A TIMPERLEY garden centre could be bulldozed to make way for 80 homes.

The Wyevale Garden Centre in Thorley Lane, opposite Altrincham College, has been bought by property developers Harlex.

The seven-acre site, which sits on Trafford’s green belt, will make way for up to 80 new homes.

The land was identified as a potential site for new housing in 2016, as part of the ‘Timperley Wedge Expansion Area’ of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

The property developers also indicated they are seeking to identify further potential sites for housing in the area.

James Nicholson, director of Harlex Property, said: “I am delighted with this acquisition and look forward to working with the local planning authority to facilitate a housing-led scheme.

“I would like to acquire further sites without planning on an unconditional basis, using the funding resources of Palmer Capital.”

Wyevale previously submitted plans to build 15 homes on the site, adjacent to the garden centre, but Trafford Council refused planning permission due to the land being designated as green belt.

Harlex said their next step is to secure planning consent for the land before selling it on to a national housebuilder.

But management at World of Water, which shares the site with Wyevale, moved to reassure customers that they expect to remain for the foreseeable future.

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World of Water could remain at the site until their lease expires in 2021.

A World of Water spokesman said: “We have spoken to the new owners and they said that they are happy for us to continue to trade until the end of our lease January 2021.

“They said we could still be here beyond that date if planning permission is rejected or delayed.“One thing is for certain, we’re not going anywhere anytime soon.”

But Wyevale’s future appears less certain after the company put all 145 of its centres up for sale earlier this year.