A councillor says Cheshire East should call on the government to allow suitable brownfield sites to be compulsorily purchased for development to protect the open countryside, writes Belinda Ryan.
Cllr Robert Douglas said the government’s decision to increase the annual housing requirement which meant Cheshire East no longer have a five-year land supply, has serious implications as the balance in planning decisions has been tilted in favour of developers.
“Developers prefer to build on green belt and on open countryside rather than on brownfield sites as it is easier and cheaper,” the Congleton councillor told the full council meeting.
“It is imperative that Cheshire East has a five-year land supply to prevent opportunistic and inappropriate planning applications.”
He said the council has a register of 172 brownfield sites, some not developed, but all of which appear to relate to planning applications.
He said there must be others in the borough where planning permission has not been sought.
Cllr Douglas urged the council to ensure its brownfield register is up to date.
He also asked that officers immediately undertake a rigorous analysis and detail every brownfield site.
And he called for a motion be brought to council in May “calling on the government to allow, if necessary, any brownfield site deemed appropriate to be compulsorily purchased to achieve a five-year land supply”.
He said: “Then, the right homes with the appropriate proportion of affordable homes and infrastructure must be prioritised on brownfield sites.
“This will ensure our precious green belt and open countryside is protected from detrimental development for the benefit of our communities and future generations.”
In a written response to the councillor, Cheshire East said it last published its register of brownfield sites in January 2025 but was due to publish the updated version shortly.
The statement continued: “While planning policies give strong support to the use of brownfield sites… there is no mandated requirement, particularly where housing supply pressures exist.”
With regard to compulsory purchasing, it said: “The costs and resources required to seek individual CPOs on a variety of individual sites would make that option unviable.”
Cheshire East said it is preparing to start work on a new local plan which will consider the development needs of the borough into the 2040s.
Finally… a councillor speaking common sense.
Brownfield sites should be prioritised for all new builds, if not the beauty of Nantwich will be lost forever