Macclesfield faces green belt land grab

More than 800 new homes could be built on former green belt around Macclesfield under plans submitted to the council.

Town planners are set to rule over four applications to develop land which was cleared for housing in the local plan adopted last month.

Campaigners are warning that the new Local Plan has ‘opened the floodgates’ for development and that the race is on to stake a claim on green belt land.

If approved, the applications would see:

  • 135 homes built on land north of Chelford Road in Henbury plus up to 232 homes created nearby on a separate site to the south of the road.
  • 150 new homes built on farmland on Dickins Lane in Poynton.
  • And developers also want to build a roundabout on Congleton Road, north Gawsworth, which will provide access to a development site which could accommodate 300 houses.

With the Local Plan allowing for 4,250 new homes to be built across the borough by 2030, campaigners are warning that more applications will follow.

Coun Nick Mannion, who represents Macclesfield West and Ivy, warned of developments resulting in a growing urban sprawl around Macclesfield.

He said: “It’s alarming but not surprising that developers are grabbing at the green belt straight away.

“It’s worrying as these developments close the green gap around the edge of town and mean the town is sprawling outwards.

“The infrastructure and services can’t take it. The town is growing in a chaotic way.”

The new roundabout on Congleton Road would also pave the way for another 2,000 homes by giving access to more green belt in the south west of the town which was earmarked in the Local Plan for future development, after 2030 - called ‘safeguarded land’. Campaigners are worried developers could apply to get the land released sooner.

Tim Whiteley, of Save Macclesfield Green Belt (SMGB), said: “Developers are cherry picking green belt sites which are the easiest to develop and most profitable.

“Now the Local Plan is in place, they are grabbing the land for development as quickly as possible.

“We’re worried at what other developments will come forward for the rest of the green belt in south west Macclesfield.

“All this when there are brownfield sites which could be developed.

“It’s really sad for Macclesfield and will change our landscape forever for future generations.”