The Battle Over Godley Green: A Farmer’s Stand Against a 15-Year Garden Village

Tameside Council’s flagship “Godley Green Garden Village” plans to build 2,150 homes on former green-belt land between Hyde and Hattersley. Farmer Alan French, who has lived on Far Meadow Farm in Godley for 17 years, refuses to sell or relocate, vowing “I am not moving” despite the council’s compulsory-purchase powers.

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The site’s green-belt status was stripped by the regional “Places for Everyone” plan, clearing the way for large-scale housing to address Greater Manchester’s chronic shortage. Council officials cite government-set housing targets and the need for affordable homes as justification for the development.

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• Alan French – 76-year-old farmer and owner of Far Meadow Farm.

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• Tameside Council – Local authority championing the garden village.

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• Save Tameside Greenbelt – Community group opposing the loss of open space.

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• Anne Tym – Landowner and campaigner emphasizing the green belt’s purpose.

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• Manchester Evening News – Publication reporting French’s statements.

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• Planned homes: 2,150 total.

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• Affordable units: ?323 (15 % of the total).

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• Development timeline: 15 years from infrastructure start to full build-out.

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• Objectors during planning: over 4,000 individuals.

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• Open-space commitment: developers claim >50 % of the master plan will remain as parks and habitats.

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Tameside Council argues the scheme will “meet government-set housing targets” and provide “a natural, representative community” for families, singles and retirees. Council leaders describe the plan as “thought through carefully,” highlighting expected benefits for roads, schools, healthcare and local commerce. Planners assert compulsory purchase orders will be used only as a “last resort,” preferring voluntary agreements with landowners.

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Save Tameside Greenbelt groups warn the project will “ruin” an area long used for walking, riding and farming. Campaigner Anne Tym stresses that “the green belt is there for a purpose.” Opponents cite increased traffic, declining wildlife and the erosion of rural character as core concerns.

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French’s farm includes a fenced riding area, two horses and hens. He recounts repeated compulsory purchase orders that forced him from two previous homes in Romiley. Recent maps place his property on the development’s edge, and he reports a surge in traffic that has already claimed wildlife, including a deer killed on the road.

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Council officials claim developers will preserve more than half the site as open space, yet opponents argue the promised green areas will not offset the loss of existing habitats. The council’s “last-resort” stance on compulsory purchases contrasts with farmers’ fear that such orders are imminent, creating uncertainty about the final outcome.

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• “I just think, piss off, leave me alone, I’m not moving. Every time I move somewhere developers want it,” — Alan French, Farmer

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• “All the green space is being turned urban,” — Alan French, Farmer

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• “The wildlife we’ve got here is becoming less. The deer used to come into the ménage with their babies. There was one dead last week on the road because the traffic is ridiculous.” — Alan French, Farmer

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• “I can’t be bothered with it all,” — Alan French, Farmer

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• “It’s the happiest I’ve ever been,” he said.” — Alan French, Farmer

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Early 2026 saw Tameside councillors re-grant planning permission after a brief refusal. Infrastructure work could start soon, with the first homes expected within a few years and the full build-out spanning 15 years. Whether a compulsory purchase order will ever be served on Far Meadow Farm remains unresolved.

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