Tameside approves 2,150-home neighbourhood
Godley Green Garden Village will go ahead as long as Michael Gove agrees with the council’s decision to give the green light to the controversial proposal.
Tameside Council’s planning committee approved the authority’s own 2,150-home plan for land off Mottram Hall Road yesterday after a debate that ran for more than two hours.
The outline application, which also proposes the delivery of shops, offices, a medical centre, and 150 acres of open space, will now be referred to the secretary of state for final approval.
Godley Green Garden Village has been in the works for several years and has proved controversial in some quarters due to its location in the Green Belt.
The 315-acre swathe of land between Godley, Hyde, Hattersley, and Gee Cross is one of several Green Belt sites earmarked for development in the Places for Everyone spatial framework.
Godley Green was approved despite spirited opposition in the form of 4,205 letters of objection and a petition with 4,459 signatures. Only 33 letters of support have been received.
However, it was determined that the harm that the development would cause to the Green Belt was outweighed by its benefits, namely boosting Tameside’s supply of housing. At present, the borough cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply.
Godley Green would be delivered in eight phases over the course of 15 years – amounting to around 143 homes a year being built – and help Tameside towards the 8,245-home target set out in PfE.
Tameside Council worked with Planit, Gerald Eve, The Environment Partnership, Pea Green Consultants, and Wilde Consulting Engineers to craft the Godley Green proposals.
Planit’s urban design planning principal John Willerton said: “We’ve been working with Tameside Council for nine years to develop a place vision, masterplan and design code that will enable the borough to prosper for generations to come.
“Central to the Godley Green masterplan is the retention of 150 acres of the site as open space and 100% of the valuable woodland to deliver significant improvements to biodiversity and natural landscape – delivering a 10% biodiversity net gain. Along with the creation of new parks, gardens, allotments and sports provision.”
He added: “The new Garden Village community will be formed around walkable neighbourhoods with a high level of accessibility to sustainable transport connections, in the form of local train stations. The proposals will deliver new, active-travel infrastructure through the site, whilst also providing a connecting piece to the Trans Pennine Trail.”
Aly Nicholls Associates, Mainer Associates, Kevin Murray Acoustics, E3P, KKP, and Trebbi Continuum make up the project team.
You can learn more about the council’s vision by searching application reference number 21/01171/OUT on Tameside Council’s planning portal.
Why not build on derelict land and leave our green space alone
By Annette Bayley
Seriously who is going to want to go to a restaurant here? It’s not exactly Venice is it. This is probably what the planners of the now gone estates of hattersley thought it was going to be like, a pleasant place with people watering their plants etc. Then it became a dump, then they levelled it. This’ll end up exactly the same.
By Lopez the first
Not sure whether the NIMBY’s of Tameside deserve such investment but it’s good to hear that the council have planned this.
Onwards and upwards.
By Anonymous
Anyone who thinks this is a good thing is sadly mistaken. It will NEVER bring the benefits they promise and will destroy an eco system that’s been hundreds of years in the making. It’s a very sad day.
By Kath Moorcroft
The loss of this huge piece of natural countryside will be a great loss especially when there are plenty of eyesore brownfield sites that could be developed for housing. The impact on the environment will be a disaster for example more sewage being discharged into local rivers.The Leaders of TMBC do not seem to have any concience and totally ignore residents requests. I remember being a boy in the 1950s once you passed by Godley you were in open countryside until Hattersley housing estate was built.
If this development does get built it will be interesting to see if it gets supported by new schools GPs Dentists , police Fire Ambulance services .
By Mr Paul Griffiths
Fantastic to see — finally a borough doing what is desperately needed!
By Anonymous
I agree whole heartedly with the objectors to this proposed huge development. I live in Hyde and the last thing we need is more very expensive private housing bringing in 2 adults per home plus an unknown number of children this would more than likely add over 6,000 people + probably over 4,000 cars to our small town all of whom would be using our struggling services. The town centre is a disgrace and the current social housing stock is crumbling. The Tameside Council should think about it’s current residents and not bring more people into the area. Obviously objections make no difference to these matters and you sometimes feel like you are wasting your breath.
By Anonymous
In favour of building new homes , but perhaps these run down council estates need investment and some knocking down, godley green will cause a heck of a problem with already horrendous traffic
By Mr greenwilly
Where is the transport planning fir the 2000 cars that will commute every day.
Assuming most will use public transport in fairytale thinking.
By Adrian
What consultantion, More traffic no road improvement,but think of the extra council tax.
By Ian L
So it’s going through, just out of interest are they going to increase the infrastructure in the area. Mottram Road & the M67 are already gridlocked during peak hours. Are there going to be more Doctor’s & good luck finding a dentist. All well & good building houses but they never take into account the knock on effect…
By Anonymous
Absolute disgrace, too lazy to build on Brownfield which is plentiful in Tameside and would deliver social housing which is more needed
By Kim Scragg
More people in Tameside.mean longer waiting lists at Tameside hospital.
The destruction of wildlife will be enormous .
So disappointed as it is obviously going against the wishes of Tameside people
By Anonymous
Great news in my opinion. There is a massive shortage of housing in the area, so this is good for the people struggling to find a home.
By Antony Preece
Lopez the first
Hattersley wasn’t levelled. Contour Housing invested tens of millions of pounds in c1,400 affordable homes that were improved with new bathrooms, kitchens and windows. Barratt are/will/have built c 800 new homes for sale there, and its a very successful development.
