At Cheshire East Council’s full Council meeting of 25th February 2026, Cheshire East and Congleton Cllr Robert Douglas pointed out that all 172 sites on Cheshire East Council’s Brownfield Site Register related to planning applications and called on Cheshire East Council to search out all brownfield sites and not to only consider those which form part of a planning application.
He also asked Cheshire East Council to call on the Government to compulsorily purchase brownfield sites so that Cheshire East Council achieves the crucial five year land supply. This would prevent detrimental and opportunistic development on our cherished Green Belt and Open Countryside.
In response, Cheshire East indicated that it does not have the financial resources to search out all suitable brownfield sites.
At least 189 of the 317 Principal Local Authorities in England do not have a five year housing supply, which is most concerning.
On the 13th November, 2025, Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, responded to Cheshire East Council’s request for a reduction in its significantly increased new housing target.
Steve Reed refused Cheshire East Council’s request but within his response stated that Cheshire East Council should be delivering homes their communities need by, “maximising brownfield land”.
Cllr Douglas believes that Steve Reed seems to fail to grasp that Cheshire East Council is unable to deliver these homes by “maximising brownfield land” without appropriate Government financial support.
He has started a Change.org petition titled, “Save Our Green Belt And Open Countryside” calling on the Government to:
- Provide funding to Primary Councils to enable them to search out all brownfield sites.
- Provide the necessary funding to enable appropriate brownfield sites, if necessary, to be compulsorily purchased in order to achieve the crucial five year housing land supply.
- Authorise Councils to refuse permission for developers to build on Green Belt and Open Countryside if suitable brownfield sites are available.
Here is the link to this Change.org petition: