UPDATE: BROOK LANE DAMAGED WALL

I am pleased to report that the boundary wall to a property on Brook Lane is finally to be reconstructed by Cheshire East Highways. The wall was severely damaged during a road traffic accident over six years ago and has been the subject of a complex legal process ever since. 

Lead Highways Engineer & Project Manager, Ian Maclachlan has confirmed that Cheshire East Legal Services have written to the property owner advising that the Highways Team will be accessing their land in order to carry out a reconstruction of the wall during week commencing Monday 20th May. 

Whilst the works are being carried out, temporary traffic signals will be in place. I would therefore advise local residents to use an alternative route, or allow additional time for their journey. Cheshire East Legal Services will be seeking to recover the costs of the reconstruction work. 

Hopefully this will allow a line to be drawn under this unfortunate, long running and frustrating episode.

CONGLETON ROAD: REPAIRS SCHEDULED

I am pleased to report that repair works to Congleton Road have now been scheduled for 21st - 24th May. During this period there will be traffic signals in place between the junctions of Beechfield Road and Whitebarn Road, so please allow extra journey time.

Level 2 patching repairs will be carried out (similar to the works that were carried out on London Road last year). This is something I have been pressing for over a number of months and I am grateful to officers from Cheshire East Highways for responding positively.

Further works are due to be carried out on Wilmslow Road (approaching Whitehall Brook Roundabout) later in the year. Cheshire East Council is now in the third year of an additional investment programme which has seen an extra £19m spent on repairs across the Borough; however, this figure represents only 10% of the investment that is actually needed, as the council has a backlog of over £180m in repairs for which no funding is available.

GREEN BELT APPLICATION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITE

I would like to alert residents to the fact that an outline planning application has been submitted for a development of nine affordable dwellings on land adjacent to Jenny Heyes, off Heyes Lane. If the application were to be approved, a subsequent application would be necessary to provide details of access, design and appearance of the proposed dwellings.

The location of the proposed development sits within the green belt; however, planning policies allow green belt development to be considered when exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated; a development of exclusively affordable housing is one of these exceptional circumstances and therefore the proposals cannot be automatically dismissed as "inappropriate development within the green belt".

As the proposed development site lies outside the Ward Boundary, the policies within the Alderley Edge Neighbourhood Plan do not apply and we shall have to rely on policies within the Wilmslow Neighbourhood Plan in order to either object to the proposals, or ensure that the most appropriate development possible at this location is delivered.

I am of the opinion that there are several areas where the development proposals do not comply with the Wilmslow Neighbourhood Plan, particularly Policy TH1 (ribbon development at gateway or entrance sites), Policy PR3 (connectivity to a safe and accessible pedestrian network), and Policy TA4 (connectivity to safe and well-lit sustainable travel routes for walking and cycling).

The application will be called in for consideration by Northern Planning Committee; however, I would invite residents of Alderley Edge to make their views known by responding to the consultation online, before Tuesday 5th December at planning.cheshireeast.gov.uk/applicationdetails.aspx?pr=23/4024M&query=d7cf0ad03535483aa94713ded390bafd&start=&from=m 

UPDATE ON WATER PRESSURE ISSUES AROUND THE RYLEYS LANE AREA

A number of residents have recently contacted me to report issues with low water pressure within their properties. After initially believing these issues were related to the works Cadent Gas have been carrying out in the area, I followed up residents' concerns with the Network Manager at Cheshire East Highways, who in turn has spoken to his counterpart at United Utilities.

After carrying out investigative works in the area, United Utilities have located a fault on a Pressure Management Valve (PMV), which measures water pressure and helps control water flows. In order to rectify the problem, they will need to carry out a major service of the PMV and this will involve the installation of traffic signals and temporary suspension of the pedestrian crossing on Ryleys Lane.

Recognising Ryleys Lane as a key walking route for school children, as well as its proximity to Alderley Edge Community Primary School, United Utilities intend to carry out the works outside school hours. It is anticipated that the temporary suspension of the crossing will commence from 18.00 hours on Friday and that works will be completed before midnight.

United Utilities are hopeful that this will address the water pressure issues that residents in the area have been experiencing; however, they have also asked me to highlight that most water bursts are down to ground conditions and movement and can happen at any time.  

FOOTWAY TO CLOSE FOR BOWLING HUT REPAIRS

I am pleased to confirm that repairs to the Bowling Hut at Alderley Edge Playing Fields have been scheduled between Thursday 16th November and Friday 22nd December. During this period, the footpath leading from Redesmere Drive to the Playing Fields will be closed for safety reasons and there will be no pedestrian access to the Lakes Estate.

Primarily, the works will involve the replacement of the roof, which will require scaffolding to be erected around the Bowling Hut. The works will also include replacement fascias, soffits and gutters, which collectively are expected to take in the region of five weeks to complete, although every effort will be made to re-open the footpath as soon as possible.

Posters giving advance notice of the works have recently been put up around the Playing Fields and I would like to express my thanks to ANSA Parks Maintenance and Cheshire East Property Team for prioritising this work. The current Bowling Hut has been in place since 1987, after the previous wooden-construction was destroyed by fire.

OUTDOOR GYM EQUIPMENT OFFICIALLY UNVEILED

Earlier today I was joined by the Chair of Alderley Edge Parish Council, Cllr Rachael Grantham, fellow Parish Councillors, Cllr Bev Chapman & Cllr Ali Bates, along with Eddy Yoxall (Parks Project Manager, ANSA) and local resident Pam Smith at the formal unveiling of our new outdoor gym equipment in Alderley Edge Playing Fields.

The project, delivered as part of the Park Masterplan by Cheshire East Council, includes the installation of six pieces of outdoor gym equipment, two new steel accessible picnic benches, soft surfacing and a further refurbished picnic table made from recycled plastic. The project costs are £16,000 including installation, which have been funded through s.106 monies and a £4,000 contribution from the Parish Council.

The formal ribbon-cutting ceremony was led by the Chair of Alderley Edge Parish Council, Cllr Rachael Grantham. I am delighted to see this project, which I have been working on for approximately 16 months, finally come to fruition. I hope local residents will enjoy using the equipment, two pieces of which are designed to be disabled accessible, as well as the improved seating area next to the bandstand.