Health centre breakthrough

OLDHAM PLANNING COMMITTEE

COUNCILLORS have approved plans for a new health centre in Royton.

Community 1st Oldham Ltd has submitted plans for land bounded by Park Street/Macauley Street/Cardigan Street and Byron Street.

Work on the first phase could begin as early as next year, replacing the current Royton Health Centre.

But objector, Nicola Wood, said the building would tower over her house on Park Street and encroach on her privacy.

She added: “All I will see is a white wall. I don’t think it is sufficient.”

Councillor Steven Bashforth also raised concerns about the white colour of the proposed centre and asked planning officers to negotiate with the developers to get it in keeping with the rest of the area.

Councillor Bashforth said: “I don’t want to turn this down because this is part of the bigger masterplan for Royton.”

The plan is part of Oldham Primary Care Trust’s programme to spend £100m to build 10 new health centres under the 20-year Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) project.

The Royton Health and Well-being Centre will house two GP practices, a dentist, primary care, treatment rooms and a pharmacy and serve as a base for nursing staff.

The second phase of work, which is being considered, will be the leisure facility, which includes a swimming pool, dance studio, library, gym, meeting rooms and a cafe.

The three storey centre will provide 93 full-time and 35 part-time jobs.


Development blow

PLANS for 205 homes, office and retail accommodation in Failsworth were refused.

Proposals for Phoenix Mills Industrial Estate, Cheetham Street, received 35 letters of objection on the grounds that no consultation was taken, the effect the development would have on house prices and increased traffic on Grafton Street.

A 25-signature petition objecting to the scheme was also submitted to the council.

90 homes on the way

AN application for 90 homes on a derelict site in Chadderton was given the go-ahead.

The plan is for a mixture of two and three-storey houses and four-storey flats on land at Rose Mill, Rose Street. Proposals, submitted by Rico Homes, received one letter of objection on the grounds of a loss of an adjacent playing field and the high density of development. The site lies within the Housing Market Renewal (HMR) area and will contribute to HMR targets for increased stock and quality of housing.