'Building homes here will leave kids with nowhere to play'

Neighbours in Stockport have asked the council to reject plans to build new homes on land used by children "for generations." Stockport Homes has submitted a planning application to build six bungalows on a piece of land off Grafton Street in Heaton Norris.

These would provide homes with accessible adaptations for disabled people, priced at social rent levels. But residents say the patch of tarmac has been used by the community for decades, and called for it to stay that way.

More than 300 people have signed a petition against the plans, with 37 letters sent to Stockport council objecting to the scheme. Dawn Sherlock, 53, has lived on Grafton Street for more than 20 years and says children have been forgotten about in the plans.

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She said: "When it snows, they have their snowball fights there. They learn to ride their bikes here, they have done for generations." The land is used for community gatherings and until this year has been the regular place for the area's Remembrance Day event.

Locals say losing the land would mean there is nowhere left for people to meet or children to play, claiming the nearby Grafton Street park is too small for the number of families living in Heaton Norris.

Neighbours told the Manchester Evening News they have asked Stockport council to protect the space for community use. Sharon Ross, 52, who lives on nearby Samuels Street, said: "We've all lived around here for years. We wanted this to be used by the children, we've submitted ideas to the council."

Tracey Kenyon, 50, added: "I used to play there as a kid. [Without it] kids could get bored and start causing trouble. There's nothing