It's one of Greater Manchester's most sought after places to live... but disquiet is brewing
18.02.2024 - 06:11
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
It's a series of quaint towns and villages nestled between Stockport town centre and the Peak District.
The Hazel Grove constituency, made up of the town of Marple as well as Romiley, Hazel Grove, Offerton and other areas, is one of the most sought after places in Greater Manchester to live and visit.
Average houses prices in the SK7 area are more than £400,000, and streams of people can found on any given day walking along the Peak Forest Canal or through the many countryside routes.
READ MORE: Stockport residents face council tax hike
But Hazel Grove is shaping up to be one of the fiercest contests when the general election rolls around later this year.
New data from the Climate Coalition's Local Intelligence Hub has revealed that Hazel Grove is one of a handful of 'battleground' seats which could be decided on green issues.
According to the research, 75 percent of voters in the area think that losing natural spaces is a top concern, and want to see their new MP focus on this vital issue.
So where does this leave the future of Marple and Hazel Grove?
Voters in the town told the M.E.N that green issues will be at the front of their mind when they're standing at the ballot box.
Patricia Buckley, 73, has lived in the town for 43 years but says it has seen better days.
She said: "People are very worried about building too many houses on the green belt, this is important here. I want to keep these spaces.
"Public transport is another issue, it takes too long to get anywhere and the trains don't always run so it's difficult to plan a day out because you might not be able to get back."
Ms Buckley added that she hasn't yet made her mind up about which way she'll vote when the election comes, but "it will probably be Lib