CHL TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT RESULTS

Cheshire East Highways recently carried out a traffic assessment as part of the evaluation to consider whether a section of Chorley Hall Lane should become one-way in the direction of the village.  The assessment was carried out between 22nd - 29th March and it was found that traffic movements towards and away from the village are broadly similar, but that 47% of vehicles exceeded the speed limit driving away from the village, whereas only 17% of vehicles exceeded the speed limit driving into the village.  The 7-day averages are 1,171 vehicles travelling towards the village and 1,217 travelling away from the village.

PLANNED ROADWORKS

The following works are programmed in Alderley Edge next week.  Please allow extra time for your journey as traffic signals will be in place and take extra care if you are on foot.

Brook Lane (outside "Chilcombe") - new external water meter installed by United Utilities
Oakfield Rd (Heyes Lane to Crescent Rd) - upgrade to existing footpath by CE Highways
Moss Road (outside No.2 Moss Road) - upgrade to existing footpath by CE Highways

BLUE LOBSTER PLANNING APPLICATION

Retrospective planning permission is being sought for an external seating area in front of No. 34 London Road.  The deadline for submitting comments is Thursday 18th May. Don't forget to have your say at http://planning.cheshireeast.gov.uk/applicationdetails.aspx?pr=17/1595M&query=6726c13b99e94068a54b2deafcea8478&start=&from=m

APRIL COMMUNITY SURGERY

I'm pleased to confirm that my next drop-in surgery will be on Saturday 29th April at 10am.  Do come and join me at Aldeli for a coffee and a chat about any community issues that may be causing you concern.  I will have with me a hard copy of the proposals for the land off Beech Road, Whitehall Meadow and Ryleys Farm, if anyone would like to have a look at them.

RYLEYS FARM - CONSULTATION RESPONSE

The proposal is for the construction of 300 homes during the current Plan period, plus safeguarded land to the south of the village for the construction of a further 200-300 homes after 2030.  Whilst the proposals include some community benefits, the Parish Council remain strongly opposed to this proposal on the grounds that it: represents an excessive level of development for a Local Service Centre; would have a major detrimental effect on the green belt; would heavily increase congestion in the village centre; exert further pressure on parking infrastructure, which is already at breaking point; is environmentally unsustainable; is unnecessary development, as the need for additional housing can be met through the other sites proposed, at much less harmful impact upon the greenbelt.

HOLE FARM - CONSULTATION RESPONSE

This proposal is for a small number of (10) semi-detached dwellings and (2) bungalows at this site, all units being "affordable housing".  The Parish Council is in favour of this development as it uses previously developed land (i.e. a brownfield site) and will deliver much needed affordable dwellings in Alderley Edge.  We would additionally seek a S106 contribution for a Traffic Regulation Order, preventing all-day parking on Brook Lane whilst at the same time creating an appropriate short-stay waiting area to act as a pick-up/drop-off zone for Alderley Edge School for Girls.

WHITEHALL MEADOW - CONSULTATION RESPONSE

The proposal is a blank canvas in terms of the style, size and mix of dwellings; however, the provision of a new 50-space car park is proposed at the southeast corner of the site (adjacent to the footpath on Wilmslow Road) which would help to meet the village's current and future all-day parking requirements and which would be gifted to the Parish Council on completion, thereby providing a long-term economic benefit to the community.  In particular, a car park at this location would help alleviate pressure on Brook Lane and Lynton Lane.  The Parish Council consider this to be a less environmentally sustainable development than Beech Road (above), but this is balanced against the fact that vehicles leaving the site could travel north to Wilmslow and beyond without having to enter Alderley Edge village.  We are of the view that if this development went ahead, there would need to be a Section 278 agreement to construct a roundabout on Wilmslow Road to facilitate vehicular egress from the site.  With this in mind, we could support in principle, a development of 50 new homes at this location.

BEECH ROAD - CONSULTATION RESPONSE

The proposals include a mixture of bungalows, semi-detached and detached houses of two, three, four and five bedrooms, with a minimum of 30% to be "affordable" dwellings.  Both bungalows and affordable dwellings are in short supply in Alderley Edge.  Further, a number of "community benefits" are proposed, including cycle/walking routes to Wilmslow, encouraging healthy lifestyles and reduced reliance on car journeys; a new allotment site which would allow for either of partial or full relocation from Heyes Lane, including a club house and recycling point for green allotment waste; and an extension to the Beech Road play area, with addition of a skatepark.  Whilst there are potential drainage issues that would need to be addressed, it is the most environmentally sustainable of the sites proposed. The Parish Council therefore support in principle a development of 50 new dwellings at this site, subject to an S106 contribution towards a car park at Heyes Lane Allotments.

CALL FOR SITES - PARISH COUNCIL RESPONSE

Alderley Edge is identified within the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy (LPS) as a Local Service Centre and as such, expects to receive an allocation of around 100 new homes as part of the Site Allocations & Development Policies Document.  Alderley Edge Parish Council recognises this as a reasonable share of the development required through the LPS.  It also notes however, the allocation of 275 new homes at nearby Alderley Park and the absence of any associated infrastructure investment for Alderley Edge, as the nearest Local Service Centre.

Being surrounded by green belt land on all sides puts Alderley Edge in a challenging position.  In order to satisfy the housing requirement, it will be necessary to either accept further infill development and plot subdivision within the settlement boundary, or to make minor adaptations to the existing green belt boundaries.  The key question for us is whether infill development on a piecemeal basis is capable of delivering the significant investment that will be needed in the village's infrastructure over the next few years, or whether this is more likely to be achieved through minor adaptations to the green belt and settlement boundaries.

The Parish Council is aware that a number of sites currently outlying the settlement boundary are being proposed by a combination of landowners/developers as part of this consultation process.  These sites are: Beech Road (land to the north), Horseshoe Farm (land opposite), Ryleys Farm (land adjacent) and Hole Farm (land occupied by).  We have considered each proposal and our comments in relation to each are guided by the feedback we have received from residents following the recent Neighbourhood Plan questionnaire.

FOOTPATH UPGRADES

Over the last twelve months, I have been pressing Cheshire East Highways to carry out some much needed footpath improvement works. I am pleased to report that footpath upgrades I asked for have now been programmed and that work will begin before the end of April, as follows:

Oakfield Road - Monday 24th to Wednesday 26th April
Moss Road - Tuesday 25th to Thursday 27th April
Beech Close - Wednesday 26th April - Wednesday 3rd May

PARK DRAINS CLEANED OUT

I am pleased to report that the drains in the park have recently been jet hosed and cleaned out.  I had been pressing ANSA (parks maintenance) to do this for some time as many residents will know there had been a problem with the drains backing up and leaving standing water across the footpath.  I am happy that the work has been done and hope that the drainage system will now be able to cope with the next downpour.

MARLBOROUGH AVE - OVERHANGING TREES

I am pleased to report that the conifer trees on the junction of Marlborough Ave & Moss Lane have been pruned back.  I had asked Electricity NW (who own the sub-station and adjacent land) to carry out this work, as the overgrown boughs were causing an obstruction to the footpath. I am grateful to Electricity NW for their quick response, but have asked them to come back and reduce the height of these trees as well.