Plans for the first two residential development parcels at West Hopwood, a 1,000-home new community in Rochdale, have been given the green light.

The project is being delivered as part of the South Heywood masterplan.

Russell Homes and Bellway Homes have secured reserved matters approval for a total of 217 properties across two sites from Rochdale Borough Council’s planning committee.

The Oaks at West Hopwood from Russell Homes will deliver 61 detached and semi-detached houses, from three to five bedrooms. The five-acre plot on Hareshill Road sits at the northern entrance to the wider South Heywood regeneration site, a mixed-use residential and commercial scheme being brought forward by Russell Homes’ sister company Russell LDP as master developer.


Bellway Homes will build 156 properties after acquiring an 11.6-acre site immediately to the south, with access from Manchester Road. To be known as Hopwood Meadows, Bellway will build a mix of three, four and five bedroom homes from the housebuilder’s recently launched Artisan collection, incorporating a carefully planned mix of detached and semi-detached properties set alongside a new linear park.

Work on both is due to commence this summer, with sales launched later this year and the first completions expected in early 2023.

Russell Homes secured outline planning permission for the 316-acre South Heywood masterplan in March 2020 for up to 1,000 homes, 1.5million sq ft of employment space, a new local retail centre, and a range of new community facilities including a primary school, sports pitches and public open space.

This was as part of a hybrid application which also fully approved delivery of a new 2.2km link road from Junction 19 of the M62 to the new and existing logistics parks off Pilsworth Road, which is currently under construction and due for completion in November.