High Lane Residents' Association

Minutes of the meeting of High Lane Residents’ Association

Date: Thursday 2^nd April 2026                                                                                                                        Time: 8pm

Venue: High Lane Library

Present: Caroline Smith; David Burks; Sue Forrester; Barry Sequeira; Angie Sequeira; Cllr Colin MacAlister; Cllr Aron Thornley and Cheryl Crow [district nurse for High Lane and Marple]

Apologies: Eryl Hughes; John Baker; Lisa Robinson-Hall; Darrell Williams and PCSO Simon Carr

1.  Welcome given by Caroline Smith.

2.  Minutes of the last meeting – approved.

3.  Police and Crime Report – our PCSO [Simon Carr] had produced a graph of recent crimes in High Lane. He hoped to be able to attend the next meeting in June.

4. Finances by John Baker [read out by Caroline in John’s absence]

The HLRA General account

The opening balance for the HLRA General account at the beginning of March 2026 (taking rounding into account) was £1,952

This included the IONOS invoice which did not leave the bank until March 3^rd, giving an accounting start to March of £1,943

Income

There was no income during March.

Expenditure

The expenditure during March was:

For March, our Total Expenditure from the General Account was £14

The Account balances (with rounding) now are                 

General account                         £1,929                                                                                                          

HLRA Project Account               £6,295   (£2.39 interest payment increase this month)

HLRA Total Amount                    £8,223

****************************************************************

HLRA War Memorial Account provided by Barry.

The monies from the book table at the doctor’s surgery stands at:    £1100.00
with a further £62 received for this month to be added.
Barry is waiting for an invoice for the purchase of the rings that are used on the litter pick bags.    
The money is used to plant up the tubs around the village and the war memorial.

5.  Planning applications provided by Eryl [read out by Caroline in Eryl’s absence]

• 15, Park Rd  DC/098391Proposed single storey rear extension OFN
• 3, Woodside Drive DC/098505 Conversion of existing garage to living accommodation with 2.52 extension to fill recess between existing garage and with pitched gable to rear. Has been granted.
• St Thomas’ Church DC/098458 Installation of 2 Air source heat pump units.  (LISTED BUILDING    CONSENT APPLICATION)
• St Thomas’ Church DC/098457 Installation of 2 Air source heat pump units ((FULL PLANNING APPLICATION) - NO ISSUES
• 4, South Meadway DC/098600 Front porch extension, hip to gable roof alteration, roof ridge level raised, front and rear dormers. OFN
• 9 Carr Brow  DC/094783. Discharge of condition 4 of planning permission to DC/094783.  Driveway landscape plan. As I can tell, creating 3 parking areas. OFN 

   

6.  Air Pollution – Cheryl Clow

Cheryl, a district nurse involved in public health, recently started working in the area covering High Lane and Marple. She has been examining air pollution, traffic congestion, and related health issues like respiratory and cardiovascular concerns. Cheryl has consulted Stockport Council and is aware of the proposed planning applications. She is considering whether hospital closures in Buxton might increase traffic and pollution in the village. She invited the community to share their concerns about air quality. While reviewing a five-year air quality report, Cheryl was informed of the absence of PM_2.5 data, which is a concern because this pollutant is harmful and produced by tyre friction from heavy goods vehicles. This data was not fully accounted for in the official figures of the A555 report. The presence of many heavy goods vehicles in the area adds to these concerns. The impact of PM_2.5 is uncertain but expected to rise and can [be] cause[d by] the production of debris when large vehicles are braking as they approach a bend in the road eg on the approach to the A555. It has been noted by a resident that the residue from the vehicle tyres settles on cars especially on the main road through High Lane and is difficult to remove. He wondered how badly the side streets are affected by this debris. The new housing will triple pollution, not just double. Traffic on High Lane is already bad, and the size of the wagons is worrying. As a district nurse, Cheryl wondered if their work contributes to pollution, but car sharing isn’t feasible due to staff shortages. High Lane is unique—although part of Greater Manchester, it is outside the Bee Network. Officially, we belong to East Cheshire, historically part of Cheshire and even though the boundaries have changed, the facilities remain the same.

It was noted that there's a monitoring station on Windlehurst Road measuring air pollution and noise, though some people question its location as it is not positioned near the noisiest and busiest areas. Noise pollution is a concern, and reports from the station show that the levels are mild. There’s debate over traffic figures and pollution reductions, with discrepancies between different monitoring stations. It's a complex issue, and sometimes the technical details make it hard to understand. One worry is that nitrogen dioxide levels measured outside this building slightly exceeds legal limits and towards Hazel Grove and Torkington Park, the levels are higher. This is concerning since shops are on the main road, with people walking and children waiting for buses there. The worry is the potential harm these levels may be causing to children. If a child lives here, takes the bus daily from age five to eighteen, then works and shops in the area, the cumulative effect on their health could be significant. Since the damage isn’t visible, it’s hard to grasp, but the evidence about health risks, especially related to PM_2.5, is eye-opening and concerning.

