Published: 7 October 2025
UPDATE – What’s happening and where you can find more information.
This statement has been produced by the Task and Finish Group in agreement with all of the councils involved.
Statement from the Adlington New Town Task & Finish Group
Following the announcement in September 2025 that Adlington was to be included in the list of sites for new towns, Pott Shrigley Parish Council agreed to join a group of local town and parish councils comprising Bollington TC, Poynton TC, Prestbury PC, Adlington PC, and Mottram St Andrew PC. This group, which became known as the Adlington New Town Task and Finish Group,(TFG), had an agreed purpose to co-ordinate and facilitate joint working of the named councils in their opposition to the news.
Given the non-standard nature of the planning approval route for such a large development i.e. that this would be decided at a national level, instead of through the well-established local procedure, the TFG understood the need for swift action in assessing and challenging the proposed development. As consultees, representing the communities that would be directly affected by the development, the TFG determined that the response would involve the commissioning of expert legal advice and reports across multiple areas of material impact e.g. environment & wildlife, infrastructure, transport, economy.
Each council in the TFG agreed to pledge an amount equal to £5 per household, to allow this work to be carried out. To facilitate the calculation of each council’s share, the tax base was used. Pott Shrigley’s share worked out at 1.24%. The budget and spends to date are set out below.
The establishment of the SANT community action group proved a huge boost to the task and the TFG is grateful for the great amount of expert pro bono work carried out by its members. The two groups have worked closely together, with the TFG supporting the work of SANT and making sure to avoid any duplication of effort. The TFG were pleased to be able to provide expert legal counsel to help SANT finalise its reports, prior to their submission to the relevant parties in Westminster.
The TFG engaged in correspondence with the House of Lords Built Environment Committee and directly with Sir Michael Lyons (Chair of the New Towns Taskforce) and commissioned its own reports to supplement the work carried out by SANT. Links to these reports, plus the work done by SANT will be released to the public after 19th May 2026.
The TFG are pleased with the news that the Adlington New Town site has been deprioritised not “cancelled”. We note that it has been added to a new list of viable alternative sites, from the current list of New Towns, because the case was not made that the benefits of such a large development would out way the costs. The TFG believe its work helped demonstrate this case.
The TPG determines however that following the recent announcement, there is reason to be slightly cautious on believing that the development in Adlington has been completely rejected, or merely sidelined. Therefore, the TFG will consider carefully what action may be required in the coming months, as more information is released by the Government.
| Cheshire Wildlife Trust | Traffic and Transportation Assessment | Legal Advice | socio-economic report |
Current spend of the council |
|
Cost |
£2,975 |
£8,950 |
£15,000 |
£800 |
27,725 |
Pott Shrigley |
36.93 |
111.09 |
186.18 |
9.93 |
£344 |
The Pott Shrigley Parish Council is part of The Task and Finish Group of local councils working closely with the “Stop Adlington New Town” group” to oppose the development. The Clerk and councillors have already attended several meetings.
There is a wealth of information now available in opposition to this proposal. Instead of repeating what is available elsewhere, below are links to the best sources.
Prestbury Parish Council has the most comprehensive collection of information.
Supporters of the Adlington Greenbelt
The Parish Council was recently informed of the government’s proposal to designate the former Adlington Hall Estate as the site for one of its planned ‘New Towns’, comprising approximately 14,000 to 20,000 new dwellings. Although the proposed development site is not immediately adjacent to Pott Shrigley, its establishment will have a significant impact on our parish and surrounding communities. The council is totally opposed to this development particularly as the land is good agricultural land, designated Green Belt and is of significant historic importance.
Both Tim Roca MP and Cheshire East Council have expressed their surprise at this announcement, with Mr Roca formally stating his opposition to the proposed development.
At its September meeting, attended by approximately 50–60 members of the public, the Parish Council provided an opportunity for residents and interested parties to express their views. The Council will continue to liaise closely with neighbouring parish councils, Cheshire East Council, and our Member of Parliament to ensure that the views and concerns of the community are fully represented as the situation develops.
Further information will be made available on this website as it emerges.
New Towns Taskforce Final Report
Joint letter from Bollington, Pott Shrigley and Poynton Councils to the Secretary of State
To get involved and be kept up to date click on the link below