Huge family homes and ‘feature meadow’ to be built next to woodland

New family homes with a feature meadow will be built next to woodland in Rochdale.

A total of 18 four-bed and five-bed detached homes are coming to a parcel of open space in Balderstone after the development was approved by the planning committee. The proposal put forward by Lancet Homes aims to deliver ‘high quality, larger style family housing to respond to identified needs’ in the area.

The houses will be built next to the woodland, only divided by a ‘feature meadow’ which will also work for natural drainage, according to planning papers.

The wildflower grasslands create an appropriate environment for future wildlife habitats which will contribute to on-site biodiversity and offer a natural bridge to the woodlands. According to Amy Jones, representing the applicant, ‘the proposal is a bespoke design for four and five bedroom homes’.

The three-acre grassland plot – close to Broad Lane Community Woodland – is surrounded by housing on three sides, while to the south is Rochdalians AFC's football pitch.

 

 

Each home on the Crompton Avenue site would have two off-street parking spaces as well as front and back garden space. Objectors appeared at Number One Riverside to share their objections with the planning committee on 25 July.

Crompton Avenue resident Alec Ridgeway shared his concerns for anthrax, which is a potentially dangerous bacteria. He believes this has been left from the carcasses of animals left by a slaughter house that had been on the site many years ago.

Mr Ridgeway said: “In that field there is anthrax. I have evidence of this and I am aware that the council does as well.

“Over the last few months I have been asking the council about this and I have had no response. I am disappointed in this council (that I got no reply).”

The applicant, present in the room, said that he would be happy to let Mr Ridgeway meet with his contractors to point out where he thinks the anthrax is. However, the committee was told that reports had been conducted into land contamination, but no evidence of anthrax has been found.

A condition was included to ensure an investigation into the anthrax was completed before construction work could begin.

Mr Ridgeway explained that he previously had requested permission for a stables on the site, but was refused based on the idea that five more trips on the road would be too much for the road to withstand. He questioned why five extra trips were not acceptable but potentially 36 more from the 18 homes.

The planning officers claimed they’ve seen no evidence of this decision in planning history. The officer added that the highways team believed that both Oldham Road and Crompton Avenue could take the additional trips.

The committee approved the application after ensuring that the anthrax issue was covered. Councillor Billy Sheerin stated that “this is a safety issue we have to take very seriously.”

George Lythgoe, Local democracy reporter