30 firms and 100 jobs win 11th hour reprieve

Oldham Planning Committee

BUSINESSES have been saved after controversial plans to turn an industrial estate into housing and officers were refused.

Councillors rejected the recommendation of planning officers over allowing Phoenix Mill Industrial Estate, Cheetham Street, Failsworth, to become 61 houses and 25 apartments and a commercial space after fears it would cause up to 30 businesses to close with the loss of 100 jobs.

Andy Lyon, speaking on behalf of the businesses, said it was not just the loss of jobs but also an overdevelopment of the site when there are plenty of brownfield sites in Failsworth available.

People had invested a lot of money on their rented units, which they would lose, and with 2.5 million people unemployed the country couldn’t afford more job losses.

Nothing had been done to help businesses relocate and there was nowhere nearby to move to. He said most of the units were in a very good condition.

The site’s owners have been declared bankrupt and liquidators are behind the application.

Nick Fillingham, on behalf of the applicant, said the 40-unit site did not have a viable employment future. It would not close overnight as developers would have to be found.

He said: “This is a tired industrial estate that’s come to the end of its life.”

He added that it would cost £1.7million to replace an asbestos roof to make it waterproof and safe and no one would invest that as they would not be able to recoup it in extra rent.

Ward councillor Jim McMahon objected to the plans, saying: “It’s not going to happen. It’s put forward by the receivers simply to try to boost the value of the land to sell it on.

“The whole argument of the cost of replacing the roof is a red herring as no owner will ever replace the roof.”

He said businesses could not afford to move and until the fundamental issue of how those jobs could be saved was addressed it shouldn’t go any further. The estate provides services that people need and jobs, which are more important in the current climate. Residents were also against the plans.

Councillor Steve Bashforth said: “There is a need for low-cost, not particularly modern state-of-the-art units and there’s an argument here to retain them.”

Planning officers had said the industrial units are of poor and degenerating condition and in need of substantial upgrade and the continued use of the site for employment purposes is no longer economically viable.

But members voted to refuse permission on the grounds of protecting an existing employment site.

Nineteen letters of objection and a petition bearing 20 signatures had been sent to the council over the significant loss of jobs and firms, including window manufacturers, welders and vehicle repair workshops.