We attended the Belport consultation yesterday hoping to see meaningful progress and new information. Unfortunately, it felt largely like a box-ticking exercise, with little that was genuinely new or that addressed the concerns residents have repeatedly raised.
A vision of Adlington that doesn’t reflect reality
One particular concern was the optimism built into some of the modelling assumptions. The proposals appear to rely on an idealised vision of residents who will walk and cycle extensively, avoid cars and meet most of their needs within the development.
But does that reflect how people actually live in a semi-rural area?
A single school, small convenience store and walking and cycling routes cannot remove the need to travel for work, healthcare, education, shopping, leisure and family commitments. Transport modelling needs to reflect realistic behaviour, including realistic levels of car ownership and travel beyond the development.
If the sustainability of the scheme depends on unusually low car use, those assumptions need to be clearly evidenced.
Residents deserve more than a tick in the box.
Residents have taken the time to attend, ask questions and engage with the process. They deserve meaningful answers and evidence that concerns about traffic, infrastructure, drainage, wildlife and cumulative impact are actually being addressed.
We will continue to ask for:
- Realistic transport and traffic modelling
- Evidence of adequate infrastructure capacity
- Proper assessment of drainage and flood risk
- Protection of farmland and wildlife
- Clear plans for what infrastructure will be delivered, when and by whom
- Transparent evidence behind claims of sustainability
Consultation should be meaningful, not simply something to be ticked off. Adlington residents deserve clear answers, proper evidence and genuine engagement.