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‘Throw it out’ plea on homes
Reporter: Dawn Marsden
Date online: 12 March 2013
FURIOUS Moorside homeowners will mount a protest at tomorrow’s Oldham planning committee meeting over a new housing plan.
Almost 200 residents and local councillors Councillors Lynne Thompson, Nigel Newton and Peter Dean have objected to the intention to build 59 two, three and four-bedroom homes on a green-field site next to green belt land bounded by Haven Lane, Haugh Hill Road, Counthill Road and Higher Counthill Farm.
The plan has been recommended for approval: developer Grasscroft Properties says it has addressed all issues of concern and expects the proposal to help regenerate the local economy.
Objectors want the houses to be built on the former Counthill school site, already designated as “brown field” land, suitable for building projects.
Adam Haigh of Haven Lane said: “There are already problems with traffic and parking. Adding more cars to this would make the problem worse. There is only one primary school in the area, so there would be an impact.
“I can’t understand why the developers can’t work with the council and come up with a plan to build on the old Counthill School site instead.”
Mike Coulter, MD of the developer, said: “We’ve shown this development is well located. It will deliver over £500,000 from central government to Oldham Council as part of the Homes Bonus Scheme, plus £362,000 of investment in affordable housing and traffic calming measures as well as open space for the community to use.
“No objections to the planning application have been raised on technical grounds from any of the consultees. The application is in line with planning policy at local and national level.”
Comments
The council shuold build genuinely affordable social housing on the school site and let the developers build housing on some green field site.
We have huge waiting lists for social housing in Oldham, 11000 I think I last saw a figure. So let's build some more of that as well as private sector housing.
Typical Oldham Labour Council ! UKIP policy on schemes like this is that a local referendum would be held and the decision made by the people who it would most affect - NOT by a Committee with it's own agenda ! which may not accord with what's best for the local residents.
What build on count hill instead don't be silly when the council is strapped for cash you go back to Labours over spend plan,two building sites are better than one you could get three times the value for each I wish you luck in your protest but don't forget who has the most votes on planning?
Surely there's no end of brownfield land these could be built on. It should be mandatory that no greenfield is used if brownfield is available.
Will they be happy, when every last square-inch of greenery is cemented over? Good on these residents for making a principled stand. Whether it will make any difference, well, that’s another matter.
It seems to me that wherever houses are planned to be built there will be some group saying No, One of the main reasons that we have a serious lack of houses is the planning and the objections to planning. we are an overcrowded island and manage to live on less that 10% of the land, we have to build on brown and greenfield sites, thats for sure
@jonti007.
Well at least you got something right-- we are an overcrowded island
What an absolute scandal this is. Oldham council grabbing money at the expense of local residents & ruining land that has been untouched since records began.
Done in a year when there's no elections, just like all the rest of their plans.
Labour yet again dumping on those that don't vote for them.
I hope the residents take this all the way and smash the coubcil to pieces in court.
adwilliams134 is correct, use brownfield sites only.
Unfortunately the planning rules are being diluted in order to aid developers and builders(many of whom are Tory donars)whose preference is for attractive greenfield locations making it substantially easier to sell the properties and at higher prices than brownfield sites would fetch.
It is crazy to let them ruin a bit of countryside when there is the Counthill School site they could build on. I bet the school site will get left to gather rubbish now like the ski-slope they never did anything with.
We need more houses thats a fact, but we need more social housing more than overpriced houses that only the rich can afford, as for the traffic argument surely most of is related to the school so that wont be an issue much longer but i agree with sarahbell build on the school site, hang on if you do that the council wont be able to sell it to the developer for phase 2.
EVERY house was built on land once called "green-belt". Derker, Holts, Sholver e.t.c all built "in the countryside" Instead of whinging about the lack of housing, accept the reality that houses and estates need to go on so called green-belt land.
Incidentally, I once asked a council official what "affordable housing" meant. "25% off the market value". So only 50% above what most single people can afford. #notaffordable
Buy to let should be banned. #sheergreed
What exactly is "affordable housing"? Are we talking affordable as in obtaining a mortgage to purchase or affordable as social rentals?
OldhamWatcher.....build on brown and green alike. Which developer is going to choose a brownfield site over a greenfield? You should have made the point to build on brownfield sites first until there are no more and then look at the situation before building on greenfield. To use the words of certain retail stores....when it's gone, it's gone.
@oldhamwatcher. The estates you mention were all social housing 7 due to population growth. This instance is nothing to do with that.
Oldham Council should stop this from going ahead
I wonder where the children living in these houses are going to go to school?
Both local primary schools are popular and nearly full.
There should be no incentives for signing over green belt land... it has to come down to genuine need, suitability and lack of non-green alternatives.
Personally I think this would be a shame as I think these sort of areas are great for getting kids out and about as it did me. Better than hanging round on streets and outside shops in gangs.
although i agree with the residents im just wondering if, when they do agree to build houses on the former counthill school site, hows that not going to still add to the traffic and parking problems? but please before i get the arguments, im strongly against them building there AND the demolishing a perfectly good school/building! p.s i only live down the road
Have Your Say
£362k on affordable housing? seems a small amount really.
and actually delivering on their affordable homes promise would be a suprise too.
By fedupoldhamer @ 12/03/2013 13:29:56