For the past four years Ollerton with Marthall Parish Council has been preparing a Neighbourhood Plan for the parish. This is in line with government policy under the Localism Act of 2012, which encourages the production of such plans to give localities a meaningful say in the planning rules of Cheshire East’s Local Plan.

What is a Neighbourhood Plan?

• A Neighbourhood Plan is an opportunity for every resident to have a say in how Ollerton with Marthall Parish Council should develop up to 2031 to meet local needs.
• Neighbourhood Plans are important planning documents. When completed and accepted, the plan will have legal status for planning purposes. Cheshire East planners must use the plan, alongside their local plan, to determine planning decisions of future development in the parish.
• The Neighbourhood Plan must conform to the principles and strategies of the Cheshire East Local Plan and although our plan cannot stop future development, it will give us a major say in influencing and shaping that development.
• There are lots of Neighbourhood Plans in Cheshire East underway or completed. They are being used successfully to help decide planning applications and have been used to fight appeals.
• A Neighbourhood Plan can allocate sites for development and can have a number of policies covering planning issues such as housing, local character and design, the natural environment, community facilities and more.
• The plan is a community plan not a Parish Council Plan, although the Parish Council had overall responsibility for the process

Why has a Neighbourhood Plan been produced?

• We are blessed to live in a beautiful area of rural Cheshire and we want to use the plan to protect the natural environment, wildlife sites, trees, footpaths and dark skies we enjoy.
• Preserve the heritage of the parish maintaining local distinctiveness and character.
• Ensure that housing is built on previously developed land, not “green belt” and new houses provide smaller houses that are actually needed by locals.
• Protect green spaces and community facilities.
• Improve transport and safety and to facilitate cycling and walking.
• Support the rural economy and agriculture and new small businesses.

What’s next?

• We will be posting letters and questionnaires inviting you to look at the Neighbourhood Plan and provide any comments you may have. There is also a replied paid envelope for you to post back the questionnaire.
• If you would prefer to send your comments electronically you can do this quickly and easily using the following link http://owmpc.org.uk/survey14
• The Neighbourhood Plan can be viewed online at http://owmpc.org.uk/np
• We will be holding sessions for the public to come and discuss the Neighbourhood Plan at Marthall Village Hall on the following dates, where we will be happy to answer any questions you have

Tuesday 17th May 2022 1pm - 4pm

Wednesday 18th May 2022 7pm - 10pm

Please ensure that all your responses are posted before 7th June or sent electronically before the 12th of June.

We look forward to answering any questions you may have and reading your responses.

We’ve had a lot of residents, especially in the north of the parish, complain about recent flights of large planes over their houses. Whilst we know that Manchester Airport have had technical problems for 10 days from 10th to the 19th of October, our compliant actually extends beyond those dates because we can’t see any reasonable excuse for the flights.

The Parish Council is concerned that Manchester Airport is “testing the waters” for their upcoming “Future Airspace” project by sending planes over our parish and waiting for complaints. This concern is shared by neighbouring parish councils, including Snelson and Chelford who have also registered complaints.

The letter has been sent to the Managing Director, Karen Smart.

We would in the meantime encourage any residents who have been disturbed by these flights to contact the airport directly using the following link https://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/community/living-near-the-airport/noise-disturbance-and-webtrak/

Dear Ms Smart,

As you’re obviously aware the recent failure of the navigational aids has forced many of your planes to fly in non-standard departures. 

Whilst the recent crescendo of large planes over our parish is easily explained by this failure, this letter concerns the preceding 5-6 weeks, during which a constant and steady stream of large aircraft also flew over our parish on a daily basis for no apparent reason.

Throughout September a constant flow of large planes used the LIS flightpaths. Most did so during periods of calm and clear skies. The planes also came over at a time when other aircraft preceding or proceeding the errant one, flew on an expected flightpath, which if caused by navigational problems, were very specific and intermittent.

Whilst we would like an explanation for these NSDs, we primarily wish to register a complaint on behalf of the residents in our parish who were affected by the noise and disturbance these planes caused during this period.

The Parish Council has been trying in recent years to get the “grass” verge between Manor Lane and Windmill Wood turned into something safer and easier for pedestrians to use with little success.

This situation has been exacerbated in recent months with repeated attempts to block the verge with large mounds of soil and tree trunks. This causes pedestrians, some with prams and small children to face either trying to cross a busy road or walk into the path of vehicles, both on a notoriously dangerous bend.

Several local residents have alleged that the perpetrator of this illegal activity is the owner of Windmill Wood, using a mini-digger to move materials from the wood to discourage people from using the footpath.

It is worth noting several things:

• The land is owned by Cheshire East Highways, not any local residents for their personal use
• This is considered “fly-tipping” which is a criminal offence punishable by a fine of up to £50,000 or 12 months imprisonment if convicted in a Magistrates’ Court. The offence can attract an unlimited fine and up to 5 years imprisonment if convicted in a Crown Court
• This is a public right of way, if this was in any doubt, there is a Post Office post box on the land.
• The footpath through Windmill Wood is a public footpath and has been since the 1800s

The Parish Council have complained to Cheshire East Council repeatedly about this issue over recent months but the perpetrator continues to re-offend. We consider the behaviour of the perpetrator completely unacceptable and a danger to life.

If you see any evidence of obstruction of the highway or fly-tipping, please contact Cheshire East Highways to report it on the following link https://form.cheshireeast.gov.uk/service/Report_a_street_cleansing_issue. The more people that complain the more likely CEC will make the perpetrator reinstate the verge and not re-offend.

Mahmud Kamani owner of the Boohoo fashion company and owner of Ollerton Manor has allegedly flouted lockdown restrictions by holding a “golf party” on his property.

Following a scandal earlier this year that wiped £1B off Boohoo’s value after accusations of worker exploitation and breaking of Covid-19 restrictions, it appears that on Sunday the 15th of November a “golf party” was held flouting lockdown laws.

Earlier in the day a security guard was stood on Chelford Road directing traffic to the event with a sign labeled “Knutsford Golf Course”. Ironically the entrance to the field, driveway and alterations to the pavement and highway were all done illegally and are currently the subject of one of numerous “enforcement orders” Cheshire East Council have taken against Mr Kamani.

As the sun started to set cars started to leave the venue, and to avoid problems on the notorious accident blackspot of the nearby crossroads, the security guard helped to guide the visitors onto the fast moving carriageway.

A nearby resident said “I heard gardeners working this morning to clear the leaves to the entrance, using leaf-blowers… but I had no idea it was to host this” another resident commented “It appears that it’s one rule for us and another for Mr Kamani… AGAIN!”

Below is a diagram of the illegal building work