Planning application on Heywood greenbelt due before planning committee

A planning application for 1,000 homes and a new motorway link road on greenbelt land in Heywood will be heard before the Planning and Licensing Committee on Thursday 22 March.

The application by Russell Homes UK to develop land at South Heywood was submitted in November 2016. It includes demolition of a number of existing on-site buildings and structures, the construction of a new link road between Junction 19 of the M62 and Pilsworth Road, widening a section of Pilsworth Road, up to 1,000 new homes, a new primary school and space for employment opportunities.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/106626/planning-application-submitted-for-controversial-development-in-heywood

Whilst hundreds of objections have been received via the council’s planning portal, 19 support letters have been received from Rochdale Training and Crown Oil Centre, plus various businesses at Heywood Distribution Centre, Birch Business Park, Stretton Green Distribution Park and Broadfield Business Park.

The application seeks full planning permission for the construction of the link road, widening of Pilsworth Road and associated junction improvements, landscaping, lighting and other works including the importation of material and engineering works in order to construct the link road.

It seeks outline consent for the homes, employment space, school and associated landscaping, open space and sports pitches, drainage, ecological enhancements, cycleway and footpath linkages, infrastructure and other works.

Council officers have recommended that planning permission be granted subjected to conditions listed in Schedules 1 and 2, plus the completion of appropriate legal requirements under the Local Government Act 1972, the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and Localism Act 2011.

The following planning obligations must also be secured:

• Air Quality payment – sum of £1500 for the installation of a NO2 diffusion tube site along the link road to be paid prior to the commencement of development.
• Affordable Housing – 15% on-site provision, per phase. Contributions are to be provided where the Council don’t want onsite provision for that particular phase. The affordable housing shall be intermediate and rented, with no more than 50% rented, in any one phase.
• Bus Service and Bus Stops Contribution – £1.05million + £180,000 respectively.
• Link Road payment – shortfall contribution in respect of the final costs of the link road. Please note that this includes the original link road cost, the recently added £317,000 for highways mitigation and £25,000 for the pedestrian and cycle route between the site at Gloucester Avenue and Heywood town centre up to Church Street.
• Management Company – for long term management and maintenance of the Public Open Space.
• Public Open Space – to include 8ha of land. This will include the Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) and Neighbourhood Equipped Area of Play (NEAP) to be provided on-site. (g) Sports Pitches – provision of 3.5 hectares. However, in lieu of sports pitches the apportioned sum of £200,000 towards Heywood Sports Village will be paid.
• Land for a Primary School (single form entry school) – 0.8 hectares to be transferred to the Council.
• Education contribution – sum based on formula of up to a maximum of £4,620,003.50.

If approved, the application must be referred to the Secretary of State who will consider whether it intends to call in the application or whether the authority may proceed to determine the application.

Should it be approved, the site is expected to take around 18 years to complete.

Earlier this week, Councillor Carol Wardle, chairwoman of Rochdale Borough Council Planning committee, said she may have "mistakenly misled objectors" about the planning application:

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/117174/councillor-says-she-may-have-mistakenly-misled-objectors-about-greenbelt-planning-application

Figures in a 'Market Report and Viability Statement', which seeks to the building of the development, have also been questioned by objectors.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/117175/figures-in-market-report-and-viability-statement-on-greenbelt-planning-application-questioned

The meeting will take place at 6.15pm on Thursday 22 March at No's 1 & 2 Committee Rooms - Rochdale Town Hall, Rochdale, OL16 1AB