‘It will swallow us up into Manchester, there would be no buffer gap’
Residents living in a village close to Greater Manchester have blasted plans to build a new town including up to 20,000 new homes. The £8 billion scheme would see 2,400 acres of greenbelt land in Adlington, east Cheshire, developed into Adlington New Town.
The site is under four miles from Woodford, in Stockport where a number of new homes have also recently been built. And angry locals say the ‘ridiculous’ plans will ‘basically join Stockport and Macclesfield into one big housing estate.’
Politicians in Stockport have already warned that local services there could be left ‘overstretched.’ Developers Belport say the project will include schools, health centres and have vowed to reopen the Grade I-listed Adlington Hall.
However, many of the 1,000 residents fear the development will spoil the character of their village and destroy wildlife and farmland.
The angry locals say seven tenant farmers who currently work on the land will lose their livelihoods.
Aysha Hawcutt, 48, who has lived in the village for 15 years, said: “It would quite literally be in our back gardens – who wants that?
“For me and for a lot of others, we don’t want this classed as Nimbys. It’s the destruction of the greenbelt and the productive farm land which is the problem.
“It’s awful, we should be trying to increase the country’s productivity, instead we’re going to be ploughing over 900 hectares.”
Aysha Hawcutt
Aysha, who is a member of protest group Stop Adlington New Town who have campaigned against the new town since it was proposed in 2023.
The mum-of-two added: “Since we found out about this, it’s the first thing I think about every day. We live literally backing onto the fields, I used to walk the dog there everyday.
“I can’t go there to see the deer and the owls, it’s so depressing. It’s the constant upset for me, seeing the destruction of ancient woodlands and habitats for animals we love.”
Signs opposing the plans have been placed along A523 London Road which runs beside the village
The most affordable houses are expected to cost around £400,000. Belport claims the development will include commercial spaces, new schools and health centres, and the reopening of the grade I-listed Adlington Hall.
But locals fear building work will cause chaos on the roads change the character of the area forever. Retired relationship therapist Sarah Burrows, 60, said: “This absolutely ridiculous proposal will basically join Stockport and Macclesfield into one big housing estate.
“It will swallow us up into Manchester, there would be no buffer gap. They’re calling it Adlington New Town. The whole reason for creating greenbelt is to stop towns joining.
An aerial view of Adlington Hall which would be reopened under the plans
“Labour have said they’re going to build over one million homes. I don’t think anyone in this area disagrees that there is a need for affordable and social housing.
“Our transport links are terrible, our roads are not only at capacity but above capacity. It’s gridlocked. We have two hospitals which are both on the verge of falling apart. We have schools where local people can’t get places.
“It feels like something that someone has dreamt up an idealistic view of what someone can put there. We could be left with thousands of empty homes, like a ghost town. It could cause a massive housing crash within Cheshire.”
Tractors at a recent protest. Locals say seven tenant farmers who currently work on the land will lose their livelihoods
Villager Kasim Awan added: “The plans to erase hundreds of years of farming over an area the size of 1,500 football pitches, has enraged the farming community; a loss of three million litres of milk annually and 115,000kg of beef annually.
“This proposal has massively surpassed the border of what is socially acceptable, has caused a ripple of potent enrage and animosity seldom seen in recent years.”
The Adlington estate – which dates back to Saxon times – was sold off in 2023 for £25 million.
Adlington Parish Council chairman Simon Gleave looks over the area of farmland and wildlife which surrounds Adlington
The New Towns Project, championed by former deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, has seen a dozen areas selected for construction.
A number of protests against the plans have been held, including on Sunday (November 30). Signs have also appeared in and around village including on the busy A523 London Road.
In October, the Lib Dem leader of Stockport Council leader Mark Roberts described it as ‘as ‘someone in Westminster throwing a dart at a map.’
Whilst the Cheadle MP, the Lib Dems‘ Tom Morrison, said it would put ‘enormous pressure on our already stretched roads, hospitals and particularly public transport.’
Adlington Parish council leader Simon Gleave also criticised the proposed price of the houses. He said: “Belport said the starting price for an affordable home in Adlington would be £400,000.
Affordable housing in my head is £250,000 at a push. It’s not affordable for most people. I’ve had two young people move out of the area as there’s nothing for them.
“Some starter homes on a smaller scale would be fabulous, not a new town. What I don’t understand is why Kier Starmer would fly out to Brazil to protest the destruction of the rainforest but then want to rip out thousands of wild flower meadows.”
Cheshire East Council are due to meet in January to discuss the proposals which could be approved as early as later next year.
Director at Belport Freddie James, said: “This is the very start of a long process, and we understand why people have concerns about farmland, ecosystems and infrastructure.
“Our aim is to create a sustainable, well-connected community that supports local priorities, improves access to nature and helps address the region’s growing housing pressures.
“The engagement sessions held last week are just the beginning, and we will continue to listen and work with the community as our plans develop.”