Residents share their thoughts on Godley Green

A gigantic housing scheme on the edge of Greater Manchester is creeping closer to becoming a reality. But not everyone is keen on the idea of 2,150 new homes on former green belt land.

Godley Green Garden Village has been mooted for almost a decade, but spades are yet to break ground on the major housing project. Just last month outline plans for the controversial scheme were approved by Tameside council’s planning panel.

Hyde’s countryside will see the new village split into two halves by Godley Brook, each with its own local centre. Green spaces, play areas, a primary school, sports pitches and health care facilities will accompany the new houses to the north of Mottram Old Road.

Gee Cross is a village that sees heavy traffic, considering it is supposed to be in a rural setting. Many people living there fear this could only be made worse by 2,150 new homes on land just down the road.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service visited Gee Cross to get a better understanding of the local stance when it comes to Godley Green. The response was almost unanimous – it’s a thumbs down.

Denise Garside, 60, stopped opposite The Village Bakery on Stockport Road to put her views across: “You can see how busy the road going through the village is. With 2,000 more houses, you can imagine how much busier it will get. “It’s lovely living here, it’s a one road village. Then suddenly you’ll come across a great big housing estate that used to be fields. “There were sheep and stables down the road, it’s all just gone. This Godley Green development will just get rid of that. “I know houses have to go somewhere but they need to think about whether an area can support that level of housing. They’re spoiling a beautiful area.”

Denise is one of many in Gee Cross and further afield that are opposed to the scheme. That hasn’t stopped authorities injecting cash to push forward progress.

The next wave of investment from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) Good Growth fund was unveiled last month, pumping £420m into new homes, infrastructure and industry. One of the projects on the receiving end of that cash was the Godley Green scheme.

Some £17.4m will go towards enabling works and supporting infrastructure to unlock the Godley Green Garden Village site. Some of that infrastructure funding is something locals hope will go into sorting the already gridlocked road network in the area.

Julie Bowers, out for a dog walk with her husband David and Labrador Max, said: “This will impact traffic and this road is bad enough. Most of the time it’s really difficult to cross. “From 9am onwards it’s usually just rammed. It’s like the M60 on here. “A little boy was hit by a car two weeks ago and a helicopter had to come for him. We’ve seen it happen and more cars on the road could lead to more of that.”

David added that he is fine with new homes, but he wants to see the infrastructure built before the houses, not afterwards, to avoid further problems.

Mary Prosser, on her way to yoga, had a similar view to David. The 87-year-old said: “I am concerned because I live in the Godley ward. Unless they put a lot of infrastructure in, it won’t be good. “They need doctors and a decent bus service. I know they say they’ll do that, but I’ll believe it when I see it. “It will impact the area that has been a green space forever, now they’re taking it away. I’m not against houses, but the scheme is too big – it needs to be scaled down a bit.”

Brian Heapy has been campaigning against the Godley Green development for years, but his reasons relate to nature and wildlife.

The 76-year-old told the LDRS: “Woodpecker, roe deer and all sorts that you wouldn’t expect live on that land. It’s a green space between Hattersley and Gee Cross, so when that’s gone it means that Gee Cross will no longer be a village. “I moved here 50 years ago, I back onto open fields. I’m worried about that going as well. “I see that green space being taken away, so this could happen to other bits that may then eventually be built on.”

Although not many people were happy about the idea of more houses in the area, almost everyone who spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service accepted that more homes needed to be built. Thomas Ansbro was fine with more houses being built, but his concern was over who they were designed for.

The 75-year-old, walking Rigby the dog, said: “A lot of people are talking about it around here. People are worried about it at the moment. “The way I see it is that they’ve got to find places for people to live. So for me it depends who they’re designed for really, because young people need homes to live in eventually.”

Despite concerns, the scheme is essentially approved and ready to be built. MADE Partnership and Tameside council will oversee and manage the development of the garden village over the next 15 years.

It is expected that separate phases of the housing project will come through the council planning system as the years go on.

When the Good Growth fund cash was announced last month, Tameside council leader Eleanor Wills said: “It’s an exciting time for Tameside, as the new MDC will unlock well‑connected neighbourhoods in Ashton and Stalybridge through transport‑led regeneration bringing thousands of new homes, jobs and opportunities.

“The Good Growth Fund support will help us bring forward town centre sites linked to future Bee Network travel and the transformation of Ashton Market Square, which alongside the development of Godley Green Garden Village allows the creation of communities built around sustainable movement and everyday accessibility.”

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham unveiled the latest plans to deliver a decade of good growth in Greater Manchester, backed by at least £500 million of investment from the National Wealth Fund. The centrepiece of the fund includes a bid to host the biggest ever Ryder Cup in 2035.