Protesters held another successful demonstration today against the Government's New Town Task Force (NTTF) proposal to build up to 20,000 homes across nearly 1,000 hectares of Cheshire Greenbelt.
Last week, Sir Michael Lyons (Chair of the NTTF) at the MHCLG Select Committee, revealed that both the Leader (Nick Mannion: Labour) and Deputy Leader of Cheshire East Council (Michael Gorman: Independent) had written to confirm their support of the proposal in July 2025.
They did this without informing elected members or the appropriate Corporate or Communities and Environment Committees. It now appears that their second letter, retracting that support, (almost unanimously supported by all elected members following a Notice of Motion at December’s full Council meeting,) has been largely ignored.
Cllr Hayley Whitaker, attending with Poynton CE Councillors stated:
“Today Conservative Councillors attended the Adlington New Town protest. It was great to see so many in attendance.
However, it is probable that we would not have needed to be there, had the letter supporting the proposal not been sent by the Leader and Deputy.
Sir Michael Lyons stated that the supporting letter from the Leader and Deputy led to Adlington being recommended to the Government.
Conservative Councillors are now calling for the immediate resignation of them both.”
Mr Ben Fletcher (Conservative Mayoral Candidate) attended today’s protest stating:
“I’m very to be back in Adlington today supporting the “Stop Adlington New Town” campaign.
We must build more homes, but the New Town proposal is a cop-out from doing the hard work of reviving our existing towns with beautiful, gentle, density.”
This sentiment was echoed by Bollington Town Councillor Alison Rodwell who confirmed;
“We all know that we need the right homes in the right places - and that means investing in our towns across Cheshire East, not building on farmland or green belt, essential for food security and the rural economy. We must use brownfield and sustainable sites first.”
We stand united against the plans for Adlington New Town.“
https://www.cheshireeastconservatives.co.uk/news/planning-minister-and-…
photos: Courtesy of Cllr Hayley Whittaker, Ben Fletcher and Alison Rodwell
