A GREEN oasis in the heart of Salford could be destroyed to build hundreds of homes.

More than 1,300 residents have objected to proposals to build on the site of the old sewage works in Swinton.

But Salford council is anxious that the city's population is dropping at a rate of 1,000 a year. It needs to increase its council tax base to pay for services.

The city's Unitary Development Plan, which sets out policy for development, conservation and regeneration, has identified the site for homes. The land is owned by United Utilities and eight years ago the council considered buying it for recreational use but didn't have the money.

Sixty residents packed into a council meeting in a show of strength against plans to build 450 houses on the land.

But councillors approved the idea in principle despite opposition from Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors, plus two local Labour councillors - Dougie Daniels and John Cullen.

The Swinton Open Space Community Association has vowed to protest at a public inquiry.

The group's press officer Jo Beecroft said: "This proposal will reduce green open space in Swinton south ward by 50 per cent and has been taken forward despite overwhelming public opposition.

"It seems the council's greed, exhibited in its desire to unlock the value of land and to obtain council tax from 500 new properties, will take priority over the quality of life of local residents."

Coun Derek Antrobus, planning spokesman for the city, said: "I fully understand why people feel so strongly but the democratic process is about the governance of the city as a whole.

"This is a brown field site and there is contamination on a significant part of it. We are saying 13 hectares of the site should be used for acceptable recreation and 12 hectares for housing. If we remove this site from the proposals it would mean the development of green field sites elsewhere in the city."

neal.keeling@men-news.co.uk

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