Cheryl remarked that her investigation is still in its early stages and she is unsure how to approach this issue but wants to explore it further. She plans to provide more feedback at the AGM in October. Caroline would forward any ideas/thoughts to Cheryl.

Post-meeting reply from Darrell Williams: 

Firstly, I am sorry I was unable to attend this meeting.  Cheryl is correct that the 5-year report does not mention PM_2.5. For the different phases of the A6MARR project, the monitoring of air quality in High Lane was done using monthly accumulated measurements from nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) diffusion tubes.  When I have previously questioned the lack of monitoring of particulate matter, I was told by SMBC that there is generally a strong correlation between the traffic-related contributions for concentrations of NO₂ and PM₁₀, so the monitoring was therefore limited to NO₂ in High Lane.  In Hazel Grove (at a location roughly opposite Sainsbury's), however, there is an automatic monitoring station that monitors both NO₂ and PM₁₀ on an hourly basis.  Note that PM_2.5 is a subset of PM₁₀, so in the worst case of all the particulates being 2.5µm or smaller, the PM₁₀ figure (i.e. all inhalable particles with a diameter less than 10µm) would actually be equal to the PM_2.5 figure; but typically, the PM_2.5 figure would be lower than the PM₁₀ figure because there would typically be some particulates in the range 10µm down to just above 2.5µm as well as some particulates at or below 2.5µm.  There are relatively few automatic monitoring stations that can measure PM_2.5 — the closest one I am aware of is Manchester Sharston, near Heald Green.

Because I had previously discussed air quality (including some background information on PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) in a report in 2019 (submitted as part of our consultation response to the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework), I did not repeat that information in my analysis of the 5-Year Post-Opening Evaluation of the A6MARR, given that particulate matter was not part of that evaluation.  But with the benefit of hindsight, I think I ought to have at least included a reference to that 2019 Air Quality report, so I have added a link here (having today uploaded a copy to the present website because I noticed the current link (under Environment → Traffic) had pointed to the former HLRA website, so I have updated that page, too).  That Air Quality report also includes tables showing the maximum concentration limits for NO₂, PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 for compliance with The Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010.

7.  Traffic count – Cllr Aron Thornley

Aron thought it would be good to repeat a traffic count done seven years ago. This will help the village understand traffic volume before SMBC officials provide their report on the planned developments in High Lane. The count will be simple, and we’ll need volunteers to help. The traffic count is planned for Tuesday, 21^st April, but if it rains, it will be rescheduled. Aron is available in April and May and is willing to coordinate the traffic count and will be there for 6.45am on the day to help organise the volunteers. The counting spot will be near Station Farm on the A6, matching previous council reports for easy comparison. It will be set up on both sides of the road, possibly arranging parking with locals. The process is straightforward.

Clipboards, pens, and sheets to record counts during specific hours will be provided. Volunteers will be asked to arrive about five minutes before their allocated hour to observe and swap sheets with the previous person. The key task is counting vehicles, including heavy goods vehicles, which are greater in length than vans and have two rear wheels and a cab. Buses and coaches are also classed as HGVs. [Editor: FYI, buses and coaches normally carry passengers, rather than "goods", so "buses & coaches" is treated as a separate group for DfT traffic counts, ref. Road Traffic Estimates, which lists all their categories of vehicle.]  Smaller delivery vans are classed as vehicles and volunteers are also asked to count motorbikes. It was thought to be a good idea to bring a chair. The shift runs from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. After your shift, place your sheet under the pack for the next person. Traffic data will be analysed later using a statistical curve maybe with Darrell’s input. A pre-count meeting will be arranged on Thursday 16^th April at 8:00 p.m. in the library room for anyone who would like to volunteer or has any questions.

Aron was asked if the traffic count would consider the traffic using the side streets to reach the A6? Aron confirmed that traffic coming from Park Road and Hartington Road mostly re-enters onto the main road but on the other side, it goes through Marple. When addressing traffic issues, it's important to consider volumes on Park Road and Thornway. Councillors have requested funding to support these side roads, and the highways team is aware of the issues. The housing developments in High Peak affect traffic flow and queues, which must be considered. The main roads to focus on for High Lane traffic are the A6, Thornway, Meadway, Park Road and Hartington Road. Aron thanked the meeting and asked for anyone wishing to volunteer to provide their details.

8.  Reporting back

• outdoor gym – David handed out photographs of the equipment to be installed on High Lane Park. He gave a brief explanation of the location and purpose of the gym and continued to say that the ground preparation would take place on 23^rd April and Sunshine Gym would install the equipment between 27^th/29^th April. The final surfacing of tarmac would be laid on 5^th May and there would be a safety inspection on 8^th May.  A question arose regarding a formal opening of the outdoor gym about 2 weeks after the safety inspection. One suggestion was the Mayor of Stockport. Applause was given for David and Eryl for their hard work and commitment for seeing the project through.
• litter pick – Barry informed the meeting that the litter pick took place on Saturday 21^st March with lovely weather. Attendance was down to 17 from 25 due to some volunteers being ill or on holiday. Carol provided refreshments. We focused on the worst areas: five village car parks, the two laybys on the A6 where people often litter from their cars, and Hartley Woods. We skipped Windlehurst and Andrew Lane since they weren't too bad. We collected 20 sacks of rubbish, which were picked up on Monday. Volunteers enjoyed the event and socialising afterwards. There’s talk of posting a volunteer request on the High Lane Village Facebook page, but Barry urged on the side of caution. He suggested perhaps another litter pick in the Autumn but litter is often hidden by leaves at that time of the year. David volunteered to help with a Facebook post if needed and the litter pick could be featured in the annual newsletter.

