Today in Parliament, Tim Roca MP delivered a strongly worded speech during a debate on the New Towns to express his opposition and urge ministers to think again.
Roca made clear that while he supports the need for new homes and well-planned new towns, Adlington is “the wrong place” for a development of this scale. He highlighted the strength and breadth of local opposition, noting that resistance spans all local councils, campaign groups and all political parties. He also pointed to the rare unanimous vote by Cheshire East Council against the proposal as evidence that concerns are serious and widely shared.
Roca warned that the plan would result in the loss of large swathes of green belt, productive farmland and environmentally sensitive landscapes, describing the impact as irreversible. He also raised doubts about infrastructure, questioning how roads, rail, utilities and public services could realistically support a settlement many times larger than the existing village.
Crucially, the MP stressed that opposing the Adlington scheme does not mean opposing housing. He argued instead for a plan-led approach that prioritises brownfield regeneration and locations with existing infrastructure, saying communities should be partners in growth, not sidelined by it.
Roca closed his remarks by invoking Clement Attlee, reminding Parliament that it was Attlee’s post-war government that created the green belt to protect communities like Adlington from unchecked sprawl. He argued that standing up for the green belt today is not anti-housing, but a continuation of Attlee’s legacy of balanced, responsible planning in the public interest.
Watch the full speech below. Read the transcript here .