David Wilson Homes makes Woodford pitch
Following consultation in autumn 2025, the housebuilder’s proposals for 455 homes at Upper Swineseye Farm, currently a Green Belt site, have been validated by Stockport Council.
Advising on planning and affordable housing, Savills is working with the developer on its outline plans for the 51-acre site, which sits to the east of the Woodford Garden Village scheme now mostly built out – and to be extended further – at the former aerodrome.
Roy Chadwick Way sits to the other side and would provide the primary access, via a new three-arm roundabout.
The housebuilder, which has a long-term option agreement on the site, is co-applicant along with Michael Glen Kingsley.
Outline permission is sought for the Green Belt site, which breaks down into two distinct parcels divided by Bridle Way and a farmhouse.
Other members of the professional team are i-Transport, CSA, Cavendish, Wardell Armstrong, Tyler Grange, Betts Hydro, Betts Geo, SLR, LRA, Environmental Economics, and Geomatic Surveys.
Unsurprisingly, and has been seen in several applications across the borough, the situation as set out in Savills’ planning statement regarding Stockport’s housing land supply is stark, with 1.77 years’ supply the mark cited – a position confirmed at the recent Woodford Garden Village extension appeal by Harrow Estates.
Furthermore, Savills points to Stockport Council’s housing needs assessment of 2025, which concluded that the council has a shortfall of 1,305 affordable homes per year. As this site is currently Green Belt – although Savills argues that the site should on balance now qualify as Grey Belt – DWH would be obliged to deliver 50% of the homes as affordable.
Should the council disagree with that Grey Belt analysis, the application team believes it has a strong case in meeting the ’Very Special Circumstances’ hurdle required to sign off Green Belt development.
Nine reasons are set out stacking this argument up, including Stockport’s need for both market and affordable housing, the sustainability of the site, and the failure of a plan-led system in Stockport.
The proposal is for around 46% of the overall site to be built on. David Wilson Homes’ plans can be viewed on the Stockport Council planning portal, reference DC/098620.
