Anger over plans to build over land where ‘kids play football and learn to ride bikes’
By Declan Carey - Local Democracy Reporter
13th Nov 2024 | Local News
Neighbours in Stockport have asked the council to reject plans to build new homes on land used by children "for generations."
Stockport Homes has submitted a planning application to build six bungalows on a piece of land off Grafton Street in Heaton Norris.
These would provide homes with accessible adaptations for disabled people, priced at social rent levels.
But residents say the patch of tarmac has been used by the community for decades, and called for it to stay that way.
More than 300 people have signed a petition against the plans, with 37 letters sent to Stockport council objecting to the scheme.
Dawn Sherlock, 53, has lived on Grafton Street for more than 20 years and says children have been forgotten about in the plans.
She said: "When it snows, they have their snowball fights there. They learn to ride their bikes here, they have done for generations."
The land is used for community gatherings and until this year has been the regular place for the area's Remembrance Day event.
Locals say losing the land would mean there is nowhere left for people to meet or children to play, claiming the nearby Grafton Street park is too small for the number of families living in Heaton Norris.
Neighbours told the Local Democracy Reporting Service they have asked Stockport council to protect the space for community use.
Sharon Ross, 52, who lives on nearby Samuels Street, said: "We've all lived around here for years. We wanted this to be used by the children, we've submitted ideas to the council."
Tracey Kenyon, 50, added: "I used to play there as a kid. [Without it] kids could get bored and start causing trouble. There's nothing else in this area for them."
Concerns were also raised about the loss of a London Plane tree sitting on the land, which neighbours say has been there for more than 80 years.
Stockport Green Party councillor James Frizzell said developers should be "working around nature, not wiping it out" in the "densely populated" area.
He was one of three Green councillors to vote against the plans at a recent area committee meeting.
Despite their opposition, the plans have been recommended for approval at Stockport council's planning panel on Thursday, November 14.
Cllr Frizzell added: "The residents really want it to be kept, people are angry about the situation.
"I don't know what's going to happen on Thursday but if it goes through then the development will go ahead, but that is contrary to the wishes of the people who want it to be kept for the children here."
Stockport Homes said the plan would create more affordable housing for the borough if it gets the green light.
A spokesperson said: "The Grafton Street application, if approved, would introduce new wheelchair-accessible homes for social rent, helping to meet the high demand for accessible housing in the area, facilitating ageing well and supporting independent living.
"We have consulted with the local community and incorporated their feedback into our application."
The plans for the land off Grafton Street have caused a row on Stockport council ahead of the planning meeting on Thursday.
The Lib Dem-run town hall has shared plans to build 8,000 homes over the next 15 years, but the borough is not building enough homes to have a five-year supply of housing.
This problem has impacted the decision at Grafton Street, with council officers stating in a report that the lack of housing supply in Stockport has a 'tilted balance in favour of the residential redevelopment' of the land.
Opposition councillors have accused the Lib Dems of causing "chaos" in the town hall's planning department.
Stockport Labour leader David Meller said: "This is yet another example of the ongoing planning chaos in Stockport, made worse by the absence of a clear local plan that is continuously leaving our residents without much needed housing solutions.
"We have a significant shortage of accessible housing options in Stockport. These six one-bedroom bungalows, aimed at older people and for social rent, will play a part in addressing one of the most pressing issues facing Stockport.
"While I absolutely agree with the Greens that retaining open space is important, this site is brownfield. It's tarmacked, previously developed land and we are in desperate need of more of this type of housing to address our significant shortfall."
Stockport Green Party said it is "acutely aware of the need for social housing," but said these need to be "in the right place."
They added: "We are in fact protecting the interests of our residents by opposing a flawed plan which will take away open space where it is vital."
Council leader Mark Hunter defended his party's work steering Stockport council, and criticised the Labour government for introducing new house building targets for local authorities.
He said: "While I hesitate to get involved in a very local turf war between Labour and the Green Party, it is simply not true to say 'there is ongoing planning chaos in Stockport' – no matter how many times the Labour group leader chooses to repeat this myth.
"The delay to the local plan, as he well knows, is entirely down to decisions of the previous Conservative government who took over a year to review the National Policy Planning Framework.
"As a result of the new Labour government now embarking on a similar exercise, there is further delay. For the record, we are ready, willing and able to proceed with the next steps for our local plan as soon as we get clarity and the green light from government."
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