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Cllr Richard Leese

Proposals have been drawn up to build a pair of semi-detached houses in Crumpsall on land at the rear of 28 Wilton Road - home to Blackley MP Graham Stringer - and next to 37 Belhaven Road.

Manchester City Council leader Cllr Leese, who lives in the area, has joined residents in objecting to the plans which will lead to a loss of trees and which opponents complain will over-develop the land.

The proposed three-bedroom houses will be in a similar style to the neighbouring large, semi-detached properties built in the 1940s and will front onto Belhaven Road.

Neighbours complain that the development would rob the area of a site heavily planted with mature trees which they say are part of Crumpsall?s historic fabric and character.

Studies of the site revealed that the trees include two 50ft limes and a 23ft flowering cherry which have now been covered by a tree protection order. Destroying such a tree can result in fines of thousands of pounds.

A previous application for the development was withdrawn in August following similar objections but the layout has since been modified so that the site is large enough to comfortably accommodate the two planned houses.

The developer intends to incorporate the protected trees in the design but planning officers say the layout makes this impossible and one lime tree will have to be felled.

A decision on the plans will be made by the city?s planning committee on Thursday when officers have recommended that the scheme is approved.