SALFORD’S socialist mayor has warned billionaire property developers attempting to overturn a court ruling which stops them building unaffordable homes on vital green space that the city “will not be paved over.”

Mayor Paul Dennett has written to Peel Holdings chair John Whittaker after news that the company, which has an estimated £6.6 billion in assets, intends to appeal a High Court judgement blocking them from building 600 dwellings on the Broadoak area.

The November 2018 judgement upheld Salford City Council’s assertions that the area is a “vital green lung” for Salford’s population and must be protected from development.

But Peel Holdings have now decided on appealing the decision, which they said they found “disappointing” at the time.

In the letter to Mr Whittaker, Mayor Dennett criticised Peel Holdings for lodging the appeal, saying: “The city council is fighting to preserve a vital green lung for our residents and future generations.

“The city needs new homes, but it is also vital that people have ready access to open space and greenery; that is what a liveable city should be about.

“We will act to prevent our entire city being paved over.”

A senior Labour insider told the Star that Salford will not “bow to bullying” from the company.

The source pointed out that Mayor Dennett had an “unusually strong” case to refuse the development of Peel’s houses, which even if they are “affordable” by the government’s definition of affordable housing — 80 per cent of the area’s average value — they will still be “financially out of reach to most Salfordians.”

The source added: “It really shows up how vulnerable councils are once they’re faced by big developers with tons of cash who can drag these kinds of cases back into the courts over and over again.

“What’s worse is that the brunt of the costs of these appeals is thrust out by the taxpayer.

“If they successfully overturn the previous judgement, then other areas will also be at risk across Britain as they set new precedents to overturn.

“It is a threat to every single democratic body in the country.”