Overnight the latest version of the draft Local Plan was published ahead of council scrutiny and cabinet meetings.
Speaking after the papers were published, Cllr Mark Roberts, Leader of the Council and of the Liberal Democrats at Stockport Town Hall said: “In July 2024, the Stockport Liberal Democrats published a local plan that delivered the right homes in the right places, using only brownfield sites. It was a plan that protected our greenbelt whilst revitalising tired, previously developed land- it was something I was proud to advocate for. Since that plan was published, the Labour Government have doubled the number of houses we must deliver and removed protections from a third of our Green Belt as they continue to remove the opportunity for local voices to have a say over their area.
“When I look at the nature across Stockport, I appreciate it’s beauty and the health benefits it brings, we do not walk through our Green Belt in awe of the legal classification it was given by Westminster. Repackaging our Green Belt so developers can make a profit says everything we need to know about this Labour Government, and residents will rightly be outraged.
“We vehemently oppose this Government’s Developers Charter they keep pursuing. However, they have imposed a legal duty upon the council to deliver it, as the alternative to our co-operation is a developer led free-for-all, which would remove any remaining protection or say we have in the future of our area. We have already received public letters from the Housing Minister forcing us to move forward with their agenda.
“To be clear, Stockport Liberal Democrats oppose the Government’s reckless targets and underhand classifications, changing our Green Belt by the back door. We further oppose the centralised way in which they have directed it. We are also frustrated by their lack of interest in building infrastructure to support the thousands of new homes these plans will see built.
“The Local Plan is due for its first stage of consultation from 6th November- 21st December 2025. It is published for scrutiny with a very heavy heart. We encourage residents to feedback through the consultation and have their say. It’s an opportunity to express concern or support for sites and policies, and to call on the Government to fund better infrastructure for existing and future residents, to fund the building of genuinely affordable homes, and to stop capitulating to corporate developer firms that lobby hard in Westminster.
“The fight for what is right for our communities continues. I will continue to make the argument to Government that their housing targets are too high for Stockport and that their disregard for Green Belt is not shared by our community. The Liberal Democrats will also continue to fight for the funding we need to be able to deliver the additional social housing we need in the right places, along with support for the infrastructure mass development will require, such as GPs, dentists, schools and roads.”
