Planning permission granted for 445 homes in Castleton

Layout of Castleton development for 445 homes at Cowm Top

More than 400 homes will be built on green space in Castleton – with only one road in and out.

Developers, GLP Trows LLP and BDW Trading Ltd, now has permission to build 445 homes with a linear park, open green space and playgrounds. The site, off Cowm Top Lane, lies to the south of Cowm Top Business Park, close to the M62.

The homes will be a mix of terraced, detached and semi-detached properties, ranging from two-bed properties to four and five-bed ‘executive’ homes.

Resident John MacPherson, speaking on behalf of objectors at the latest planning committee meeting in Rochdale, shared concerns over the impact extra cars could have on already congested roads.

Councillor Billy Sheerin, also objecting as a resident, added: “People coming off the estate are going to have a nightmare coming out at peak times. Taking children to school in the morning is going to be a problem and getting to work in the morning will be a problem.”

Health and safety concerns over access to the housing estate led to a decision on the proposal being delayed last month. The meeting on 27 February heard a highways report which concluded that the only viable option for the access was the one already proposed.

The report went on to note that Cowm Top Lane will be added to the council’s winter service programme for gritting, and that high friction surfacing would be required to ‘address the steep gradient into the site’.

Simon Artiss from Barratt Homes, one of the developers, assured the committee the access road exceeds the standards required and that only one accident has occurred on the road in the last 10 years.

There were still concerns amongst the committee over the safety of the site. Councillor Peter Winkler suggested this proposal would be overdevelopment, but council officers hit back saying the living standards are within required standards.

The 50-acre site has long formed part of a proposed Greater Manchester-wide development masterplan – known as Places for Everyone (PfE). This approved plan has already allocated the Cowm Top Lane site for housing, which ended up leaving the councillor’s hands tied when it came to making their decision.

Councillor Janet Emsley concluded: “We haven’t got a leg to stand on legally basically. If we refuse it we will be hit by a legal fee and it will go ahead anyway.”

The scheme was reluctantly approved by the committee, subject to conditions.

George Lythgoe, Local Democracy Reporter