Adlington among 12 potential sites for new towns
The government has pledged to build at least three new towns during this Parliament, with an announcement on final locations expected next year
Adlington in Cheshire East has been identified as one of 12 potential sites for a new town, as part of a government drive to deliver large-scale housing developments across England.
The announcement was made on Sunday (28 September) following the publication of a report by the independent New Towns Taskforce, led by Sir Michael Lyons. The government has pledged to build at least three new towns during this Parliament, with an announcement on final locations expected next year.
Each new town would be expected to deliver at least 10,000 homes, with an ambition for 40% to be affordable housing, half of which would be for social rent. The government has also confirmed it will establish a New Towns Unit to oversee delivery, remove barriers to development, and ensure communities are planned as “test beds for innovation.”
While Adlington has been recommended as a possible standalone settlement serving the Greater Manchester and Cheshire economies, sites at Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Crews Hill in London, and Leeds South Bank are currently viewed as the most promising candidates. A Strategic Environmental Assessment will now be carried out to examine the environmental impact of each proposed location before any final decisions are made.
Cheshire East Council has clarified that it did not put forward Adlington for consideration. A spokesperson said: “We note the recommendations announced by the New Towns Taskforce on Sunday, and the initial response to this from the Government. The response includes Adlington, near Macclesfield, as one of the recommended locations for a new town. The submissions considered have been prepared independently and not proposed by Cheshire East Council. The council now awaits further information from the government on these proposals, with an expectation that more information will be published in the spring.”
Macclesfield MP Tim Roca has strongly opposed the idea, warning that such a development could cause lasting damage to the area’s green belt. He said: “While the Government has stressed that this is only the very earliest stage of consideration, and I will review any proposals with care, I want to be absolutely clear: I cannot and will not support a scheme that would inflict significant, large-scale, and irreversible harm on our cherished Green Belt.”
Mr Roca added that while more housing is needed, it should be focused on brownfield and regeneration sites, including opportunities in Macclesfield town centre, rather than countryside. He confirmed he is already speaking to ministers and the Taskforce to ensure local concerns are heard: “I will continue to press at every stage to protect important green belt land around Macclesfield and its communities.”
The government will publish draft proposals and the findings of the environmental assessment in the spring, followed by a consultation before final sites are confirmed. In addition to Adlington, other locations under consideration include Marlcombe in East Devon, Milton Keynes, Plymouth, Thamesmead in Greenwich, and Worcestershire Parkway, among others.