Gwynne column: 'Reject plans to build on Tameside greenbelt'

In his latest Reporter column, Denton MP Andrew Gwynne continues to urge residents to reject controversial plans to extend Bredbury Industrial Park on greenbelt in the Tame Valley.

I always try to ensure that my columns aren’t too repetitive, but unfortunately sometimes circumstances force me to repeat myself. 

It was only four or five months ago that I used this column to encourage you all to formally submit your objections to the hugely damaging proposal before Stockport Council to massively extend the Bredbury Industrial Park into precious green belt. 

Whilst the development would be on the Stockport side of the river, a lot of the negative impact will be felt here in Tameside. 

The new industrial units will take green space adjoining the Haughton Dale and Hulme’s Woods Local Nature Reserves in Denton and will naturally cause issues around air quality, noise pollution and our local wildlife, but there will also be a massive increase in traffic going down Stockport Road in Denton as HGVs coming to and from the new estate will have no other options due to a low bridge.

What is particularly frustrating about the plans is that there is absolutely no need to encroach on the green areas that we all enjoy so much when there are plenty of available brownfield sites across Greater Manchester that could be used instead.

For instance, Tameside Council has pointed out that land is available at Ashton Moss that would work just as well as Bredbury, but without the destruction of precious green belt land. 

The reason I’m bringing this up again is that the developers of the Bredbury expansion, Quorum, have amended their application to fast-track two of the 25 proposed units. As a result of this, Stockport Council has re-opened the neighbourhood consultation (closing date: Saturday, March 7).

I believe that it’s vital that Stockport Council makes the decision based on the impact that the whole proposed site would have, and not just on the basis of these two units. If these two go ahead, the rest will surely follow and it would be a disaster for our Tame Valley. 

It’s important that the voices of people here in Tameside aren’t ignored, just because the units themselves will go up across the border. I will always stand up for people in Tameside against these proposals and I hope you’ll join me. So thanks to all of those of you who took the time to submit your objections back in October – whether you did or not, I’d encourage you to contact Stockport Council Planning Services (planning application reference: DC/074399) to urge them once again to reject this disastrous proposal.

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