Controversial plans to build more than 400 homes in a Tameside village have been approved despite massive backlash.

The scheme, by Sintra Property Developments, will see 444 new homes come to the village of Gee Cross, based on land south of Hyde close to the boundary with Stockport.

A total of 15 per cent of homes in the scheme will be designated as 'affordable', which means they will be priced below market rates.

Councillors in Tameside narrowly voted to approve the application at a planning meeting today (June 24), with five votes in favour and four against.

It will bring a period of large-scale development to the village, with construction expected to happen over five years.

A new 440-home estate will be built across two parcels of land – Apethorn on one side and Bowlacre on the other.

The homes will be spread across the area with acres of public open spaces, parks, children's play facilities and woodland trails to be scattered throughout.

The planning application includes the restoration of the Grade II*-listed Apethorn Farm complex, which is currently on Historic England's At Risk register. The farmhouse building complex will be transformed into four new homes.

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Formerly part of the green belt, the land was released from protected status under Places for Everyone, Greater Manchester's development plan.

Nearly £6m was offered by Sintra Property Developments in financial contributions as part of the application, including £2.3m for improvements to local education, primary, secondary and SEND, £1m towards off-site public open space enhancements, £1.3m towards off-site sports provision, and smaller fees for highways infrastructure upgrades, in both Tameside and Stockport.

But the newly approved Gee Cross housing scheme has been hugely controversial – with 355 letters of objection submitted to Tameside council by locals ahead of the planning meeting on June 24.

Many of the concerns related to overdevelopment in the area, with plans for 2,150 homes at Godley Green Garden Village already moving forward nearby.

Fears raised at the June 24 planning meeting for the Gee Cross application included the impact on local roads.

A traffic report submitted with the plans claimed there would be 162 car departures during the morning rush hour peak – but the report was widely challenged at the meeting.

Conservative Councillor Doreen Dickinson was one of those who raised concerns.

She said: "When I read the traffic report, if you put common sense into it, it's just nonsense.

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"You've got 440 houses, mostly executive homes, 12 per cent affordable, so using common sense, there's going to be at least 400 cars.

"To say only 162 will be leaving in the morning I just find absolutely ludicrous.

"What bothers me about this application, is the fact that Godley Green Garden Village hasn't even been mentioned in the traffic survey.

"So you've got for sport £1,328,593, and for 2,200 houses a mile away, who if they want to go to Stockport this is the only way they can come, you've got 440 houses here, and for that we've got £85,000 to mess about with the traffic lights at Woodley.

"If anyone has ever been through Woodley in the morning, you can't move.

"I can't accept those figures, I'm sorry, to me they are not acceptable. You've got 2,200 houses, that's at least 2,000 cars."

Planning officer Ben Sandover pointed out that the area is 'highly accessible by both road and public transport'.

Traffic assessments stated: 'The development would not have an unacceptable impact on highway safety nor would the residual cumulative impact on the highway network be severe.'

Housing prices were another concern, with 15 per cent of the new homes set to be affordable.

Councillor Jake Frater asked for clarity on how much the affordable homes would cost.

But Richard Barton, the agent representing the developer at the planning meeting, said he 'couldn't say at this stage' how much the homes could be.

Urging the planning panel to approve the scheme, Mr Barton added: "This is a scheme which very much washes its own face and will provide benefits for new and existing residents."

After a two-hour debate at the planning meeting, the scheme was approved.

It was a hybrid planning application, with 'outline' permission for the 440-home estate, and 'full' permission for the Apethorn Farmhouse works.

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