FAQs

Housing

Why do we need more homes in Poynton?

There is a significant need for more homes, both nationally and across Cheshire East, as not enough new homes are currently being built to meet demand. This shortage is one of the factors contributing to rising house prices and making it harder for local people, particularly first-time buyers and younger families, to find a home they can afford.

The Government sets housing requirements for every local authority in England. Under the Government's standard method for calculating housing need, Cheshire East is required to deliver 13,162 new homes over the between April 2025 and March 2030. However, as of April 2025, the Council could only demonstrate a 3.3-year supply of deliverable housing land, which is below the Government's requirement to maintain a 5-year housing land supply.

As a result, additional housing sites are needed to help meet local housing needs, provide homes for future generations, and ensure that Cheshire East maintain a supply of land for new housing.

Why can’t these homes be built on brownfield sites instead?

Brownfield sites play an important role in delivering new homes, and Cheshire East Council supports their redevelopment wherever suitable opportunities exist. However, there are not enough available brownfield sites across the borough to meet the area's housing needs on their own.

Will the new housing be affordable for local people?

The proposal offers 45% affordable housing, which would make a significant contribution towards meeting identified local housing needs. The Site will provide a range of housing options, including homes for first-time buyers, young families and households.

What is meant by affordable housing?

Affordable housing is housing provided for people whose needs are not met by the open market. The Government's National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) defines affordable housing as homes for sale or rent that are made available at below market rates and remain affordable, in perpetuity, for eligible households.

Affordable housing can take a range of forms, including:

  • Social and Affordable rented housing, where rents are set below market levels.
  • First Homes or discounted market housing, which are sold to eligible first-time buyers at a discount of at least 30% against the market value.
  • Shared ownership, which allows people to purchase a share of a home and pay rent on the remaining share.

Highways and Accessibility

How will vehicles access the Site?

Vehicular access is proposed from Poynton Relief Road (Roy Chadwick Way) via a new roundabout junction. This form of access has been selected following detailed technical assessments and will provide safe access to and from the Site.

Will the site be accessed via Lostock Hall Road?

Lostock Hall Road will be a dedicated emergency / pedestrian / cyclist access only. It will only be used by emergency service vehicles in exceptional circumstances, for example: if the main access off Poynton Relief Road was ever blocked or impassable. Drop-down bollards with GERDA key will be installed preventing unauthorised vehicle use.

Pedestrian and cycle connections will connect onto Lostock Hall Road, helping to improve access to the surrounding area.

How will this affect congestion in the local area?

A detailed Transport Assessment is being undertaken to understand the impact of the development on the local highway network. Vehicular access is proposed directly onto Poynton Relief Road and therefore the impact on the local road network in Poynton are likely to be limited.

The site is located adjacent to the existing urban area of Poynton and has the potential to support a range of transport choices, including walking, cycling, public transport and private vehicles. The proposals include new pedestrian and cycle routes, enhanced connections to existing Public Rights of Way, and provision for public transport within the development.

As part of the planning application process, the development's impact on the road network will be fully assessed. Where necessary, highway improvements or financial contributions will be secured to mitigate any significant impacts identified.

Will you be doing anything to improve pedestrian accessibility, including at Roy Chadwick Way, the route beneath the railway bridge and the railway bridge on Woodford Road?

We recognise concerns raised regarding:

  • The accessibility of the existing stile on Roy Chadwick Way.
  • Flooding and accessibility issues on Public Footpath 80 beneath the railway bridge.
  • The absence of a dedicated pedestrian route across the railway bridge on Woodford Road.

These routes are located outside the application site and are therefore not directly controlled by the development proposals. Nevertheless, the project team continues to consider opportunities to improve wider connectivity where practical and will continue discussions with the relevant authorities as the proposals progress.

The railway bridge on Woodford Road lies beyond the site's immediate area and is not considered a principal route between the development and Poynton Town Centre. Accordingly, the development is not expected to generate levels of pedestrian movement that would require significant new infrastructure at this location.

Construction

What will you do to minimise disruption during the construction phase?

A detailed Construction Management Plan will be prepared and agreed with the Council before construction begins. This will set out measures to manage construction traffic, working hours, noise, dust and site operations, helping to minimise disruption to neighbouring residents.

Will construction vehicles use Lostock Hall Road to access the site?

No. Construction traffic is proposed to access the site via Roy Chadwick Way, avoiding the need for construction vehicles to use Lostock Hall Road.

Local Infrastructure / Amenity

How will local infrastructure and services cope with increased demand?

We understand concerns regarding the capacity of local infrastructure and services. As part of the planning application process, consultees including education authorities, healthcare providers, highways officers and utility providers will be invited to assess the proposals and identify any requirements arising from the development.

Where necessary, financial contributions or other measures will be secured through the planning process to help support improvements to local infrastructure and services and ensure that the impacts of development are minimised as far as possible.

What amenity space will we have once the site is developed?

55% of the Site (15.6ha) is retained as open space, including retained hedgerows, new green corridors, habitat areas and recreational spaces.

Existing Public Rights of Way will be retained within landscaped corridors, while new walking and cycling routes will create additional opportunities for recreation and sustainable travel.

Ecology and Biodiversity

What about the existing biodiversity and wildlife on the site?

Existing hedgerows, trees and vegetation are to be retained and form the network of green corridors running throughout the site. These areas will provide important habitat connections for wildlife while also contributing to the landscape character of the development.

Where existing habitats have been identified these have been respected and any adjacent development suitably offset to avoid any harm or conflict.

The development will be required to deliver a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain. This will be achieved through a combination of habitat retention, habitat creation and habitat enhancements – e.g. planting of native species to support the local ecosystems.