This website is a resource for those who want to know more about the Council’s plans for Hough End fields, and how to have your say.

Following a long and dedicated campaign, sadly building has started on Hough End Fields of the ‘Sports Development’ , leisure centre and car park extensions.

These developments were not welcome to over 3000 local residents but Manchester City Council ignored our letters of objection and our petition. We also began a legal process but unfortunately the legal system failed us too. We are pleased that the pressure of our campaign meant that development on the North Field did not go ahead. Indeed, Manchester City Council declared that this field was ‘ours’ and could be used for the community and wildlife. We thought it already was ours, as per the Hough End Covenant, and our own ecological surveys demonstrated that much valuable wildlife resided there. We are continuing our active campaign as we fear there will be more attempts to ‘develop’ parts of the field. We will act to prevent that should it occur.

We want to ensure the North Field is maintained for the community and biodiversity, and that we are allowed to actively improve these aspects. If you would like to get involved …

Thank You

The council’s original proposal for a sports village on Hough End fields (planning application reference number 129948/VO/2021) was withdrawn over the summer after a huge public outcry.

They’ve now come back with revised plans which no longer include a softball & baseball complex – but they still want to rip up an area of grass and trees roughly the size of Old Moat park and cover it with plastic turf and concrete.

The revised planning application (reference number 132513/VO/2021) was granted planning permission in late March – but the campaign isn’t over yet!

We’re raising funds for legal advice on the potential grounds for judicial review – please donate today!

You can find information about air quality, biodiversity, climate change, noise, traffic and other impacts on our Objections page.

About us

The campaign is not affiliated to or run by any political party or any pre-existing campaigning group. Local residents and concerned citizens are donating their time to inform people about what is being proposed by the Council.

If you want to know more, you can