14/10/2026
Preston Brook's council tax is making headlines. But the challenges facing our village are not.
The Adam Smith Institute has singled out Preston Brook in a national report about rising parish council tax. But behind those figures is a village facing significant change - and the challenges facing the Parish are not being given a fair share of coverage.
🏡 Major housing developments are transforming Preston Brook, including the development of land previously designated as Green Belt.
🌳 Mature trees and green spaces face pressure from development proposals, with the Parish Council raising concerns about tree removals, including whether the necessary permissions were obtained.
🛝 There are fewer places for children to play and proposed reductions to the play areas and recreational facilities included in original development plans.
💧 Our Bridgewater Canal has been affected by construction runoff. Independent environmental investigations commissioned by the Parish Council identified concerning sediment levels and potential risks to aquatic wildlife, including the food sources of protected otters.
🚌 Our only bus service has faced disruption from development roadworks, requiring the Council to work towards restoring this important connection for residents.
🌿 Our village's future depends on proper drainage, environmental safeguards, suitable community facilities and holding developers to their commitments.
These are not small issues. They concern the places residents enjoy, the services they depend on and the village that future generations will inherit.
Protecting these interests takes more than good intentions. It requires professional advice, independent investigations, time, resources and the support of residents and local media to ensure these issues receive proper attention.
Yet the cost of meeting Preston Brook's responsibilities is shared across the equivalent of just 368 Band D households.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Sandymoor has benefited from a developer-related endowment worth more than £800,000, generating around £35,000 annually in investment income, alongside approximately £14,000 in playing-field rental income. Preston Brook has received no comparable dowry's or land.
This raises an important question - is Preston Brook receiving a fair share of the long-term benefits from the developments taking place in and around our village?
The Parish Council has published its full response to the report, together with links to the original research and accompanying press release, so residents can examine the evidence and form their own views.
📄 Read the Council's full response and the original research here: https://www.prestonbrookparishcouncil.gov.uk/prestonbrookcheshirenotices
Preston Brook's future affects everyone who lives here. We want residents to have a voice in shaping it. Please support Preston Brook by raising these concerns with your local Halton Borough Councillors, your MP, the relevant planning and environmental authorities, and the developers responsible for these changes.
The more residents who share their experiences, ask questions and seek answers, the better informed decisions about our village's future can be.
Please also tell the Parish Council what concerns you, what changes you have witnessed and what improvements you would like to see. Your experiences help us understand local issues and raise them with the organisations responsible.
