There are two planning applications relating to the housing developer’s proposal. The main one is Manchester 142223/FO/2025. Manchester Council has not yet set a date for the meeting when their Planning Committee will assess it. There is a second identical application to Trafford Council Trafford 115688/FUL/25 for approval of the access road through Rye Bank Road in Stretford. Trafford Council’s Planning Committee is considering whether to approve or refuse this application imminently: Tuesday 22nd September! We’re gathering in force outside Trafford Town Hall at 5:45pm on the day, so please join us if you are at all able. Let’s show people attending the meeting that we object to a busy access road being built over the Rye Bank Road Community Garden!
In addition, there is an alternative planning application by our allied group Ryebank Fields Community Group to protect Ryebank Fields as a green nature space in perpetuity. That application will be considered by Manchester City Council very soon, Thursday 24th September! We will be gathering outside the Mount Street entrance to the Manchester Town Hall Extension at 1:30pm that day. Again, please do join us to show the meeting attendees how important it is to retain the Fields for nature and the community.
Join us at the Councils’ meetings:
- Tuesday 22nd September, 5:45pm, Trafford Town Hall
- Thursday 24th September, 1:30pm, Manchester Town Hall Extension
How Councils consider planning applications
Councils are legally obliged to make their decision based on specific Planning grounds known as Material Considerations. Strength of public feeling is taken into account, but it makes a much stronger case if as well as showing how we feel, we can say on what grounds we:
- Object to the Rye Bank Road access road;
- Object to the housing development overall;
- Support changing the use of the site to community woodland & meadow.
Material considerations for objecting to the proposed housing development
Below, and linked here are some ideas for each of the main material considerations. There are others here.
Also, here are some reference documents with facts and figures and policies in this google drive. You may also want to look at our own Ecology Report and our comments on the previous consultation‘s ‘eco-credentials’.
Planning Policy including protecting Greenfield
• Manchester has a Brownfield-first policy; Ryebank Fields is classified by Manchester City Council as Greenfield
• Manchester has double the amount of Brownfield land needed to meet housing targets
Biodiversity
• Rewilded thriving ecosystem
• Variety of habitats – woodland, scrub, grassland
• South Manchester is a nature depleted area
• Ecology report shows there will be a 40% loss of biodiversity on site
• Manchester’s Biodiversity Strategy states that 98% of respondents to its consultations said they were concerned about the loss of wildlife in Manchester
Protected and vulnerable species
• Bats, badgers, hedgehogs, bird species of conservation concern
• Ryebank Fields is home to priority species – bats, swifts, Black Poplar trees, hedgehogs, toads, willow tits
Trees
• Fields currently act as a carbon sink
• Extensive invasive works in relation to the Thirlmere Aqueduct means there is likely to be extensive damage to the root system of the Aspen Grove, which is rare in Manchester and locks up and stores double the amount of carbon of other trees
• Eastern woodland boundary and silver birches at south end will be lost
• Loss of some of the Millennium oaks, a special feature of the fields
Loss of Local Amenity
• 25,000 residents live within 15 minute walk of the fields
• Much-loved and well used by the community for children playing, nature connection, dog-walking, walking route between Chorlton and Stretford
• Many community events take place – e.g. women’s walks, carols, bat-watching, guided walks, singing sessions, wassails, children’s nature craft events, children’s trails, community meetings, therapy sessions
• RF is important to the community because of its wildness, natural beauty, tranquility, history (Nico Ditch), recreation
• Ryebank Road Community Garden would be lost
Impact on Heritage
• Nico Ditch – the plans would build over and obliterate a section of this potential ancient monument, a mediaeval or possibly Anglo Saxon boundary marker that spans the City
• Longford Conservation Area – Paths, lighting and rooflines from the development would impact on the views and relaxed timeless setting (including sounds) of the heritage lottery award winning Park.
Traffic and Road Safety
• Proposed development could add 240 cars to local roads
• Extra cars created by the development would further endanger vulnerable road users – children, pedestrians, cyclists – at school run times, which are already very congested and dangerous
• Local roads are also very congested due to the proximity of Longford Park Stadium – eg an average 700 people take part in weekly Parkrun events there
• The development is next to an entrance to Longford Park, which would cause further road safety issues
• Longford Road residents have already had several instances of contact with councillors re congestion currently
• More cars and the loss of vegetation on RF would worsen the air quality around the park and St John’s Primary School; Manchester already has some of the worst rates for children’s emergency admissions to hospital for respiratory conditions in the UK
Flooding and Drainage
• There are already issues with flooding of properties in the surrounding area and Longford Park; hard landscaping on the fields and loss of vegetation will mean more flooding for local properties
Pollution and Air quality
• Impact on air quality in local neighbourhood and St John’s playground while building work is done (estimated two- three years)
• Continued impact of air pollution caused by more vehicles and loss of trees and vegetation which mitigate it
• Light pollution will have a detrimental impact on wildlife, especially if paths and lighting are placed in woodland area
• Concerns about disturbance and release of new of toxic materials into soil and water and the potential impact of transportation of toxic landfill materials on local schoolchildren and residents
Loss of Privacy, Overlooking, Overshadowing/Loss of light
NE and East edges
Previous Planning Decisions
Planning for housing refused in 1996, on appeal was also refused. In 2005 MCC advised MMU Planning would not be granted as there was no evidence of local need, MMU chose not to pursue at that point
Contaminated Land, Hazardous Materials, Ground Stability.
Concerns of risk of disturbance and release of new wave of toxic materials into ground, water, ecosystem, and air
FORF Have submitted three separate objection letters so far, in addition to a multitude of other communications:
It’s so important you join us at the Town Halls
There are two Planning Committee meetings coming up, and there will be a third when Manchester Council decide to assess the main developer’s proposal (date TBC). Please do come to the Town Halls on the days of these Committee meetings, and join the many groups and individuals who together make up the campaign to Save Ryebank Fields!