Neighbours gear up for planning battle

ROYTON residents determined to protect their neighbourhood from overdevelopment have put their money where their mouth is in an attempt to stop a controversial planning application.

People living in Thorncliffe Park are opposed to a neighbour’s plan to build two four-bedroom houses in his garden.

The 13 residents have jointly spent more than £1,000 for a solicitor and planning adviser to make sure their objections are fully effective.

They have enlisted the support of Royton North councillors Olwen Chadderton and Bernard Judge, and Oldham MP Michael Meacher has detailed his own objections in a letter to Oldham’s head of planning, Geoff Willerton.

Resident Janet Chapman said: “This person wants to build houses in his garden so that he can sell them, but he should be treating it as home, not a business.

“This man started chopping down trees as soon as he arrived here three years ago, until we organised a tree protection order.

“And the plans could affect the wealth of wildlife we have here, including owls, foxes and bats. It will also increase traffic on the road, which is unadopted and very steep.”

But Mrs Chapman says the residents face an even bigger battle, to save the picturesque streets around Tandle Hills Country Park from being turned into a concrete jungle.

Building company Holroy was recently given permission to demolish a house at the top of Parklands and replace it with 12 homes.

Mrs Chapman said: “This is a unique and beautiful area, but there is not going to be an inch of greenery left if this kind of development is given the go-ahead.”

Councillor Judge said: “Some people try and cash in on the fact that they have big gardens, leaving their neighbours to deal with the consequences, including noise, lack of privacy and parking problems.

“The council has been looking at adding something to the unitary development plan which will introduce strict rules on the practice of building homes in gardens.

“Olwen and I will push for that.”

But Steve Birbeck, who has lodged the planning application, insists that his neighbours’ fears are unfounded.

He said: “The garden is half an acre and big enough for two properties to be built without sacrificing greenery.

“The person who originally built the property must have felt that there was room enough for at least one more property, because the garden is clearly separated into two distinct pieces of land, and modern developers tend to earmark a twelfth of an acre per property.

“Nothing in my proposal goes against any of the principles of the unitary development plan and, if anything, I would be improving the area, because the garden is overgrown and people use it as a dumping ground.

“I don’t believe that adding two more houses is going to dramatically increase traffic and parking problems.

“I’m not here to make a fast buck and move on. I really like the area. My wife and I have set up a business in Royton. Why would we make such a commitment to the area if we wanted to disappear?”

The plans will be debated at the next planning committee meeting on Wednesday.