A ground condition survey has begun on land earmarked as the site for 1,600 new homes in Irlam.
The piece of land next to Irlam Station is being tested on by Salford Council after residents expressed concerns of the area being unsuitable for building on due to peat underground.
The work began on Monday and is expected to take 10 days to complete.
The Manchester Spatial Framework, published in 2016, originally had plans to build 2,200 homes on the site.
After furious opposition from local people and groups, the plan was ripped up by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
In January this year however, as part of a revised 'spatial framework', 1,600 homes were earmarked for the site instead.
This was met with even more opposition as local residents argued that the homes are 'targeting vulnerable green belt sites' and would add to the congestion in an area already 'plagued' by traffic.
Local councillor Darren Goulden who represents the Irlam ward is a against any development on the Moss and thinks the testing is a complete waste of time and feels the land is too dangerous to be built on, he said: "It's a complete waste of money testing the site.
"Just driving there and seeing the state of the roads will tell you the amount of peat underfoot.
"There have been no plans or money for infrastructure it’s a complete joke.
"700,000 square meters up to a depth of 20 meters means 14 million cubic meters of peat will have to be removed 1/2 mile away from where the Lancashire wildlife trust are repairing the damage that we caused in removing the peat in the past.
"There will be a massive release of carbon and then no carbon capture when the houses are built.
"Its a massive ecological disaster waiting to happen, the Labour councillors are in favour of it and it’s embarrassing.
"It’s like selling the family silver and the next generations will suffer massively."
Lead Member for Planning and Sustainable Development, Councillor Derek Antrobus said: "It doesn't change the timetable. We promised residents we would test ground conditions and we are doing so.
“We are proud of the protection we are providing for more than 2,000 hectares of mosslands and the support we have given for the restoration of this valuable ecological resource.
"Sadly, some mossland has been degraded to the point where it cannot be restored.
"The survey on this small 69hectares section of degraded mossland will let us know the actual depths of peat.”
