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13th January 2026

Residents in Romiley have called on Stockport Council to take corrective action after concerns were raised about the way a recent planning application for fencing and gates at Paddenbrook was consulted on.

The application, submitted by Mr Hall, involves gates and fencing which residents say affect not only Paddenbrook itself, but also Howard Close and Paddenbrook Mews. However, it has emerged that notification letters were sent only to addresses on Paddenbrook.

In an email sent to senior council officers, a local resident questioned why neighbouring streets were excluded from the consultation process, particularly given that one of the proposed gates is located on a blind bend on Howard Close.

“The people on Howard Close and Paddenbrook Mews deserve a chance to make their feelings clear on being for or against this application,” he wrote, adding that proceeding without their input would be unfair.

The issue was escalated to the Council’s legal and governance department. In response, Assistant Director and Monitoring Officer Vicki Bates confirmed that the matter had been referred to a colleague for review and a formal response.

Residents argue that the lack of wider notification represents poor judgement and raises potential safety concerns, especially where access, visibility and traffic movement could be affected by the installation of gates.

They are now calling on Stockport Council to take the following actions:

  • Pause or delay the current application deadline to ensure no decision is taken before all affected residents have had the opportunity to comment.
  • Issue new consultation letters to households on Howard Close and Paddenbrook Mews, recognising that these streets are directly impacted.
  • Reassess the consultation boundary to ensure it properly reflects the real-world impact of the proposal, particularly where highways and visibility are concerned.
  • Confirm publicly whether the original consultation complied with council policy and, if not, what steps will be taken to prevent similar oversights in future applications.

Local residents want reassurance that decisions affecting access and safety are made transparently and with full community involvement.

As the Council reviews the correspondence, campaigners say the handling of this application will be seen as a test of whether residents’ voices are properly heard in local planning decisions.