Please find below a list of SGMGB’s member groups in their Grt Mcr Borough. You can click on the buttons to be taken to their website / social media pages.
Heald Green Ratepayers has been working for Heald Green for over 90 years. We were threatened with over 4,700 extra house in the first GMSF proposals. After two consultations this was reduced to 1,700. Stockport has now pulled out of GMSF but we remain in SGMGB as we believe in its aims and as Stockport prepares its Local Plan SGMGB research will be helpful. The photo shows an area of Heald Green threatened with 850 houses.
Save Tameside Green Belt Group is currently fighting against a proposed Godley Green Garden Village in Hyde. The plans are for 2350 houses on Green Belt land.
Carrington Moss occupies an area of about 1,100 acres. The depth of peat varies between 17 and 20 feet. Peat is an irreplaceable habitat, so a mass extraction event to remove this precious substance cannot be offset by any amount of Biodiversity Net Gain (to say nothing of the huge release of carbon into our local atmosphere). This vital area is under threat from Places for Everyone as it is included in a proposed build of 5000 houses.
Woodford is a small settlement lying almost entirely in Green Belt, largely comprised of agricultural land with intermittent ribbon development along roads and country lanes, plus a large former aerodrome with planning permission for 920 dwellings. Stockport Council recognises a distinct the Woodford Landscape Character Area, with a rural character and green spaces treasured by local residents and the wider community.
Protection of these characteristics is a key aim of Woodford Neighbourhood Plan 2019. After vigorous objection by a large proportion of residents at the first iteration of GMSF that would have ripped the green heart out of Woodford for 2,400 houses, there was relief that this proposal was replaced with a proposal for an additional 750 dwellings on the aerodrome site. This would have been significantly less damaging to the character of Woodford, but still represented unsustainable, over-development on Green Belt.
Stockport has pulled out of GMSF, but we support SGMGB aims to protect Green Belt as Stockport prepares its Local Plan.
Apethorn & Bowlacre are two virgin Greenbelt fields separating Gee Cross and Woodley in Tameside and Stockport respectively. Designated a wildlife corridor between ‘Tame Valley Nature Reserve’ and ‘Werneth Low Country Park’ they are the definition of Greenbelt law stopping Urban Sprawl. Tameside council intend to build a minimum of 440 houses pinching shut the wildlife corridor and creating an endless housing estate.
Save Shaw Greenbelt Group was formed in 2015 fighting to save our precious greenbelt around Shaw and Crompton.
We believe it’s crucially important to preserve the Greenbelt and green spaces for future generations, especially when we approach a critical time for climate change nationally, and locally. Biodiversity will certainly play a huge part in this much needed preservation.
The greenbelt around Shaw is also the last area of greenbelt that enables Shaw and it’s neighbouring towns to retain their special community identities.
A Brownfield first approach should surely be the fundamental choice over development on any of our stunning Greenbelt.
As group together with our residents, we continue to campaign to preserve our stunning greenbelt.
The greenfield land in Smithy Bridge and Littleborough is both farmland and floodplain. This land separates Smithy Bridge, Littleborough, Milnrow and Wardle ensuring each retains its unique village identities and prevents urban sprawl. The council intend to build 500 executive 4 and 5 bedrooms houses which will create a large conurbation. Building here will erase the wild life blocking off the last few remaining areas of lower lying green space they use which also acts as wildlife corridors. There will also be an increase traffic pollution on already busy roads and put substantial pressure on local services with no planned provision for any new infrastructure.