People in Stockport have shared fears about new plans to build on green open land in Hazel Grove.

Bellway Homes said it has submitted a planning application to the council to build 176 new homes on a 19-acre site to the south of Jacksons Lane, with Chester Road to the east.

If approved in future, it could bring a new neighbourhood to the area, with half the properties designated as affordable housing.

According to the council's land assessment, the area south of Jacksons Lane is part of Stockport's green belt, although some areas are considered to be 'grey belt' with sites earmarked for housing capacity.

Residents in Hazel Grove said they fear building on the land could cause major problems for the existing community.

Erika Morgan, 94, has lived on Jacksons Lane since 1968.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "The traffic would be dreadful if it goes ahead, I would definitely be upset with them building there.

"It's a really important space for our neighbourhood, I think a lot of people would be upset to lose this land."

The homes are based on land to the south of Jacksons Lane (Image - Google Maps)

Adele Shaw, 51, has lived on nearby Arundel Avenue for 32 years.

She said: "We bought the house here because we were right near the green belt, Stockport and Cheshire East is going to be one massive conurbation between Manchester and Macclesfield [if the green belt is lost], people don't want it.

"It's the strain on everything that's already strained, parking and traffic is already an issue.

"That land is very important, when our children were small we were over there all the time looking at the animals, every family on the estate goes over for that. As soon as they start building on it we won't ever get it back."

A spokesperson for Bellway said: "We have submitted a full planning application to build 176 new homes on a 19-acre site to the south of Jacksons Lane.

"The proposed development would include 50 per cent affordable housing, with a mix of rented and intermediate properties, to help meet the urgent local need for quality housing.

"This is a highly sustainable location for new homes, with shops, schools and bus stops all within walking distance.

"The development has been designed to promote walking and cycling, with new pedestrian and cycle links proposed as part of the site layout to ensure the development connects with surrounding footpaths.

"Our plans include significant areas of publicly accessible green open space. Existing trees and hedgerows would be retained where possible and enhanced with new planting and wildlife habitats, with the proposals set to deliver a 10 per cent biodiversity net gain."

An initial planning report sent to the council explained that, subject to gaining planning permission, construction could start in 2028 and last for up to eight years.

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