Bramhall businesses have ‘nowhere else to go’ after housing plans approved
Business owners in Bramhall say they are worried for their futures after being told to relocate to make way for new homes.
A planning application by Wain Estates to build up to 60 new homes at Dairyground Farm on Lytham Drive was approved by Stockport council last week, in a development that will see half the homes designated as affordable housing.
The land is understood to be owned by the family running Pennington's Stables, and according to planning reports the owners are 'making plans to retire' and move on from the site.
The report added that the facility is 'at the end of its economic life, with extensive investment required to replace the current dilapidated buildings'.
Permission to transform the site into a new residential community was given the green light by councillors, subject to a section 106 agreement on any planning obligations.
But a number of business owners rent space on the land and say they have been told they need to leave by July.
Dave Dudson, 62, is the owner of Auto Body Repairs of Bramhall, based on a unit located at the farm.
He said: "I've got nowhere else to go, I'm looking but the application was only passed recently.
"It's a big worry for me, I've got to be out by July, I'm too young to retire, but I might have to shut the whole thing down.
"It's hard to find a new place, a lot of our customers are around here, it's all a bit of a shock at the moment."
Elliot John Priest, owner of Elliot John Carpentry, said it could be difficult to find a place to rent at the same price in another area.
He added: "It's not going to be easy to move, I'm constantly here, we've got big machinery.
"I've got to carry on, but finding somewhere is going to be very hard, it's got to be the right price and size."
Other business owners at the site were less worried about the situation.
Lewis Alexander, 30, owner of Concept Timberwork based at the farm, said: "I want to stay on here if I'm speaking selfishly, but things have got to change.
"People need to wake up to the reality of it, the rent is very cheap here.
"It will affect businesses, but we just want enough time to get off, we've known it's been going on for years."
58-year-old John Pennington, from the family running Pennington's Stables, said he was born on the farm.
"It creates a living for us, but not a massive amount of money," he added. "The businesses have very good rents here, but [moving away] is difficult for us too, all our memories are here."
His wife Gaynor Pennington, 55, said the family 'couldn't make it work' in the long term financially.
She added: "We have mixed feelings about leaving, it's going to break our hearts."
While the land falls into Stockport's green belt, Wain Estates and land director Ryan James said that it has 'already been developed and forms a natural extension to Bramhall, offering easy access to the town's amenities'.
He added: "A variety of uses currently exist on the land, along with buildings of varying quality.
"Our plans will deliver a carefully considered, high-quality residential scheme centred around an existing pond, with enhanced walking routes and improved rights of way, whilst regenerating a brownfield site.
"Importantly, it will also make a significant contribution to the borough's affordable housing supply."
Stockport council officers also concluded the development 'would not result in substantial harm to the openness of the green belt.'
Wain Estates said it will market the site to housing developers who will submit a further detailed planning application to bring the development plans forward.
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