Stockport council has delayed a plan to build thousands of new homes in the borough after proposed changes to the national planning system.

The town's draft local plan was due to go to public consultation in September, with the Lib Dem administration planning to deliver a total of 15,000 homes by 2041.

This would have provided 85 percent of the borough's housing need, with 8,000 homes proposed for the town centre.

But the plan has been paused by Stockport council after a Labour proposal to introduce mandatory house building targets, with an increase in the number of homes the borough is required to build.

This would nearly double the number of homes needed in Stockport each year from 1,097 to 1,906.

'Ignoring' residents' wishes?

Cllr Mark Hunter, leader of Stockport council, said Labour's proposal "ignores residents' wishes" and risks increased development on green belt land.

He added: "We absolutely accept the urgent need for the right mix of homes, including affordable and social housing, but there is no easy solution to this.

"Their plans to ignore residents' wishes and concrete over the green spaces that they hold dear was not mentioned in any of the leaflets they delivered across the borough in the recent local or national elections.

"We will continue to work towards delivering a local plan which protects the character of the borough and which delivers the right homes in the right places, taking a 'brownfield first' approach, using previously developed land, but it seems clear the government will force us to build on the green belt to meet their centrally-imposed housing target."

Cllr Mark Hunter, leader of Stockport Council (Image - LDRS)

Cllr Hunter added: "I firmly believe that central government targets, however well intended, should never trump local decision making."

The plan to introduce mandatory house building targets was one of the first major changes made by the new Labour government after winning July's general election.

The proposal would mean government officials telling town halls how many homes they should build each year, and the move is set to have a big impact on Greater Manchester.

The new proposed targets are, in most cases, higher than the numbers set for each borough in the region's own housing plan – a scheme known as Places for Everyone (PfE).

Stockport council is not part of PfE, after leaving a previous version of the plan, known as the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, in late 2020.

Weir Mill, currently under construction near Stockport town centre (Image - Nub News)

Despite that decision, Stockport has not yet managed to create its own local plan.

Cllr Mark Roberts, cabinet member with responsibility for delivering the local plan at Stockport council, criticised Labour's proposals to reform the planning system.

He added: "The plan we had ready was a local plan for Stockport that would have delivered the right homes in the right places and the right planning policies to protect our environment and the local character of our borough whilst delivering sustainable growth.

"It took account of local residents' concerns about developing on our precious green belt, damaging our local environment and the very things that makes Stockport such a lovely place to live.

"It is now clear that, both locally and nationally, Labour doesn't care about these concerns or the impact the colossal increase in mandatory housing targets will have."

The case for the targets

Cllr David Meller, leader of Stockport Labour, defended his party's plans.

He told the LDRS: "Stockport has 6,000 families on the housing waiting list. Families are being broken up because some can't afford to stay in a borough that has the second highest average house prices in Greater Manchester.

"The Lib Dem proposed local plan didn't provide the homes we need.

"It says a lot about the Lib Dems that they put previously developed land that could be in the green belt – land that is brownfield in all but name – ahead of the homes people need. Their priorities are wrong."

Cllr David Meller (Image - LDRS)

Cllr Meller added: "The new planning proposals take a 'sequential approach', meaning previously developed land and grey belt will always be prioritised over higher-quality green belt.

"To say the green belt is going to be concreted over is scaremongering."

He criticised the Lib Dem draft local plan, adding: "Their proposed local plan was never going to get over the line. It was a political stunt from the start, one of a long line of theirs that has put self-interest ahead of homes for people.

"To think the town centre can take the equivalent of around 60 12-storey buildings – on top of the new school and perhaps a new hospital – wasn't realistic."

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