Godley Green: controversial plans for new garden village to be decided soon

Controversial plans to build a huge new garden village in the Hyde green belt are to go before councillors just days before Christmas. A planning application was submitted by Tameside Council for up to 2,150 homes on land to the north of Mottram Old Road in October last year.

A target date had been set for a local decision this summer before going to government for the final say on whether to release the land from green belt. However council documents reveal that the application for the Godley Green garden village, which has gathered more than 3,800 objections, will go before the planning committee on Wednesday 21 December.

It follows the submission of a ‘refreshed’ environmental statement and revised application earlier this month. That has seen a number of changes, including the swap from providing a new one-form primary school to new secondary school accommodation.

The proposed sports provision has also been modified, with the area of playing fields and facilities on land to the south of Mottram Old Road replaced with ‘financial contributions’ and the relocation of playing pitches from the eastern village to a more ‘central location’. Under the revised plans, the access to the south of Mottram Old Road would be removed.

If outline planning permission is granted next month, the planning team will then seek approval for ‘reserved matters’ approval for the initial ‘Western Village’ access road and prepare the site for construction.

Phase one would see would see the delivery of ‘essential’ infrastructure begin, such as roads, drainage, flood basins, footpaths and cycleways and public open space.

Houses would begin to be built under this phase of the development, with the rest of the homes delivered in the next seven stages.

The properties will be split across two villages divided by Godley Brook. As well as the thousands of homes, ‘local centres’ would also be built as part of the garden village which would include up to 1,300 sq m of retail, 1,600 sq m of commercial uses and 1,000 sq m of local community uses.

If approved the huge development would generate £9m in income for the council, chiefs say.

Homes England has supported the project with a £10m grant, which would have a minimum of 15% affordable housing provision.