Welcome
Thank you for visiting our consultation website for a proposed residential development on Land to the South of Grove Lane, Cheadle Hulme.
Stockport County Education Pathway Ltd (SCEPL), Great Places Housing Association and Stonebond Properties (Manchester) Ltd are bringing forward proposals for a new residential community on the southern edge of Cheadle Hulme, and we would like to hear your views.
This website provides more information about the site, our proposals, the public consultation and what happens next.
About us
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SCEPL has been recently incorporated with the intention that it will become a registered educational charity to achieve two key ambitions:
To advance the education of persons under the age of 25 years living in Stockport through the delivery of Football and sports related Further and Higher education courses and facilities; and
To promote community participation in healthy recreation by providing facilities for the playing of association football and other sports capable of improving health.
SCEPL owns the development land, which comprises the former Hulme Hall Playing Fields, a coach depot and grazing land. SCEPL is bringing the development of land forwards in partnership with Stonebond and Great Places (a Housing Association), and the proposals will positively contribute towards Stockport Borough Council’s affordable housing need.
The resulting capital receipt generated by the proposed development will be used by SCEPL to invest in sports related facilities in Stockport which, amongst other things, can support the delivery of SCEPL’s ambitious Further and Higher Education sports related programmes. These programmes will be aimed at Stockport young people, helping them achieve both educational success and to secure employment in football and sports related businesses. All the sports related facilities supported will also provide opportunities to support grassroots football and to expand the activities of the club’s Community Trust.
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The partnership includes Great Places, a respected housing association with decades of experience in providing over 26,000 affordable homes across the North West & South Yorkshire. Grove Lane has been identified as a key development site by the organisation, due to Stockport’s high need for affordable housing and to tackle the wider housing crisis.
Great Places is a ‘profit-for-purpose’ organisation that reinvests into communities, delivering both housing and neighbourhood improvements. Their local knowledge and shared commitment to build quality and affordability make them an ideal partner in bringing this development to life.
Great Places’ combined portfolio includes social and affordable rented homes, shared ownership for first-time buyers, market rent and sale, keyworker accommodation and supported housing that promotes independence and wellbeing for some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
Great Places is one of the Registered Providers that has formed a partnership with the Council under the ‘Stockport Housing Partnership’ to deliver and manage affordable homes within the Borough.
Having partnered with Stonebond Properties in 2023, circa 400 homes are built or under construction across five sites within Greater Manchester already. Sharing the same ethos, approach to affordable housing delivery and build quality, this partnership aims to make a major and long-term contribution to the housing market in this part of the Borough.
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Stonebond is an award-winning UK housebuilder focused on creating high-quality, environmentally sustainable homes across Greater Manchester and beyond. With over 50 years of experience, Stonebond is committed to building inclusive, well-connected communities that leave a positive and lasting impact.
The business is privately owned and family run, having been established by the Cherry Family, who are the founders and previous part owners of national housebuilder, Countryside Properties. Following their retirement from Countryside in circa 2019, the family have been heavily involved expanding the Stonebond business and now have six regional offices covering the North West, Midlands and Southern England.
Stonebond’s developments focus on sustainability, social value and placemaking - ensuring the homes they build today help communities thrive for years to come.
Stonebond are committed to housing delivery at pace and working in partnership with Registered Providers. Stonebond and Great Places have established a partnership agreement that will initially see 600 affordable homes delivered across Greater Manchester.
Example Stonebond and Great Places Housetypes
The Site
An accessible and sustainable location for development, the 9.11-acre site is positioned within an already established residential area of Stockport and within close proximity to a range of facilities and amenities.
Immediately north of the site, across Grove Lane, are local shops comprising a convenience store, hairdressers, café and laundrette. The site is also close to Stanley Green Retail Park and Handforth Dean Retail Park.
To the east is South Park, which will be accessible to and from the development via three gateway locations positioned along the site’s easterly boundaries.
More widely, the site is in easy reach of Stockport town centre, Manchester city centre, Manchester Airport and Cheadle Hulme train station.
Grove Lane site boundaries
The site comprises a mix of greenfield and brownfield land, split as follows:
+ The northern section comprises hard standing and outbuildings, currently used for storage of vehicles. Access to this area of brownfield land is taken from the Grove Lane/Stanley Lane roundabout.
+ The middle section comprises former playing fields previously associated with Hulme Hall Grammar School which are no longer in use, following their relocation to the new school facility.
+ The southern section is land currently used for grazing.
The site has been carefully selected to reflect the need for sustainable, long-term housing. The site is in flood zone 1 and is therefore not within the flood plain and is in close proximity to nearby services and facilities.
Proposal overview
The proposal is for a high-quality residential development comprising entirely of affordable housing, which will be sensitively designed to consider the surrounding local context.
