Welcome to our consultation website for the reserved matters application at Mirrlees Fields
Welcome
We are looking for your views on our proposals for a new residential community and publicly accessible open space at Mirrlees Fields
Kellen Homes, in partnership with Great Places Housing Group and the Land Trust, is bringing forward new homes and publicly accessible open space at Mirrlees Fields.
Outline planning permission for the development was granted in January 2024, which means that the principle of new homes on the site has been accepted.
The development will deliver 200 new homes, all of which will be affordable housing, comprising Shared Ownership and Rented Properties, supported by grant funding.
The plans also include the provision of over 18 hectares of dedicated informal public open space, which will be managed by the Land Trust for use by the local community in perpetuity.
We are now preparing a reserved matters application, which focuses on the specific details of the development, such as the appearance, layout, scale and landscaping.
Prior to the submission of the application, we would like to seek your feedback on these aspects of the scheme, including plans for the publicly accessible open space.
Your feedback is important to us and all comments received will be taken into account.
About Kellen Homes
Kellen Homes are a high-quality housebuilder who build beautiful, modern and energy-efficient homes for people who value quality and style.
Kellen Homes create communities and neighbourhoods that people are proud to call home. Each of our new developments is carefully designed to meet the unique needs of the community, with a blend of house types and tenures for a balanced and sustainable neighbourhood.
About Great Places Housing Group
Great Places Housing Group are a housing association who exist to improve the lives of the people living in our 25,000 homes across the North West and Yorkshire.
They own and manage over 2000 properties within Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, and provide a wide-range of services to create vibrant and sustainable communities.
About The Land Trust
The Land Trust is a national land management charity which was launched by English Partnerships (now Homes England) and Groundwork in 2004 and became an independent charity in 2010.
The Land Trust’s vision is to improve the quality of people’s lives by managing sustainable, high quality green spaces that deliver environmental, social and economic benefits.
About the Mirrlees Fields reserved matters application
Mirrlees Fields is located in Stockport, situated between Woodsmoor and Hazel Grove. The site is easily accessible, benefiting from a range of bus services and access to Woodsmoor train station. The development will provide much-needed affordable housing and publicly accessible open space for use by the local community in perpetuity.
The project will deliver 200 new homes, all of which will be affordable homes, comprising Shared Ownership and Rented Properties.
Outline planning permission has already been granted, meaning the principle of building residential homes on this site is established. We are now preparing a reserved matters application, which focuses on the specific details of the development, such as the appearance, layout, scale and landscaping.
In addition to providing much-needed affordable housing, the scheme will enhance the local area by providing 18 hectares of publicly accessible open space for the community to enjoy. This open space will be managed and maintained by the Land Trust for the benefit of the local community in perpetuity.
Proposed site plan showing 200 new homes and publicly accessible open space
The Reserved Matters
Draft landscaping masterplan
Appearance
Our draft landscaping plan for the housing area and public open space is available to view and download above. The design places emphasise on preserving the natural environment whilst also enhancing the area for community enjoyment. Key features include woodland areas and a wildflower meadow to boost biodiversity.
In developing the landscaping scheme, we’ve prioritised two main goals:
Preserving the natural environment: We’re maintaining as much of the existing vegetation and natural elements as possible by preserving more mature trees.
Enhancing the public pathways: The newly diverted public path will be a scenic trail, winding through central park space and connecting nature trails with views of the oak tree.
This central park will offer a playground and a new walking path, lined with trees and seating, for the community to enjoy. By building the public right of way through open areas instead of along roads, we’re creating a safer, more enjoyable route that leads to a community play area near the oak tree.
Layout
The site layout (shown above as proposed site plan) illustrates how the 200 new homes and shared green spaces will fit within the western side of the site, known as the Housing Area. The remaining 18.3 hectares will comprise publicly accessible open space that will be maintained and managed by The Land Trust in perpetuity for the community's long-term enjoyment.
The layout of the Housing Area differs slightly to the Parameter Plan approved as part of the outline planning permission. Although the Housing Area will still accommodate the approved amount of development (4.4ha of space for housing and 3.41ha of residential amenity open space), this has been re-distributed slightly to facilitate a scheme that will enable more existing trees to be retained to the south-western corner of the site and will require less extensive engineering works i.e., in terms of site levels. However, no changes have been made to the area of publicly accessible open space that is to be transferred to the Land Trust.
Scale and Access
The housing designs have been thoughtfully crafted to fit naturally into the local neighbourhood, blending modern and classic elements with local character. A range of house styles, including semi-detached and mews homes, has been selected to match the scale and style of nearby properties.
To complement the existing area, the design incorporates a palette of materials such as red brick and red and grey roof tiles, which are commonly seen on neighbouring properties.
Landscaping
The scale of the proposed buildings has been designed to blend well with the surrounding environment:
East Side: Buildings will be up to 3 storeys high, closest to the existing MAN office buildings.
Central and Southern Sections: Buildings will be 2 storeys.
Northern Section: Buildings will be 2 storeys, adjacent to the public open space.
As shown on the proposed site plan, access to the site is proposed from Mirrlees Drive to the south-east of the Housing Area. Additionally, an emergency access route is proposed to the north-west of the Housing Area.
Community benefits
The Mirrlees Fields development is not just about building homes; it’s about building a community. Key benefits include:
Affordable Housing: All 200 homes will be affordable, providing much-needed accommodation for local residents and helping to address Stockport’s affordable housing need.
Energy-Efficient Homes: The new homes will incorporate energy-efficient features such as high-quality insulation, double glazing, and sustainable heating systems to reduce energy consumption and lower utility costs for residents.
Long-term Management: The Land Trust will manage and maintain the publicly accessible open space for the benefit of the local community in perpetuity.
Accessible Green Space: Over 18 hectares of open space will be available for public use, supporting healthy lifestyles and enhancing community wellbeing.
Biodiversity Enhancements: The proposals will achieve a minimum of 12.85% Biodiversity Net Gain through the creation of new ecology and landscape features.
FAQs
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A reserved matters application is made after an outline planning permission has been granted.
It addresses more specific details of a development, and in this case we are looking at the details around the appearance, layout, landscaping and scale of the scheme.
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At the Outline Planning Application stage, consent was granted for the principle of developing 200 new homes on the Mirrlees Fields site.
Additionally, the outline consent established the provision of 18.3 hectares of publicly accessible open space. The consent also approved an Outline Landscape and Ecology Management Plan, setting parameters for biodiversity and ecological enhancements across the site.
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An Outline Landscape and Ecological Management Plan was submitted as part of the outline planning application, which sets out the principles for landscaping and ecology within the site. Before development commences on the site, a Biodiversity Net Gain Management Plan will be submitted, which will show how the scheme will deliver a minimum of 12.85% in Biodiversity Net Gain.
Have your say
Your feedback is important to us and all comments received will be taken into account.
As part of the reserved matters application, a Statement of Community Involved will be prepared, which will detail the feedback received and how it has been considered, and where necessary, addressed within the proposals.
Kellen Homes is aiming to submit a reserved matters application to Stockport Council later this year. Once the application is registered by Stockport Council, there will be a further opportunity to comment on the final proposals through the Council’s own formal consultation process.
Subject to obtaining consent for the reserved matters, Kellen Homes and Great Places are aiming to start on site in 2025.
The consultation has now closed. We are reviewing all feedback to understand what local people think of the plans and to consider any other suggestions. Thank you for your participation.
Contacting our team
For any queries, please email us at: info@mirrleesfields-consultation.co.uk or call us on 0161 669 5035.