Over 100 objections received in response to controversial Ashdene planning application

Over 100 objections have been received in response to a controversial planning application for four detached houses and 16 car parking spaces on land at 8 Ashdene, Rochdale.

A staggering 119 letters opposing the outline proposals have been received by Rochdale Borough Council.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/122878/planning-application-for-four-houses-on-land-at-ashdene-submitted

The site is currently accessed via a private drive from Burwell Close, off Whitworth Road.

Both an arboricultural survey and a habitat survey and protected species report have been carried out.

A Tree Preservation Order is in place on the site, an order made by a local planning authority in England to protect specific trees, groups of trees or woodlands in the interests of amenity. 

The protected species report of the site found limited evidence of bats or badgers inhabiting the land, and one recording of a Great Crested Newt, which are all protected by special legislations.

After a dusk and a dawn survey were carried out, no bats were seen (entering or emerging) at onsite sheds, considered to have ‘moderate potential for supporting roosting bats,’ during the entirety of the surveys.

Bat activity was low to moderate on site, consisting of only common pipistrelle, which appeared to have commuted from south of the site. The presence of one bat dropping in one shed suggests that this shed is used only occasionally as a feeding perch and not as a permanent roosting feature.

No evidence of badger activity or setts was observed during the site survey, with an abandoned badger set found east of the site. Incidentally, a dead badger was found beneath one shed within the last 10 years.

A further badger survey found no evidence of badgers throughout the survey area (within 2km of the site).

One record of a Great Crested Newt was found within a 2km radius of the site, with two ponds close to the site discounted as potential breeding ponds.

Invasive Japanese knotweed was also found on site, which carries a legal obligation for removal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.