RESIDENTS in Altrincham have united in opposition to a proposed housing development next to the Bridgewater Canal.

Neighbours in Oldfield Brow are challenging an application to build houses, a rowing club and community centre on green space known locally as the cow field.

Trafford Housing Trust (THT) wants to create 16 new homes as part of a £4.5 million development off Stokoe Avenue, which would also occupy land formerly used as Tadman Grove allotments.

A spokesman for the Friends of Cow Field group said: “These proposals, additional to the doubling in size of Oldfield Brow Primary School and the construction of town houses in Arcon Place, all within 100m of one another, has left local residents feeling that there is too much development happening in this small community.”

Resident Sally Potts added: “The community is concerned about the implications of this proposed development, such as increased traffic and noise, design of the buildings and constructing homes on land infested with Japanese Knotweed.

“Our main concern though is the serious lack of proper consultation with local residents over what development they would welcome on Cow Field, our only local green area.”

To gauge local opinion, Friends of Cow Field created and distributed a questionnaire to more than 300 households.

Of the 90 respondents, of whom 96 per cent live in Oldfield Brow, more than 60 per cent were not in favour of the development of the Cow Field.

Resident Mike O’Neill added: “We are not objecting to development per se, but we really feel that the proposed development does not demonstrate sufficient benefit for residents, the majority of whom are saying they would like to see their community open space used differently than the current proposal.

Questionnaire respondents listed improved play facilities, space for dog exercising, picnics, wildflowers and reinstatement of football nets as things they would welcome, as well as reinstatement of the land behind Tadman Grove as allotments.

THT argue that the development will create ‘great new facilities for the borough’ that can be used by the local community, as well as several quality new houses.

Find the planning application at trafford.gov.uk/planning 84214/FUL/14.

For more on Friends of Cow Field, visit facebook.com/OldfieldBrowCowField