Future of much-loved urban farm back in doubt as charity says 41 planning conditions are 'impossible' to meet

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The future of a much-loved urban farm has been thrown back into doubt following claims 41 conditions put on plans to save it are ‘impossible’ to deliver.

Kevin Swindells, owner of The Garden House, near Marple, was jubilant in February when plans to transform the site were approved by Stockport council - seemingly bringing to an end a four-year wrangle with the authority.

The amended proposal for an ‘urban farm and educational facility’ included rebuilding the original Garden House to incorporate an audio-visual theatre, cafe and meeting area.

This seemed to avert the need for a public inquiry on an earlier version of the project and secure the future of an attraction many families had hailed as a 'hidden gem' But on Thursday night (April 22), a council planning committee heard that The Garden House was yet to agree to the conditions and an appeal on the initial project remained pencilled in for later in the year.