Stockport reluctantly approves Green Belt housing

Taylor Wimpey’s outline application for 160 homes on 27 acres of protected land in Hazel Grove was given the go-ahead by councillors, who said that policy and an overwhelming need for housing – especially affordable – dictated their decision.

The project was just one of two on the agenda for last week’s Stockport Council planning committee. The other, 21 Living’s 29-flat at Tiviot Dale, was approved in under five minutes.

Both decisions were made in line with officer recommendation.

Jacksons Lane

Developer: Taylor Wimpey

Planner: Lichfields

Architect: E*SCAPE Urbanists

Taylor Wimpey’s outline application zeroes in on land off Jackson’s Lane. The housebuilder’s plans call for the delivery of up to 160 homes, of which 80 would be designated as affordable. The project includes 17 acres of green infrastructure, which amounts to more than half of the total site.

It was the project’s Green Belt location that was the largest point of contention.

“I don’t think any of us are sat here tonight wanting to approve development on Green Belt,” said Cllr Asa Caton. “Of course, we all want to protect Green Belt. We want to protect ecology. We want to protect trees, but the stark reality we find ourselves in is that we’re in the middle of a housing crisis, not just in Stockport but nationally.”

He added later: “9,000 people on a housing waiting list in Stockport is not a number that we want to increase.  The only way we’re going to address that is building more homes and sometimes in locations where we don’t’ necessarily want to build them in.

“But if a developer has shown caution, mitigation, and a willingness to build affordable housing, when there isn’t much affordable housing coming forward at the moment – then, that gives us a difficult decision to make. But following policy only, I think we need to follow the planning recommendation of approval.”

The scheme was accordingly approved.

Taylor Wimpey’s project team for the developmentincludes Eddisons, Stantec, TEP, Betts Hydro, Hepworth Acoustics, Redmore Environmental, A. P. Martin, Award Energy, and Social.

Learn more about the application by searching planning reference DC/097509 on Stockport Council’s planning portal.

Ollier Smurthwaite Architects is behind plans for 21 Living’s scheme. Credit: via Dinky Dot Marketing

Mini-Flatiron

Developer: 21 Living

Planner: Paul Butler Associates

Architect: Ollier Smurthwaite Architects

Stockport has its own pyramid, and soon it will have its own Flatiron.

It took less than five minutes for councillors to vote to approve 21 Living’s version of the New York landmark. Designed by Ollier Smurthwaite Architects, the scheme would sit at the junction of Tiviot Dale and Percy Street in Stockport.

Of the 29 apartments that make up the plan, 27 would have one bedroom and two would have two bedrooms. There would also be two retail units on the ground floor of the six-storey building.

There is no car parking included in the scheme, which will, however, offer space for 29 cycles to be stored.

The project team includes UES, AEC, Axis, Civic, Watt Consulting, Groundtech Consulting, and Redmore Environmental.

Learn more about 21 Living’s plans by searching reference DC/093405 on Stockport Council’s planning portal.

• Hear from Ollier Smurthwaite Architects at Place North’s Place RESI event in October.