‘To say they are consulting over the town plan is a joke’ (From Knutsford Guardian)

‘To say they are consulting over the town plan is a joke’

2:20pm Thursday 27th September 2012 in News By James Wilson

RESIDENTS across Knutsford have told the Guardian they don’t believe the town has been consulted in the ‘correct way’ over the draft town strategy.

The Knutsford Town Strategy will determine future infrastructure up to 2030, setting out housing, jobs, roads, schools, leisure facilities, parks and green spaces – but many townspeople are only just hearing about it despite it being unveiled at the beginning of September.

Homeowners in the Nether ward area held a meeting on Sunday afternoon to pool their concerns regarding the strategy, while residents in Over Ward – led by Helen Wilson – have been knocking on doors informing residents of the plans for the area, which could see homes built on the land opposite Longridge.

Helen told the Guardian she believed the council had not been transparent during the process.

She said: “To say they are consulting is a joke. They need to communicate with people, and of those we have spoken to only around 10 per cent have heard about it.

“It is morally wrong, and it affects the community in terms of amenities and everything.

“You have people on waiting lists for doctors and people are sending their children out of the area for schools, so what is the point of building houses that can’t support the new people arriving?”

Pat Green, who lives in Tabley Close, said more than 40 turned up at the meeting for Nether Ward residents – with apologies from many more.

“People were saying it has been a bit cloak and dagger, and if you hadn’t seen it in the Guardian you wouldn’t have known,” she said.

“If you don’t go to the library you don’t get one as they haven’t put one through the letter box.

“I believe each of our councillors should be asked – or tell us – where they stand on this matter. We need to know what they are about.

“George Osborne has a duty as our MP, and we will be contacting him.”

Cheshire East Council told the Guardian due to the quality of the questionnaire document it would have cost too much to send it to every household.

It said the document was available at the library, and a roadshow had been held at Knutsford Civic Centre.