What began as a local planning dispute has become, for many Romiley residents, a symbol of everything they believe is wrong with Lib Dem–run Stockport Council: selective consultation, silenced objections, environmental damage, and elected representatives who will not listen.
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For 17 months, a local resident says they have repeatedly tried to raise serious planning, safety and environmental concerns with Lib Dem MP Lisa Smart, Romiley councillors Angela Clark, Mark Roberts and Rachel Bresnahan, and senior council officers including Chief Executive Michael Cullen and Emma Curle, Head of Planning.
The response, they say, has been silence — followed by being labelled “vexatious” by council officers when they refused to go away.
Consultation That Excludes the Affected
The flashpoint is a planning application by Mr Hall for fencing and gates affecting Howard Close, Padden Brook and Padden Brook Mews. According to the resident, consultation letters were sent only to Padden Brook, despite the fact that:
One of the gates is located on Howard Close
The site directly affects access, safety and amenity for Howard Close and Padden Brook Mews
Residents on those streets were not notified at all
One of the gates is said to sit on a blind bend, raising clear safety concerns that those most affected have not been allowed to formally raise.
“This isn’t a technical oversight. It’s a denial of people’s right to be heard on changes that directly affect their homes and safety.”
Residents are calling for the application deadline to be delayed, arguing that proceeding under these conditions would be procedurally unfair and potentially dangerous.
Flooding, Road Damage and Environmental Harm
The anger goes far beyond consultation. Residents allege that:
Protected W1 woodland has been damaged, with heavy machinery disturbing tree roots
Water-absorbing vegetation has been stripped, worsening flood risk
Flooding problems are already being experienced locally
Road surfaces have been damaged, with no visible action from the council
The land in question is said to support 24 houses, and residents fear that instability and water mismanagement are being ignored until something goes wrong.
Enforcement That Never Enforces
Residents also point to what they describe as total enforcement failure. A graffitied butty van was allegedly dumped on land designated as a protected visual amenity. Despite being reported:
The van remains in place
It has now been fenced in with an 8-foot fence, making removal harder
Enforcement action has not materialised
To residents, this is not neglect — it is institutional inertia.
“The Website Won’t Even Let You Object”
Adding insult to injury are claims that Stockport Council’s online planning system repeatedly fails to accept objections.
“If the system doesn’t take objections, consultation is a sham. You can’t listen to residents if you’ve locked the door.”
Residents say this effectively silences opposition while allowing applications to drift through unchallenged.
Silence — and Shouting — From the Top
Perhaps most damning is the accusation involving the Leader of Stockport Council, who is also a Romiley councillor.
According to the resident, the council leader has “not uttered a word” publicly or privately on these issues. However, when the resident raised the matter in Romiley precinct, they allege the leader shouted them down in public, in front of witnesses, rather than engaging with the concerns raised.
“That moment summed everything up — silence when accountability is required, and anger when residents dare to speak.”
Green Belt Fears and a Bigger Picture
For many residents, this local dispute sits within a much larger fear: that under Lib Dem control, Stockport Council is pushing forward plans that could see a proportion of 30,000 new homes built on Green Belt land, while ordinary residents struggle to object to a gate on their own street.
The contrast is stark:
Residents shut out of local decisions
Objections blocked by broken systems
Environmental protections overridden
Green Belt development accelerating
One resident put it bluntly:
“The planning system in Lib Dem-run Stockport is a Schweinerei — a disgrace. It shuts residents out, damages the environment, and treats accountability as an inconvenience.”
A Final Demand
Residents are demanding:
An immediate pause to the application
Proper consultation with all affected streets
Action on flooding, road damage and woodland protection
Enforcement that actually enforces
Leadership that listens instead of shouting
Until then, many say trust in Stockport’s planning system — and those who run it — is already gone.
Stockport Council has been approached for comment.
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