Hazel Grove Greenbelt Action Group

15/06/2026

One in nine new homes in England is now being built in a flood-risk area! And NONE of them are covered by the ‘Flood Re’ insurance safety net.

An Aviva report calls it “a future scandal waiting to happen.”

Here’s why Sandown Fields is exactly the wrong place to build 👉 https://hggag.co.uk/blog/flooded-out-then-priced-out-why-sandown-fields-should-not-be-allocated-for-housing.html

29/05/2026

Some of the “locals” coming to say hello today on Sandown Fields 🤗

29/05/2026

Great to see Sandown Fields being farmed to make silage for feed 🙂

This area is valuable farm land as well as important green belt, and it is vital we protect it.

21/05/2026

Despite the lovely weather this coming week, that last month has been plagued with heavy rainfall, causing no end of issues for our already-compromised drainage systems.

Read our latest blog here that talks about the importance of preserving Sandown Fields as a flood plain.

https://hggag.co.uk/HGGAG---Blog.html

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18/05/2026

Hazel Grove Greenbelt Group are in the process of delivering newsletters to all residents on and around the Racecourse Estate.

The newsletter provides an update as to what we have been up to over the last few months behind the scenes, whilst we await an update on the Local Plan from the council.

Keep an eye out for yours and feel free to let us know of any other information you might like to see included in the next one!

04/05/2026

📬 Our latest email update is out now

We’ve just sent a new email update to our supporters, explaining where things stand with the Stockport Local Plan, why there’s been a quieter period recently and how we’re continuing to prepare behind the scenes on behalf of our community.

Subscribers will already have it in your inboxes and if you didn't receive it, you can read it here:

👉https://mailchi.mp/29c1ff734371/hazel-grove-greenbelt-action-group-public-meeting-on-monday-13-october-4287122

📩 Not receiving our emails yet?

Sign up via our website to make sure you don’t miss future updates and key timelines. As always, we’ll keep you updated as soon as there’s anything new to share.

As the days get lighter and we head into spring, we wanted to take a moment to update you on where things stand with the Stockport Local Plan (SLP), explain why there’s been a quieter period recently, and reassure you that Hazel Grove Greenbelt Action Group (HGGAG) continues to work actively behin...

14/04/2026

For many years, parts of Hazel Grove have faced ongoing concerns around flood risk. These concerns have only intensified recently, with high water table levels and sustained heavy rainfall since the start of the year.

Last weekend, those concerns became a very real and alarming reality. A large, mature tree on the bank of Poise Brook in Torkington Park collapsed, its extensive root system exposed as it fell onto the adjacent playing field, having ripped the bank out, widening the stream in the process.

Thankfully, no one was injured.

However, this incident highlights a much bigger issue.

The combination of saturated ground, increased water flow and soil erosion is already destabilising the natural landscape. The Hazel Grove Greenbelt Action Group (HGGAG) has previously raised concerns about exactly this, particularly the erosion around tree roots caused by rising water levels washing soil away.

If this is happening now, on existing green space, serious questions need to be asked about the safety and sustainability of building new housing developments in areas already identified as being at risk of flooding, such as Sandown Fields.

Developing on land that is already under environmental pressure does not remove the risk, it increases it, potentially putting more people, homes and infrastructure in harm’s way.

This recent incident is a stark reminder that flood risk in Hazel Grove is not theoretical, it is happening now. Any future development plans must take this reality seriously.

05/04/2026

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter 🐣
From us all at HGGAG

13/03/2026

With Spring around the corner, we wanted to spotlight some of our fuzzy, furry and feathery neighbours who frequent Sandown Fields and who we hope to see back again now the weather is improving.

Greenbelt land needs protecting now and forever.

10/03/2026

The UK has lost around 90% of its species-rich meadows in the last century* - one of the biggest declines in natural habitat in our countryside.

Meadows aren’t just pretty landscapes. They support pollinators, birds, wildflowers and soil health, store carbon and create space for people to reconnect with nature.

At a time when biodiversity loss and climate pressures are increasing, fields like the ones currently proposed for development at Sandown Fields could have a far more valuable long-term role, restoring nature, supporting wildlife and creating accessible green space for communities.

Protecting greenbelt land doesn’t have to mean “doing nothing” with it. It could mean actively restoring species-rich meadows and habitats that the UK has almost entirely lost.

Sometimes the most forward-thinking use of land is simply giving nature the chance to return.

Who would love to see the fields developed into beautiful meadows for wildlife to flourish?

* Source: The Wildlife Trust, March 2026