they were in favour of an Adlington New Town. However, they said the letter was ‘poorly worded’ and was intended to express a more general view that New Towns had some merit. Both apologised for the letter.
What happens next
The government has stated that they will definitely proceed with three of the Taskforce recommendations. The decision on which are taken forward lies with Steve Reed, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. He is conducting Strategic Environmental Assessments (to include consultation) on all 12 recommended New Towns. He is due to announce his decision in early summer 2026.
In the meantime, we will continue to campaign against the proposal, liaising with other opponents including the MP for Macclesfield, Tim Roca. We are currently working on a heavyweight planning document.
We hope very much that this decision by Cheshire East Council will be a first step in showing the government that Adlington is completely the wrong place for a New Town.
More information
CPRE Cheshire Adlington New Town Fact Sheet
Help us fight for the countryside
With the countryside under threat as never before, we need to step up our efforts to protect it. Fighting proposals such as this requires expert professional input – which costs money.
You can help, by joining CPRE or making a donation.
You can also get involved as a volunteer.
