We call upon the Government, Cheshire East Council and all relevant decision-makers to reconsider policies and proposals that would concentrate thousands of additional homes around Leighton, Minshull Vernon, Woolstanwood and neighbouring communities.

Approximately 1,600 homes are already being built around Leighton Hospital. An outline planning application has been submitted for approximately 2,100 homes at Weavers Green (26/2711/OUT), and a further 1,700 homes are proposed at Leighton North (26/3072/EIA). Taken together, these developments could add around 5,400 homes in and around the same area, fundamentally changing the scale and character of the affected communities.

We recognise the need for new housing, but object to the excessive scale and concentration now proposed. Local communities should not be expected to accommodate repeated large developments simply to meet centrally driven numerical targets. We ask decision-makers to reduce the amount of housing proposed for this area, distribute development more fairly across a wider area, protect the countryside and green spaces between settlements, and give proper weight to the views of residents before irreversible decisions are made.