Government opts not to call in plans for Godley Green Garden Village

The Government will not call in Tameside Council’s plans for Godley Green Garden Village.

The council announced today (November 10) that Secretary of State, Michael Gove, will not call in the outline planning application for the development, which would be built on greenfield land, for further review.

This means that outline planning permission will be granted in line with the planning committee decision and the development can now move forward in line with the conditions previously laid out.

The council said a letter received from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), states that the Secretary of State has carefully considered the case against call-in policy and has decided not to call in this application being content that it should be determined by the local planning authority.

This means that the local planning authority remains responsible for determining the application, including whether relevant policy and regulations are complied with.

Cllr Gerald Cooney, executive leader, Tameside Council, said: “This is more welcome news that puts confidence by the Secretary of State in the sound decision making process at local authority level.

“The Local Planning Authority and Speaker’s Panel approval will now stand and plans for Godley Green will move ahead to provide much needed homes for generations to come.”

He added: “This is a pioneering development right here in Tameside that has wide-ranging benefits for the whole borough.

“We are excited to be creating a garden community and will continue to have people at the very heart of the development. The next stage in the development process is under way to find a master developer partner that can support us to deliver the vision for Godley Green.”

Earlier this month the council submitted its outline planning application for the 2,150-homes scheme to Mr Gove.

The plans aim to ensure the inclusion of all the physical, community and social services and foundations, which are needed to support creation of homes, with everything from new education and health care provision, retail, and recreation facilities, along with all necessary road infrastructure and utilities.

The size and scope of the development has been specifically designed to ensure that the surrounding areas will not be overwhelmed and, if anything, give a much needed boost to Hyde town centre.

Key to the plans are the benefits that it will bring to the borough, including the creation of jobs over the 15-year development span, bringing additional training and apprenticeship opportunities for Tameside residents.

Cllr Cooney said: “We want Godley Green to provide much needed, quality homes that Tameside really needs.

“But it is not just about housing, it is about developing a sustainable community where people can work, raise families, travel easily, and enjoy green spaces. A garden community gives us the opportunity to do something different, with people at the very heart of the development.

“Their views have been invaluable throughout the application process, and we have listened to their feedback to shape the plans.”

The Godley Green scheme has been supported with a £10m grant from Home England.

It is estimated the project will create 550 jobs per year across a range of sectors during construction.

Ahead of a planning committee meeting earlier this month, 4,205 letters of objection and a petition of 4,459 signatures against the development were lodged, protesting at the ‘greenfield land grab’.