Residents Unite as Developer Plans 50 More Homes for Rakeway
- Jun 10
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 11
In April 2025, a leaflet was delivered to local mailboxes, notifying property owners in the Rakeway area about a plan to build new homes on Manifold Drive. This prompted residents to take action. On April 11th, they created a Facebook Group, which now has 165 members, with 312 people having signed their digital petition opposing the development, gathering 182 signatures within the first 24 hours.
The Rakeway Group have asked us to share the following:
SIGN THE RAKEWAY PETITION HERE:
JOIN THE RAKEWAY FACEBOOK GROUP HERE:
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (SMDC) have a strategic plan for building and development which clearly states that building on countryside areas and encroachment is to be avoided. This proposal is based on the development of new properties built on rural countryside land and would clearly constitute encroachment. The Rakeway group is asking the question 'Why do we even have a strategy if we are not going to abide by its purpose?
The Rakeway estate is now considered aging, with many residents having lived here since the houses were constructed. Rakeway estate was started around 1965, built in phases and took up until the early 1970s to complete. It is home to multiple generations of families, including some who leave and then later return. The community exudes a genuine sense of safety and security. However, many residents, especially the more mature, are concerned that an influx of people could lead to unmanaged crime, noise, and general disruption.
The overriding view of the residents currently living on the Rakeway Estate and those who visit is that they are against the proposed development, and believe that the views of long standing and new residents should not be ignored.
The group is not only concerned about the development at Rakeway but also has considerable worries about the number and types of buildings currently underway, those recently completed, and the ones awaiting approval. They have discovered that while many residents oppose building on green land, many feel their opinions will not be considered, and the plans will proceed regardless of feeling and impact.
In the last 10 years there have been many developments in Cheadle; Augustus Way, Oswald Place, Potteries Gardens, Bellway homes (off Oakamoor Road), Knights development (by petrol station at the green), the old Allotment site, and behind the leisure centre, with plans for more at Froghall road, Hales hall, and phase 2 of Mercian way soon to follow.
We did a quick calculation based on what we know has already been approved for South Moorlands (Cheadle & Tean), and we are staring at a 35 percent population increase on what we know has already been approved or built. Given that the proposed number of homes for the Moorlands as a whole is 2,000 new homes, why is Cheadle clocking up over half of them but has the least infrastructure to support the new residents?
The Rakeway Residents Group like many residents concerns include:
Over development of the town resulting in lack of community and identity as Cheadle will be linked with Kingsley, Checkley and other villages.
Lack of green Spaces - which is key to good mental and physical health
Lack of infrastructure - such as medical facilities, food provision, entertainment and traffic management - services which are already stretched.
Destruction of Wildlife and their homes such as foxes, bats, hedgehogs, newts and variety of birds all of which are valuable to nature and our economy
Increased crime and anti-social behaviour adding pressure to existing social unrest
Lack of quality education something which was raised in the 2021 census to be of serious concern for the area, particularly for SEND pupils.
Lack of management by planning enforcement is responsible for the over height properties at Tenford Lane and Potteries Garden has created a living hell for local residents, with severe impact both financially and to the quality of life. Belway homes have been destroying the peace of local residents for so long we can barely remember when they arrived and have given up asking when they will be leaving.
Increased traffic from construction and new residents who typically come with two cars will put an unworkable load on our already very broken traffic system.
There is concern about the struggling sewerage works in Tean, and the water that runs down from the fields and lies in residents gardens.
A survey carried out by Rakeway Group members last month (May 2025) discovered more than 70 empty, for sale and vacant properties in the area, from an environmental and a societal view surely we would do well filling those empty properties first? Additionally if we have land available for building such as the old Lightwood home site, why aren't those spaces being developed first, or perhaps in one of the other Moorland towns such as Bidulph or Leek?
It certainly begs the question that if there are 70 homes which aren't selling then why are we building 100's more, the need that the government say we have doesn't seem to be stacking up for Cheadle, and developers are taking advantage of our proximity to beautiful countryside to build not the social housing which is needed, but lifestyle homes for those rich enough to afford them.
There are two questions we must ALL ask:
When will this end?
Why is all the large scale residential development happening in Cheadle whilst the infrastructure improvement is taking place in Leek?
We may not know yet where it will end but we can see where it began; during the last public consultation where residents' views were expressed SMDC blatantly ignored them, you can see this in the original survey results below.
Anything which has a beginning must have an end. Local residents are gathering in number to seek the end of the unfair treatment of their beloved town by those responsible for its maintenance and growth.
There is a public meeting on 18th of June 2025 at Cheadle Cricket Club from 7.30 pm please attend if you can, if not do get in touch with your local resident group via Facebook and be sure to sign the Rakeway Petition.
Residents Unite as Developer Plans 50 More Homes for Rakeway - created 4th June 2025
