Houses approved on ‘eyesore’ brownfield site

Demolition rubble on the former High Birch site, as pictures in early 2017

22 houses were unanimously approved for an ‘eyesore’ brownfield site at Monday’s Planning and Licensing Committee (5 February).

Bamford ward councillor Jane Howard spoke of how she supported the application, noting how the site of the former High Birch school in Marland has been an eyesore for some time. She also mentioned concerns over how the site has been treated since it was sold eight years ago.

She added: “It is time something was done with the site – and it helps save the greenfield. The asbestos work was thorough, and it was found to be minimal and buried.

“If all conditions are met and the residents communicated with, I am happy to support the application.”

Concern about the works carried out on site despite the asbestos were raised in March 2017:

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/108793/concerns-over-asbestos-contamination-at-former-high-birch-school-site

The committee granted planning subject to conditions and a Section 106 financial contribution of £92,280.95 towards open space and sports provision at Springfield Park.

The 22 houses proposed are 12 semi-detached and 10 detached houses comprising 13 four-bedroom and nine six-bedroom properties. The access to the site would be taken from a central point of the site boundary on Marland Fold – at each side of this access road would be two-detached dwellings.

Within the site, 18 of the remaining properties would front onto the new estate road, running in north-easterly and south-easterly directions. Two of the dwellings will be served by a private drive from the south-east limit of the site access road.

Due to the narrowness of the northern portion of the site, the properties in this area have been laid out in a staggered arrangement.

The former High Birch School closed in 2007 and sold to a private owner at auction three years later. A demolition notice was issued in January 2011 and the school buildings understood to have been demolished shortly after.

Originally, an application for 23 homes was submitted in early 2012 but was withdrawn some months later regarding the acceptability of the scheme.

A resubmission was received by the planning authority towards the end of 2012. Whilst recommended for approval, the application was refused regarding concerns of overdevelopment and insufficient distances between existing residential properties.

The applicant appealed against the refusal of planning permission to the Secretary of State. In issuing his decision, the inspector concluded that the proposal would not cause material harm to the living conditions of the occupants of 28-32 Marland Old Road and thus the scheme did not conflict with the relevant policies of the Council’s Development Plan.

However, the inspector noted the lack of a Section 106 agreement, causing the appeal to be dismissed.