I WRITE to urge Winsfordians to vote ‘no’ in the referendum on the Winsford Neighbourhood Plan on October 23.

The plan is so poorly conceived and indicates just how naive Winsford Town Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council are.

While I welcome the employment and retail elements, the housing allocations are, quite frankly, ludicrous.

Why on earth would you wish to build around Winsford Flashes, and other proposed sites so far away from the centre of Winsford, at huge environmental and ecological cost to areas of natural beauty, even proposing to build in conservation areas?

Clearly, the first sites that should be built upon should be brownfield sites, those that are closest to the town centre, followed by greenfield sites that, again, are closest to the town centre, and afford the least negative environmental impact.

Yes, there is a need for houses to be built, although whether 3,500 are needed in Winsford is highly questionable, but most certainly not in the proposed positions that the NP would allow.

It is unbelievable for the councils to think that when the proposed 3,500 houses have been built they will be able to stop developers from applying for more houses.

Whichever government is voted in next year will massively increase the supply of new housing.

Please fellow Winsfordians, vote to stop this madness. If this plan goes through, you will almost certainly come to regret it.

Malcolm Betts Winsford