There are plans for a new housing estate on Stockport's green belt – to build up to 80 new homes.

The development for a 'modern day residential living' area is from WTGB Ltd, in partnership with the Wythenshawe Community Housing Group.

All of the planned new homes are set to be designated as 'affordable', with a mix of social rent, shared ownership, and rent to buy.

The proposal is located to the east of Wilmslow Road and Griffin Farm Drive in Heald Green, on a site of 'poor quality grass land' which was previously used for airport car parking and storage.

If approved, it would mean the construction of five apartment blocks and nine different house types over an area covering 63,500 square feet.

All of the houses included in the plans will have rear gardens, with residents having to pay a 'small estate charge' for the upkeep of public spaces in the proposed new neighbourhood.

A map of a proposed housing development on land at Wilmslow Road in Stockport (Image - SMBC planning portal)

A consultee comment stated that whilst the overall proposal would be "inappropriate development in the green belt and would cause some harm to the green belt", the creation of new affordable housing would be a "significant benefit which will need to be weighed in the balance against that".

It added: "The site's location is surrounded by built development and contains urban encroachment within the site itself through its primary land use being for the storage of vehicles and storage containers.

"This segment of the parcel can therefore be viewed to make limited contribution to the purposes of the green belt as a result of urban influences surrounding the site's location and within the site itself."

Stockport council is run by the Lib Dems, who have pushed for the borough's housing requirements to be based primarily on brownfield land – areas which have already been developed.

This has led to a number of schemes being approved across the town centre and wider borough.

Stockport Town Hall (Image - Alasdair Perry)

But the town hall has been criticised for this approach, with opposition councillors arguing that it could lead to gentrification of the town centre and a rise in prices.

A recent application to build more than 200 new homes on Mirrlees Fields in Hazel Grove was rejected by the council, but the decision was overturned by the Planning Inspector after an appeal.

Stockport doesn't have a local plan for housing, but it is in the process of creating one.

This has to led to housing becoming one of the key political debates across the borough.

In Stockport's recent local elections, the Lib Dems managed to win an extra two councillors at Labour's expense, taking them just short of an overall majority.

The council has been run under no overall control since 2011.

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