2015 Feb: Letter to SMDC Part 2
On a National level
In the Mansion House Speech 2014 on 12 June, the Chancellor George Osborne announced that Councils would be required to put local development orders on over 90% of brownfield sites that are considered suitable for housing. He suggested that this would mean planning permission for up to 200,000 new homes.
The strategy adopted by SMDC draws development away from the many Brownfield sites around the Potteries and will undermine National Policy.
Residents have, through representations and the petition, made it clear that local public opinion is against the current course taken by SMDC.
The Response above from the Department of Communities and Local Government highlights The Framework only asks local councils to identify and plan to meet the objectively assessed needs of their communities based on robust evidence.
We believe that SMDCs strategy is excessive and is at odds with both the community and a sustainable policy for our region. We therefore request that SMDC:
1. Work towards a plan that includes a sustainable strategy with the Potteries and Newcastle-under-Lyme. This would include prioritising development on Brownfield Sites ahead of Greenfield sites. If this places SMDC at any financial disadvantage we should work to highlight this to government for a financial adjustment.
2. Reduce planned housing for Cheadle significantly to fall within the 880 dwellings already identified in Urban areas and in Area 1 (North) to 2031 in line with a more realistic local demand and supporting 1 above
3. Refrain from passing any Planning Applications that work against 2 above with immediate effect.
4. Work on a plan that promotes tourism for the area, with Cheadle playing an important role and bridge to Alton Towers (with planned increased tourist attractions), the Churnet Valley, Local railways (Churnet & Foxfield), Pottery industry and on promoting the Pugin Church and local businesses that identify the Town as standing apart from the ‘Clone Britain’ town.
5. Detail the current situation regarding development in Area 1. Having secured approval for developing this Area by the Planning Inspector as the most sustainable site, why do you ignore it as evidence that we have at least 5 years land provision?
6. Recognise the very significant numbers of objections (for example via representations in your Appendix_k) and the Cheadle Housing petition (SMDC have a copy) as part of any planning applications that sit outside of the 400 Urban and 240 Area 1 (North) dwellings, directing planning developers to 1 & 2 above.
7. Change course to a far more open and transparent process with residents and action groups including opportunities to be involved with discussions with the Potteries on housing and details of any other planned proposals for Cheadle (for example a JCB factory has been mentioned in the press).
8. Engage with residents and action groups in a fair and balanced manner. (no more Ignoring representations, Petitions and biased support for developers)
9. Consider the legacy that will follow. All the details enclosed here and on past correspondence and actions of SMDC are logged and will be retained for future reference. It is clear at this stage from the Department for Communities and Local Government that it is within SMDCs scope to change the Core Plan strategy. If major developments are passed for Cheadle and our infrastructure fails for example through road Gridlock, the community will look to SMDC to explain why.
This and all correspondence are being forwarded for consideration by Department for Communities & Local Government.
Yet again we hope for a positive response from SMDC.
Kind regards,
Cheadle Unite ‘Together’
1320 Houses/Dwellings Still Planned for Cheadle 250 Houses In Cheadle North East 190 Houses NOW Applied for In Cheadle East
26%+ Swell in Our Population Planned in 12 years 441 In Urban Sites Around Cheadle 200 Properties on Small Urban Extensions
More Traffic/Pollution. Services stretched 124 Builds Already Completed 86+ Developments already agreed
To receive our emails contact us at cheadleunite@dsl.pipex.com