Fury as Government reveals plans for 20,000-home New Town in Adlington

Cheshire East Councillors, Parish Councillors, residents, and local businesses have reacted with fury and disbelief to government plans for a vast new town of up to 20,000 homes in Adlington.

The Government’s New Towns Taskforce has identified 12 national sites for new settlements, describing them as “successful new communities, with lasting positive economic and social impacts both in the locations themselves, but also within their wider regions.”

But for Adlington and its neighbours – Poynton, Pott Shrigley, Bollington, Prestbury, and Wilmslow – the announcement has landed like a thunderbolt. As apparently the local councils were not consulted before learning through the national release that their green fields had been earmarked for a huge development that could transform the area forever.

The Labour government has chosen Adlington village as one of 12 locations in England to build a New Town. This week Belport, the company that purchased the 1,921 acre Adlington Estate, sent notification to Adlington residents that Adlington is to be in Phase 1 of the Government’s National New Towns Programme. The new town will consist of around 20,000 new houses of which 40% will be social housing.

Shock and Anger Among Local Representatives

The news has provoked outrage among Cheshire East Councillors and local representatives in Poynton, who are demanding answers as to why they were excluded from discussions. The scale of the proposal – between 14,000 and 20,000 homes on nearly 1,000 hectares of greenfield land – could bring a population of around 60,000 people and erase 2,400 acres of Green Belt countryside.

For context, Macclesfield’s entire built-up area covers 2,100 acres – smaller than the land now being considered for Adlington New Town.

Poynton Town Council immediately issued a statement warning that, although outside its boundary, the proposed development would have “a significant impact on Poynton.”

Local MP Tim Roca also voiced strong opposition, condemning the plans as “a scheme that would inflict significant, large-scale, and irreversible harm on our cherished Green Belt.” He called instead for investment in brownfield land and urban regeneration sites.

Despite the Taskforce’s claims of widespread support in other areas, in Adlington the response has been one of shock and anger. Councils, residents, and campaigners say they have been blindsided by a decision with enormous consequences for local infrastructure, countryside, and community life.

The Cheshire Wildlife Trust has also urged ministers to think again, warning that the development would place an unsustainable strain on wildlife and the wider countryside. They described Cheshire and Warrington as already “one of the most nature-depleted areas in the UK,” and argued that “the scale of the proposed new town is not sustainable in this location.”

The Government’s Position

In its report, the Taskforce insists that Adlington is strategically located to benefit the economies of both Cheshire and Greater Manchester, highlighting the region’s life sciences sector and other innovation assets.

Taskforce Chair Sir Michael Lyons defended the proposals, saying the group had engaged extensively with landowners, housing providers, designers, and investors. He emphasised that new towns could take different forms, from urban extensions to remodelling city centres, but should always have “a clear and distinct identity.”  He also argued that dedicated development corporations would be the best way to deliver such towns, giving them the power to acquire land, plan infrastructure, and manage delivery.

A Fight Ahead

For Adlington, however, the government’s vision of a “new community” has so far only united opposition. Parish and Town Councils across the area have pledged to work together with Cheshire East Councillors and local MPs to ensure residents’ voices are heard.

So, what next? We have a government intent on building new homes at scale, versus local communities determined to defend their countryside, their Green Belt, and their say in the future of their towns.

Find out more about the team behind Adlington New Town here.

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Field of sheep photo: The copyright on this image is owned by Roger Kidd and is licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.