Housing plan fight

RESIDENTS are to hold a meeting to discuss opposing plans for 80 houses to be built in Shaw.

P+D Northern Steels Ltd has submitted a planning application for the development at its Moss Hey Street site.

Bosses say they need to sell their base to keep the business going and safeguard jobs by finding a more efficient site elsewhere in Oldham.

But residents fear the housing will be an overdevelopment and create traffic chaos next to the new Asda store.

While they welcome the business moving after years of putting up with lorries trundling past, they are concerned that the development will bring new problems.

Ten residents on Moss Hey Street have organised the meeting at Crompton Central Working Men’s Club, known as the Cartshaft, in St Mary’s Gate. It takes place on Thursday at 8pm and they say anyone is welcome to attend. They are seeking to invite parish councillors to air their views.

One resident said: “I like the idea of getting rid of the business but I don’t want all the extra cars. If they could find some other access it would be better.”

The only current access to the site is by Greenfield Lane, where shoppers flock to Asda.

The firm has been at the site, used for storage and flattening steel plates, since 1972 and employs a dozen full-time and three part-time staff.

It says benefits from its proposal include the potential to increase house prices, less noise and disturbance by removing the business and HGVs and contributions towards the provision of affordable housing and public open space.