Marple land sale is "trading on the greedy and the gullible" says local MP

5.04.29pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 2nd Aug 2006

A controversial sale of plots of land in the Green Belt on the edge of Marple has been attacked by local MP Andrew Stunell as 'trading on the greedy and gullible'.

Mr Stunell told Hawk Green Residents Association this week that he was backing action in Parliament to block future land sales. The Association also heard reports from local residents whose homes back on to the site about their concerns over the future of the land, which overlooks the Goyt valley near Strines.

"It is a worrying time for local residents, but the real losers are any idiots silly enough to buy one of the plots. They will be left with land they cannot use or sell" says Mr Stunell.

"Property Spy has purchased green belt land in Marple that is designated as having special landscape value, and has no chance of ever being developed. Now they are trying to flog it off in small plots to the greedy and the gullible, who imagine they stand to make a quick buck. In fact it is Property Spy who make the quick buck. If they sold the plots they have now put on the market they would make a 200% profit, and still have half the land left.

"Although as far as we can tell what they are doing is not illegal, it is essentially a scam. The people that purchase these plots are under the false belief that they can somehow get planning permission.

"I am demanding that the Government addresses this issue and prevents this practice from continuing."