Grove Lane Masterplan
The proposals for the site are summarised as follows:
+ Delivery of approximately 350 new family homes, including a mix of detached, semi-detached and mews properties ranging from 2-4 bedrooms in size;
+ All homes to be delivered as affordable housing, managed by Great Places Housing Association;
+ A mix of affordable tenures, comprising shared ownership and social rent will be provided across the site;
+ All homes will meet current adaptability and accessibility standards and are compliant with the national described space standards and M4(2), providing step-free access and adaptable layouts for residents with mobility needs. Some of the homes will be provided as M4(3) properties, which are wheelchair accessible.
+ All homes will be constructed from timber frame, utilising modern methods of construction and minimising the overall construction period;
Grove Lane site mapping
+ All homes will be fitted with solar panels and electric vehicle chargers, as well as other sustainability measures in line with Government policy;
+ Discussions with the Council’s Highways Department are currently ongoing and it is currently proposed that vehicular access to the site will be taken off an enhanced and enlarged roundabout at the junction of Grove Lane, Stanley Road and Gillbent Road;
+ Pedestrian and cycle links to the wider area will be provided, including links to South Park and retention and enhancement to the existing Public Right of Way crossing the site;
+ Retention and enhancement to existing periphery trees and hedgerows where feasible, with a focus on those subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO).
+ Delivery of on-site open space for new residents and potential improvements and enhancements to South Park for the benefit of the wider community;
+ Payment of financial contributions towards infrastructure provisions including education. These financial payments will be determined during any future planning application process and will be secured by a Section106 Legal Agreement.
The proposals also allow for expansion of the Pointing Dog Pub, to include guest rooms to meet the pub’s growth aspirations and demand for overnight accommodation.
The intention is to deliver the new residential community over two phases. Phase 1 will comprise the previously developed land and former Hulme Hall Playing Fields, delivering circa 150 dwellings. Phase 2 will comprise the land used for grazing and will accommodate circa 200 dwellings. An application for Phase 1 will be submitted first in Summer 2025, with a separate application for Phase 2 to follow at a later date.
The proposed development will provide an attractive, safe and sustainable place for new residents to live. It will provide an extensive choice of housing for both small and large households and once built, Great Places will manage the affordable homes, committing to the local community for the long term.
Example Stonebond and Great Places Housetypes
Sustainability
We have every wish to minimise impacts upon the environment and also see nature and wildlife thrive alongside our development, which is why we will always attempt to implement various environmental measures, including:
The proposal aims to retain all trees and hedgerows on the perimeter where possible. This modern, eco-friendly approach to the community thoughtfully incorporates and enhances the existing natural landscape.
All of the homes would be built with off-site manufactured timber-frames panels, produced within a dry weather factory environment which in turn reduces the length of time to construct each home compared with traditional methods.
This method of construction also significantly reduces carbon emissions and produces less waste, making it a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way.
Example Stonebond and Great Places Housetypes
Delivering a 10% bio-diversity net gain, through on-site and off-site improvements
All homes to feature solar panels and electric vehicle chargers
Retention of existing landscaping features where possible
Incorporating bird and bat boxes
Rehoming wildlife to secure sites only if absolutely necessary
100% recycling of our build waste
Key Benefits
As a result of this development, the local area will benefit from:
Around 350 new high-quality affordable homes for families that integrate well with the surrounding built development.
A range of property types to suit the needs of local people, the delivery of which will be phased throughout the development.
100% of the new homes will be affordable, comprising Shared Ownership, Affordable Rent and Social Rent – all determined with Stockport Borough Councils affordable housing team.
Improved connectivity and enhancement to South Park for the benefit of the wider community, the scope of which is to be determined in discussions with Stockport Borough Council during any future application process.
Extensive landscaping throughout the development and the retention of trees and hedgerows where possible.
A minimum 10% Biodiversity Net Gain mitigating the impacts of the proposed development on biodiversity.
Hiring and spending locally, in keeping with our trend of having a local workforce who know the area and investing into a local supply chain.
Have your say
We’re keen to hear your views on our proposals for Grove Lane.
Our consultation will be open from 10th July to 31st July 2025.
If you’d like to tell us what you think of our plans, the easiest way to do so is by clicking the link below and completing the online questionnaire.
Click here to open the questionnaire
Alternatively, you can also submit your feedback and ask questions via:
Post: Counter Context, Jactin House, 24 Hood St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6WX
Email: info@grovelane-consultation.co.uk
Next Steps
A planning application is being prepared for Phase 1 of our scheme proposals and this will be submitted to Stockport Borough Council in Summer 2025. Once registered, the application can be viewed on the Council’s website. The Council will also undertake their own public consultation once the application is submitted, so you will also have the opportunity to provide comments directly to the Council at a later date.