Now is the time to comment on how housing, jobs and infrastructure will develop over the next 20 years.

Cheshire East council has extended its consultation on the latest stage of the Local Plan – the Draft Development Strategy – to guide development in the borough until 2030.

Macclesfield needs 3,500 houses and four preferred development sites have been set out to help provide these, as well as employment, roads and facilities.

Hundreds of homes are likely to be on green belt. The draft was due to go out to consultation on January 15, but the council has made a copy available now.

Coun David Brown, cabinet member in charge of strategic communities, said: “The Local Plan will promote economic growth, improve connectivity and protect our countryside from unplanned development.

“We hope this will give the best opportunity for as many as people as possible to comment on the proposals.”

One of the preferred development sites is land between Congleton Road and Chelford Road which could see between 750 and 1,500 homes, employment, a new South West link road, shops, schools and community facilities.

Some land would be set aside for development in the next Local Plan.

The second green belt site up for development is the King’s School site at Fence Avenue which could involve 300 homes.

The school would move both its sites to a new purpose-built school in the south of the town.

South Macclesfield Development Area could provide 900 homes, employment and retail and Macclesfield Town Centre is also on the list for development.

Residents around the borough have complained their pleas to protect the green belt were ignored in the draft.

The council insists it must review the green belt and council leader Michael Jones says Macclesfield would lose more green belt without a proposed new settlement at Handforth East.

Coun Jones said: “I take very seriously my responsibility to protect the people of Cheshire East from unwanted and unplanned development.

“Our Development Strategy sends a strong message to the developers besieging our towns.”