Decision on £467,522 subsidy deferred

Councillors have put off a decision on allowing a developer to get out of an agreement to pay the council an affordable housing subsidy of over £467,000.

Developer Wiggett Construction asked if the payment could be waived — subject to reassessment in three years — because it was concerned about the viability of the project at the Royal George Mills site in Friezland, Greenfield.

Wiggett had agreed to pay £701,283 in three instalments rather than build 20 per cent of the project as cheaper, “affordable” homes. So far the company has paid one instalment.

Councillors were concerned they might agree to waive payments when the housing market was rising again, rather than static or falling.

Councillor John McCann said: “I think the regulations are already out of date. We can’t take the financial risks from the developers. There are notable changes to the housing market and house buying activity has improved.”

But planning officer Mark Prestwich said signs of improvement weren’t enough to give an adequate return.

A decision will be made at the next meeting of the planning committee on September 25.