Stockport Council leader Mark Roberts has said the borough is facing 'mass house building' and loss of its green belt to meet government-imposed targets for new homes.

The council leader made the comments during a meeting on October 27 to approve a public consultation on the borough's local plan, a document outlining the future of development and housing.

Stockport council published its draft local plan last week, which identified 27 sites set to be released from green belt status to be turned into new residential communities.

This includes building at least 25,000 new homes up to 2042, with an affordable housing target of 50 per cent.

If approved, the green-belt sites would lose their protected status to allow construction work to begin.

Residents in some parts of Stockport have raised concerns about the loss of green belt land, and the impact of new housing on villages and towns around the borough.

Stockport council is controlled by the Lib Dems, who have adopted a 'brownfield first' policy to house building.

This includes plans for 8,000 new homes in Stockport town centre.

An extraordinary meeting of Stockport council's cabinet on 27 October 2025 (Image - LDRS)

The public consultation on Stockport's draft local plan is taking place from November 6 until December 21.

Cllr Roberts said: "Please bear in mind that we cannot simply say no to this process. The government have made clear that mass house building will happen, and green belt land must be released for this purpose.

"Instead, tell us what the impact will be, what is needed to make those sites work, be it additional road capacity, new schools, more medical facilities, or whatever.

"Our challenge back to government and developers is to provide the funding needed."

The council had a previous version of its local plan ready last year, but this was delayed by the town hall when Labour won the general election in July and introduced new targets for house building.

Stockport is facing major housing shortages, with around 9,000 households on the housing register, a situation which has led to hundreds of people bidding for council properties when they become available.

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