Greenbelt group on move
A CAMPAIGN to halt the building of 4,000 new homes on a huge swathe of ‘precious’ greenbelt land in a leafy Stockport village is gathering pace.
Farmers and other residents are up in arms about council chiefs’ plans for an enormous new neighbourhood around High Lane as part of the region’s housing drive.
The proposal, for around 4,000 new homes north of the A6, is the biggest single housing development planned in Greater Manchester.
And it’s already proving highly contentious.
Hundreds of residents attended a series of public meetings organised by Conservative councillors who oppose the plans – and even more have signed a petition urging town hall chiefs to reconsider.
They say the proposals will essentially double the size of the village and ‘radically change its semi-rural nature.’
The plot covers several farms, former farmland and masses of open space.
There are concerns schools and health services will be unable to cope, and that there will be chaos on the roads.
The area faces uncertainty when the Manchester Airport Relief Road is finished and residents fear the planned development will be the tipping point.
Bounded by Threaphurst Lane to the west, the A6 to the south, Windlehurst to the east and Torkington to the north, town hall chiefs say the greenbelt site would take thousands of new homes
A tram-train extension from Rose Hill to Marple is a ‘prerequisite’ according to the plan, potentially linking with Hazel Grove.
But there is little transport information beyond that, with a review of future transport around Stockport still ongoing.
A ‘natural corridor’ along the Macclesfield Canal would be provided, along with developer contributions for health and schools – while Middlewood Way would remain a walking, cycling, and riding route.
Hazel Grove’s Tory MP William Wragg has already objected to the High Lane plan, describing the region’s housing proposals as ‘over zealous.’
Resident Peter Stephen, also a member of the local residents’ committee, said: “I understand that every area has to do its bit and take its share of new housing, but infrastructure in this area will not be able to cope with anywhere near as many as 4,000 homes.”