Planning permission has been granted to build up to 200 homes on Mirrlees Fields. 

The decision comes from the Government's planning inspectorate - initially, planning permission was refused by the council. However, the developer appealed against this decision, and that appeal was approved.

For the most part, local politicians have received the news with disappointment. However, some community groups such as Mirrlees Fields Friends Group (MFFG) were relieved.

Under current plans, a housing development is set to be built on a section of the fields. The rest of the land would be gifted to the Land Trust, along with £1.5m to help with its upkeep. 

The Land Trust would own and maintain this remaining 21 hectares, keeping the space as a nature reserve open to the public. 

Development on the fields has been fiercely opposed by some (Image - Alasdair Perry)

Cllr Mark Hunter, leader of the council and of the Lib Dems in Stockport, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the Planning Inspectorate's decision was "incredibly disappointing."

He said: "Stockport was making strong progress with its local plan and was on the verge of launching a consultation on this when, in December 2022 and after months of wrangling in the Tory leadership contests, Michael Gove announced a review of the planning rules. We paused our consultation in the expectation that this would be sorted quickly but he took almost exactly a year to get his act together.

"The new rules mean that we can now progress with a local plan that will enable us to protect our green belt from speculative developments and we are moving at pace to do this. The pause also means we saved council tax payers around £200k had we consulted on the old planning rules."

Stockport MP Navendu Mishra and Labour Group leader Cllr David Meller, meanwhile, criticised what they described as 'years of Liberal Democrat and Conservative indecision'.

The sun sets over Mirrlees Fields (Image - Alasdair Perry)

Mr Mishra said: "Liberal Democrat and Conservative Councillors voted down the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework in December 2020. Then the Liberal Democrat administration in Stockport Town Hall dithered and delayed over publishing a Local Plan which would deliver the social housing our town desperately needs.

“Poor decisions for more than three years have left Stockport Council vulnerable to legal challenges from developers and saddled our borough with six-figure bills for the cost of the appeal."

Cllr Meller said: "The Planning Inspector, who is independent of government, is clear: if we had an up-to-date Local Plan, we'd be delivering enough homes in the right places and most importantly, we'd be delivering more affordable homes for Stockport residents. 

"Today's decision is on the Lib Dems. If we had a Local Plan, Mirrlees Fields wouldn't have been on the table. They've wasted council taxpayers' money, a huge amount of time and led residents up the garden path. 

"It's time we have a sensible, grown-up discussion that ensures Stockport has enough housing – including affordable, social and council housing – right across the borough so everyone has the chance for somewhere decent to live."

Photographer Peter Wright has captured an incredible range of the flora and fauna which Mirrlees Fields is home to (Image - Peter Wright)

Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Cheadle, Tom Morrison, described the decision as "nothing short of an insult to those campaigners who fought so long to protect the land". 

Mr Morrison added: "...this shows the Government has no interest in protecting green spaces, despite it promising to do so."

He continued: "We need more homes, and using the previously-used spaces across Stockport is how we can do it. The Conservative Government has ignored this and local people by making this decision, it is appalling.

"I'd like to thank everyone in the community that has gotten involved in this campaign. It has been long fought and they deserved so much better. Unfortunately the Government had other ideas."

Mary Robinson, Conservative MP for Cheadle, said: "It is incredibly disappointing that the Planning Inspector has granted permission for 200 houses to be built on Mirrlees Fields.

"Importantly they state that the lack of a 5-year housing supply, caused by the Lib Dem failure to produce a local plan, formed part of their decision."

However, for others, the decision has been met with relief. The aforementioned MFFG supported the appeal, as what they refer to as the 'compromise' deal.

A group message on social media said: "Whilst this does mean that there will be development on the big field, the remainder of Mirrlees Fields will be retained in perpetuity for us all to enjoy.

"Let's hope the community can finally come together and help create an open space that benefits everyone."

Speaking on the proposals last year, a spokesperson for MFFG told Nub News: "It just seems as though this is a fairly reasonable compromise.

"Yes, we are going to have to sacrifice something, but in the long run, what we're left with is the equivalent of a very large nature reserve that will be maintained."

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