9.  AOB

• Defib course – defib training was mentioned and the meeting was told that the church is organising a first-aid training event and it was suggested that HLRA could collaborate with the church regarding resuscitation training.
• Green spaces form – Caroline had recently completed a “Green Spaces” form for the CPA [Community Planning Alliance]. On Saturday April 18^th, over 170 groups and communities across the UK had taken part in a UK-wide Day of Action for Nature, Parks and Green Spaces. The purpose is simple: to demonstrate, visibly and collectively, that people everywhere care deeply about the natural world and want to see it protected from development and restored [taken from the Community Planning Alliance website].
• Resident from care home – Cllr Shan Alexander had approached the caregivers and was under the impression that the incidents had reduced although she was told that the residents of the home are “encouraged to do the things they like and enjoy”
• Passageway onto the A6 – the passageway from Thornway onto the A6 was discussed again. Aron told the meeting that this issue is on the Highways agenda. It was suggested that some signage could be installed eg “dangerous road ahead” but because the path is unadopted, installing signage is tricky.
• Speedwatch – there has been no report as yet from the Speedwatch event that took place recently in High Lane. Caroline would make some enquiries and feedback to the residents.
• Poor O2 signal – there have been some emails on the HLRA website complaining about the poor broadband provision in High Lane. Lisa Smart had contacted Baroness Lloyd [Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology.  Her reply is as follows: 

   

“BDUK [Building Digital UK] collects and analyses information about their completed and planned broadband infrastructure through a four-monthly cycle of Open Market Reviews to identify which premises are likely to require public subsidy to receive a gigabit-capable construction. According to BDUK’s latest data, most of the premises in High Lane have access to gigabit-capable broadband.  For most of these, this is available via VMO2’s cable network. A modest proportion of premises in High Lane also have access to [FTTP] Fibre to the Premises. Almost all of the remaining premises that do not currently have access to either of these networks are identified as being in the scope of firm plans for gigabit-capable broadband within the next 3 years, or they are premises where suppliers have reported planned coverage, but where some risks to future delivery remain. Premises which are within the scope of suppliers’ plans, including those in the ‘Under Review’ category, are excluded from the scope of the government intervention through Project Gigabit. However, BDUK will continue to monitor suppliers’ plans and, if these change, will take further action if necessary to help support coverage. Your constituents can check their current connection status using Ofcom’s broadband checker”

There has been some work by Openreach around the village and there has been some instances where the manhole covers have not been replaced properly. Caroline would send a report to Stockport MBC who hopefully would contact British Telecom.

• Beeline buses – Cllr Colin MacAlister had contacted TfGM about the poor bus service to the village. The reply is as follows:

“At present, High Lane is served by High Peak Buses service 199, operating every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sundays, which provides direct links into Stockport. Although not part of the Bee Network, it runs under a Service Permit issued by TfGM. The 394 also provides a weekday link between Glossop, Marple, High Lane and Stepping Hill Hospital with joint support from TfGM and Derbyshire County Council. We’re aware there is demand in High Lane for improved connectivity, and this is something we’re continuing to look at through the wider Network Development work. However, in terms of the 192 specifically, there isn’t a safe or suitable location for buses to turn in High Lane; both in terms of large double deck buses that operate on the route and the number of 192 services that operate, using residential back streets isn’t feasible for a service of this scale. It’s also worth noting that the Bee Network won’t always be able to offer a single, direct bus for every journey. In some areas, the focus is on making interchange straightforward and affordable instead. The £2 Hopper fare supports this by allowing passengers to make onward connections within the hour at no extra cost. For High Lane residents, using the 199 or 394 gives access into Stockport, Stepping Hill, rail links, and a wide range of Bee Network services into the city centre via interchange”.

Cllr MacAlister commented that better provision of transport services in High Lane is a “double-edged sword”. If High Lane was provided with an improved bus service it would potentially weaken our argument against building developments in the area.

• Report on planned building development – the report is due to be published in the next couple of months. SMBC were “surprised” by how many responses they had received from the population of High Lane.  There is a meeting of the High Lane Village Forum on Tuesday 12^th May at the village hall where there might be more news on the proposed planning applications.

• Overgrown verges – Caroline had investigated the area from the Royal Oak to Middlewood Way where cuttings from the hedges and been left on the pavements taking root and creating grass verges that dramatically narrow the pavement for pedestrians by 18 inches to 2 feet. She has taken photographs of the overgrowth and forwarded them to Jonathan Headlam. Angie thanked Caroline for her support.

The next HLRA meeting is on Thursday 4^th June 2026 at 8pm in High Lane Library

[no May meeting due to the local elections]