Stockport Independent Issue 186

FREE YOUR LOCAL GOOD NEWS-PAPER FREE STOCKPORT www.independentnewspapers.co.uk ISSUE 186 OFFERTON • THE HEATONS • EDGELEY • DENTON BREDBURY • CHEADLE HEATH • HAZEL GROVE • CHEADLE HULME • HEAVILEY • MARPLE • REDDISH • ROMILEY • WOODLEY • HIGH LANE Looking for Flooring Inspiration? Let us help you find the perfect flooring for your home. With great advice, home styling, measure and planning service, plus quality fitting of top brands and designs, youwill be glad you did . Visit our showroom: Tuesday to Saturday or call 01260 224445 for a private appointment Thornycroft Farm, Pexhill Road, Siddington, Cheshire SK11 9JN l Modern, Traditional & Luxury Carpets l Natural Wood Flooring l Laminate Flooring l Stair Runners & Rods l Luxury Vinyl Tiles l Bespoke Rugs & Runners Tel: 01254 898262 or 0777 191 5829 Find us on Facebook info@emlbuildingandpaving.ltd www.emlbuildingandpavingltd.co.uk PLANS to extend Wood- ford Garden Village have been unveiled with more than 500 new homes pro- posed for the site. A sustainable mix of around 540 new homes is proposed, including family housing, senior living and self-build plots. The scheme being proposed by Harrow Estates, would be a major expansion of the gar- den village site, with the new homes occupying 35 hectares of land. A planning application has been submitted to Stockport Council following two rounds of public consultation last summer. The developers say a mini- mum of 50 per cent of the pro- posed housing will be made up of affordable homes. The plan includes affordable care units for older people. A network of “green cor- ridors” will supplement the development and provide opportunities to introduce recreational pedestrian and cycle routes. Allotments, play areas and informal amenity spaces will also benefit existing MORE VILLAGE PEOPLE Plans unveiled for 540 new homes Extension: Developers are looking to grow the garden village (Photo credit: Marketing Stockport) and future Garden Village residents and the surround- ing community. A new mixed-use commu- nity hub is proposed within a new square, located next to the Avro Heritage Museum. Developers say the hub will provide access to local facili- ties such as a cafe and include a community building with flexible spaces designed to meet local needs, which could range from co-working space to exhibition space. A ‘mobility hub’ will also be located centrally within the square, to promote active travel by providing bike stor- age, changing facility, and cycle rental and repair. Harrow Estates says it is to open discussions with com- munity groups and businesses looking at how the hubs can best serve the area and com- plement existing commu- nity provision. It is also proposing an additional area of car park- ing space to serve visitors to Avro Golf Club. This would be accessed via the Garden Vil- lage, helping to reduce traffic congestion reported by resi- dents on Old Hall Lane. Demand for local school places was a matter voiced during the community con- sultation. The development team says the extension pro- vides the potential to increase the size of Woodford Primary School on the garden village, which was designed to accom- modate future additional space requirements. Harrow Estates says it will work with Stockport Council and stakeholders to explore local school capacity through the planning process. Tim Noden, planning director at Harrow Estates, said: “We are proud of what has been achieved at Wood- ford Garden Village and are proposing a sensitive and high-quality designed exten- sion which will complement this exceptional development. “The homes proposed can play a significant role in help- ing to tackle the very high levels of housing need in the borough which are currently going unmet. “Our design is land- scape-led, with almost half of the site dedicated to accessible open space. Bio-di- versity improvements will be achieved through the use of sustainable urban drainage systems, wildflower mead- ows, planting of hedges and extended woodlands. “The proposed development will also be supported by enhanced facilities, including a flexible, mixed-use commu- nity hub which could accom- modate a range of uses. A mobility hub, green spaces, play areas, allotments, and extensive footpaths and new cycle routes will create new recreational opportuni- ties for the residents and vis- itors alike. “A two-stage public con- sultation has allowed us to consider feedback from the early scheme principles and we thank the local community for taking the time to engage with us. l Continued page two