OVERVIEW

Hollins Strategic Land (HSL) is bringing forward two planning applications for the development of two separate parcels of land to the north of Buxton Road and to the south of Mill Lane in Hazel Grove, Stockport.

The sites can together sustainably provide up to 100 new homes including 50% much-needed affordable homes together with new publicly accessible green spaces.

The outline planning applications will seek to establish the acceptability of the principle of the residential uses proposed. If approved it will be for subsequent applications to consider the details of the proposed uses.

This is an opportunity for you to have your say and to let HSL have your support for the proposals or to let us know if you would like to see any changes made. HSL will then work closely with Stockport Council (who will also consult about the planning applications in due course) to ensure that all views are considered and taken account of wherever possible.

Share your feedback on these proposals by using the survey section at the bottom of this page.

THE BACKGROUND

HSL will shortly be submitting to Stockport Council two outline planning applications proposing the residential development of two accessible and sustainably located sites to the south of Hazel Grove to provide some 100 new homes in total together with new publicly accessible green spaces.

This consultation is seeking the views of local residents, businesses and other stakeholders to help inform the planning applications as they evolve in close liaison with Stockport Council and all other consultees. Your views are important and HSL would welcome your support and participation in this exercise.

The sites are in logical and sustainable locations for new development, physically well-contained and partly developed with stabling on the Mill Lane site.

Both sites lie adjacent to the existing built up area of Hazel Grove and “inside” the Manchester Airport Eastern Link Road (A555). While designated as green belt in Stockport’s aged development plan, the construction of the A555 and the realignment of the A6 mean that they no longer fulfil any of the purposes of green belt. They therefore meet the definition of grey belt land in national planning guidance and as grey belt the proposed developments are appropriate and will help to meet the Government’s aim to significantly boost the supply of new housing.

With Stockport suffering from a chronic under-supply of new housing, the sites do not require any significant upfront infrastructure provision and can therefore deliver housing in early course, including 50% affordable housing for people in urgent need of accommodation.

Housing Need

Stockport Council has continued to under-deliver against its housing targets despite agreeing action plans to address this situation. The Council is required to demonstrate a five-year supply of housing land but it continues to miss this target very significantly. Furthermore, the situation has been exacerbated by the publication of a new and substantially greater housing requirement.

There are acute and serious levels of housing need experienced across Stockport.

The provision of affordable housing in Stockport in recent years has also not addressed growing needs. The provision of affordable homes in one of the more expensive areas of the Borough would have a significant social value and would be consistent with the Government's intention to increase housing numbers in those areas facing the most acute affordability pressures.

The number and mix of new homes proposed on these sites would make a worthwhile contribution towards addressing the chronic undersupply of both market and affordable homes in Stockport.

THE MASTERPLANS

The Illustrative Masterplans are intended to give some idea as to how the sites may be developed but HSL will only be seeking approval to the principle of new housing on the sites by way of outline planning applications with all matters of detail reserved for subsequent approval.

Land north of Buxton Road:

• Vacant grassland extending to some 2.4 hectares with existing housing to the west, the A6 to the north, the A555 to the east and Buxton Road to the south;
• A logical infill development site visually and physically contained with capacity for some 75 new homes including a mix of market and 50% affordable homes to help address Stockport’s urgent housing needs;
• New publicly accessible greenspace;
• New vehicular and pedestrian access points from Buxton Road and Cranleigh Drive;
• Adjacent to existing bus routes with stops nearby and to extensive footpath and cycle networks including links into the Ladybrook Valley and Norbury Brook leisure routes.

Land south of Mill Lane:

• Currently grassland with horse stabling and pasture extending to 1 hectare with existing housing to the west, the railway line to the north and the A555 to the east and south;
• A logical infill development site visually and physically contained with capacity for some 25 new homes including a mix of market and 50% affordable homes to help address Stockport’s urgent housing needs;
• New publicly accessible greenspace;
• New vehicular and pedestrian access points from Mill Lane and Old Mill Lane;
• Adjacent to an existing bus route with stops nearby and to extensive footpath and cycle networks including links into the Ladybrook Valley and Norbury Brook leisure routes;

HSL and its professional consultants have carefully investigated and assessed all relevant planning, environmental and technical considerations and have concluded that there are no constraints which would prevent the development of the sites for the proposed residential end uses.

The development of these two sites will represent the logical rounding off of this part of the Hazel Grove settlement and would not be regarded as inappropriate on what is grey belt land.

Structured tree planting and on-site open space will allow for informal play and pedestrian and cycle connectivity will link with the wider area.

The sites are well located in terms of accessibility to sustainable modes of transport. There are a number of bus stops in both directions located along Buxton Road and Mill Lane which offer regular services to Hazel Grove, Stockport and beyond. Rail stations at Hazel Grove and Middlewood are readily accessible.

SITE A – Land north of Buxton Road

SITE B – Land south of Mill Lane

Social and Economic Benefits

• High quality new homes including 50% affordable homes providing a better choice of housing to meet a range of urgent local needs;
• Construction employment including locally sourced labour;
• Significant gross value added for the local and regional economy
• New household spend locally;
• Increased Council Tax revenue, New Homes Bonus and planning agreement contributions.

Conclusion

This consultation sets out how significant benefits can be provided from the much-needed residential development of two sustainably located parcels of land to the south of Hazel Grove in Stockport.

Stockport Council has already indicated the potential acceptability of developing sites like these by provisionally allocating in the draft Stockport Local Plan a similar parcel of land to the west of the Mill Lane site.

Both sites are logical, sustainably located, well contained and able to be defined as grey belt in accordance with national planning policy. They are available and deliverable in the shorter term and would help to address the chronic shortfall of housing within Stockport.

HSL would welcome support for its proposals and will consider all responses received to this consultation and adapt its plans where at all possible to address any reasonable matters raised.

Details of how to participate are shown below. Please note that the consultation will close at 7pm on Sunday 8th March 2026.