There’s an upgraded train station at Hattersley, and in Nov ’22 council leaders approved the Longdendale By-Pass, which ” .. will have a significant impact on quality of life in Mottram, Hattersley, Hollingworth and Broadbottom ..”.
And who would want to go to a restaurant there? Depends on the restaurant, but possibly the residents of east Tameside, who in all probability do water their plants. But they shouldn’t overwater them, as that can result in a loss of vigour, yellowing leaves, stunted growth, root death, root rot, leaf burn and leaf scorch. Once the roots start to decay, you will be unable to save your plant. So let that be a lesson to all.
Bon appetit.
By Snake Charmer
If this goes through, we will have a lot more traffic on Mottram Road… so we definitely need the Mottram bypass even more than we do now.
By J
Housing stock is needed but of the 2000+ houses that are being proposed on this Green belt less than 15% will be “affordable” housing. This will not assist people currently living in the area.
Councillors totally losing touch with people in the area.
Shameful.
By Andrew Blezard
Is this going to be property for rent for people who can’t afford to pay extortionate rent to private landlords
Or is all going to be affordable prices for mortgages
By Georgina Mount
Hi Georgina! I believe the planning conditions require at least 15% of the homes provided to be affordable – which means they need to be less expensive than market prices. This could mean that they are all social rent, but could also mean other tenures (such as shared ownership). The details will be in a future reserved matters application, which I can guarantee Place North West will be reporting on. Hope this helps!
By Julia Hatmaker
Well done I hope it all works out we need new life in our town
By Kevin jones
Don’t tameside think there is enough gridlock in all our surrounding areas. Ridiculous there is nowhere for kids to play now but I suppose that does not matter to them.
By Mrs Donlan
Utter disregard for the views of the constituents and the protection of green belt land. It’s not going to be affordable housing, whatever our councillors and MP decide to tell people. Most laughable is claiming it will contain so much open land and 100% of the woodland. If that’s such a priority, why build in it in the first place. Plenty of derelict space and brown belt around that could be used.
By Anonymous
Snake Charmer, they DID level the houses on Chain bar lane and that tower block, not all Hattersley unfortunately. Hey what do I care, I find it wonderful when the inept government waste money on things, it’s popcorn time! Enjoy your swanky dinner pal.
By Lopez the second
Well, what a big surprise.
By Anonymous
I do hope there’s more money for infrastructure
By Andy
The roads cannot handle the traffic now
By Anonymous
How did this get through? I’m sure over the 9 years this has taken to get to this stage by TMBC Council, plenty of other non greenfield sites have been refused or reduced in numbers due to the bureaucratical nonsense from the council.
This site will be a cheaper build for them, even though the significant harm to the green belt is outweighed by the need for the development.
One rule for the council and one rule for everyone else.
You can’t even build 1 house in your garden in Green Belt, yet they can build 2150 in other people’s gardens if it suits them.
How they will overcome the traffic issues in the area with the creation of such a development is going to be interesting.
Oh wait, wont it be Tamesides Councils Highways Department giving approval to it?
The whole planning system needs to change with clear lines of what you can and can’t do.
Not have wishy washy guidelines that can be manipulated either way to suit someone’s agenda.
By Anonymous
it’s just shameful, green space should be sacrosanct, the council are just thinking of the council tax, disgraceful!!!!!!!!
By Mag
Shouldn’t be killing our wildlife on our greenbelt there’s other area’s they can build and hopefully Michael Gove will reject it as they originally stated they wouldn’t build on greenbelt.
By Anonymous
Sustainable transport network, don’t make me laugh. Have they tried to get around Hattersley roundabout when its busy?
Have they tried to get a train I to Manchester, the railways have already confirmed that they cannot deploy bigger trains due to the size of the platforms
By John W
For once I’m glad I’m old. I’ve lived here all my life and seen Tameside council slowly ruin a beautiful piece of countryside with The Grange and surrounding area and Alder school. Now there going to destroy the rest. I’m old and with luck wil die before it’s done so I won’t have to see the damage to the environment
By Anonymous
Look at the number of empty shops restaurants and industrial units in tameside and the council think its a good idea to build MORE. What planet do these people come from
By Anonymous
As a keen walker I cannot see any great objections. There are only two tracks crossing this area and one is almost impassable after heavy rain. At least one footpath has been blocked by the growth of the scruffy stables – they won’t be missed. The large field on the right after the bridge used to be open – now fenced off with a narrow track round the perimeter. In short, there is very little public access to the fields and the walk from Godley over to Werneth Low is quite boring. I wonder if the objectors actually do any walking?
By Anonymous
The real damage to this area was done when Hattersley estate was built – in a place that was noted for its woods and streams.
By Anonymous
Fantastic to see a defeat for the NIMBY’s. Typical nonsense from them – build homes, just not here. There is a housing crisis in this Country. Not all Green Belt is equal and it is inevitable that some will have to go. That said do people understand the Green Belt got bigger last year!
By Anonymous
Anonymous 1.35. Less keyboard chewing and more thought for those who may have a different point of view than your own . This is a contentious issue for a lot of people who actually live around here. Petulance belongs on Instagram, this site deserves a more critical audience.
By Anonymous
It’ll be fantastic when Michael Gove knocks this back, hopefully sooner rather than later. That’ll shut the ‘pour concrete on everything’ brigade’
By Gif Gaf