High Lane housing plans raise fears of more A6 congestion on route to Manchester
Plans for 1,000 homes in High Lane have raised fears of longer A6 queues, with the village forum chair citing HGV traffic and few car alternatives.
Proposals for 1,000 homes in High Lane have prompted fears of heavier queues on the A6 towards Manchester, where residents already report stationary rush-hour traffic.
Stockport council is seeking feedback on its draft Local Plan, which proposes housing on both sides of the road through the village. The A6 links the Peak District with Hazel Grove, Stockport and Manchester.
Traffic was continuous between 6am and 9am. He attributed some of the pressure to HGVs using the route to Derbyshire via the A555.
Jones said the village’s rural location left residents with few alternatives to driving. He predicted further congestion if the proposed housing went ahead, and said some residents might leave.
“It will become an even more congested black spot. I think a lot of people will leave,” Jones said.
Housing proposed on both sides of the A6
The 1,000-home allocation is the largest proposed for green belt housing in the borough’s draft plan. A separate Persimmon Homes application for more than 200 homes off Windlehurst Road is also being considered.
High Lane has fewer than 5,000 residents. The proposed homes could increase the village’s size by around half.
Across Stockport, the draft plan could allow more than 8,000 homes on land currently designated as green belt. It sets out development over 15 years but remains around 8,000 homes below government housing targets.
Jones argues that regeneration in Stockport town centre makes green belt development unnecessary. Previous borough land assessments, however, have suggested that green belt sites are needed to meet housing needs.
