With there being so much demand for property, there is a lot to be said for development work which will bring more homes to an area. There is a need for the right sort of homes to be developed, after all, an area which needs affordable housing doesn’t want to see luxury apartments being developed, but more homes in an area should provide more opportunity and more flexibility in the local property market. This is definitely the case in Stockport and there are a number of property developments taking place which the local community is happy to stand by and support.
However, there will be from time to time, development plans that are not popular. One of the most controversial development schemes in the history of Stockport is taking place right now and there has been a lot of local opposition and protests. The reason for the complaint is the fact that development is taking place inside of Reddish Vale Country Park.
There has been a ground breaking ceremony, which occurred at Blackberry Lane, and in the long term, it is believed that 70 new homes will be introduced to the area through this development. This development is contained with the Brinnington Masterplan of the local council, but given the fact that a country park is being torn up and removed from the community, it is easy to see why many people are not pleased with this development.
The plans were met with protests when they were unveiled
When the plans were unveiled in 2014 there was unrest with initial protests saying this work could set a precedent that would see the countryside being torn up in the future for more property. There was also a complaint raised about the fact that the houses were described in official literature as being “adjacent” to the country park whereas the housing will be inside the park. 14,000 people signed a petition against the work but the High Court refused the request for a judicial review.
The work is set to bring close to 300 new properties in the next five years, with there being two, three and four bed homes coming to Brinnington. In addition to the property development work, there is also set to be a new £5m sports complex in Brinnington Park. This will be used instead of the Lapwing Centre.
While there have been large protests against the work there are supporters of the development work. People backing the work suggest that this is housing which is badly needed in the local area and with respect to use of the country park, it is suggested that as little as 1.1% of the country park will be lost. Whether this is a suitable figure or not will depend on your viewpoint but many local residents will suggest this is an acceptable trade-off to bring more housing to the area.
Picture used from the Manchester Evening News. Read their coverage of the story here:
For all your property needs, please contact Spencer Harvey Estate and Letting Agents on:
0161 480 8888
https://www.spencerharvey.co.uk