Broad Lane Planning Appeal

Rochdale Town Hall is the venue for a planning appeal by Wainhomes and Taylor Wimpey against the refusal of Rochdale Council to allow 200 homes to be built on protected open space adjacent to Broad Lane.

In a strange twist, the council, having refused the planning application, subsequently formally removed their objections to the proposals.

Objectors under the umbrella of the Broad Lane Action Group (BLAG), led by co-ordinator Tracy Wilson, are now spearheading the opposition.

The developers are represented by two Queens Council and although the council has withdrawn its objection and produced no witnesses, has retained a barrister to attend the hearing, though his role is unclear.

Keith Manning, a chartered planning officer appointed by the Secretary of State, is in charge of the appeal and in his opening remarks referred to the ‘rather untypical situation’ presented by the withdrawal of the council’s objections but said: “This does not diminish the opportunity for objectors to express their views.”

Objectors are allowed to present evidence and cross-examine witnesses.

Councillors Dale Mulgrew and Richard Farnell, ward councillors, attended the hearing yesterday (Monday 23 April) supporting BLAG members.

Much of the morning session was taken up with procedural issues and with the rather hurried installation of a PA system during an adjournment. Apparently, nobody at the Town Hall had seen the need to ensure that one was in place and several members of the public had voiced concerns about being unable to hear what was being said.

Keith Howard, a BLAG supporter, in a departure from the normal running order, was allowed to give his evidence about flooding issues early due to pressing family reasons. He told the inquiry that he had purchased his home on Craiglands in 1963 and that since the building of the M62, flooding problems had become apparent and had got worse with the building of further homes in the area. A neighbour had experienced floods to a depth of three feet in her kitchen.

Mr Howard tried to seek assurances from the developers that they would foot the bill if, as he anticipated, any further development would make the situation even worse. He spoke with quiet dignity throughout and resisted robust and at times hostile questioning from Vincent Fraser QC for Wainhomes regarding his lack of technical knowledge, to which Mr Howard replied that he was not a technical expert but, “...I do know that water runs downhill.” He made it plain that he had been a resident for 50 years and was reporting what he had seen, heard and personally experienced.

The fact that councillors on the planning and township committees had chosen to ignore the advice of RMBC planning officers when initially rejecting the developers’ applications was referred to.

The afternoon session was taken up with issues regarding highway and safety issues, with BLAG members being accused of producing ‘random statistics’. This was hotly denied - the group has compiled a dossier of evidence, including photographs showing accident scenes.

The hearing continbues and it is anticipated will take place over three days and Mr Manning, who has already made one informal visit to the site, plans to make a formal visit on Thursday (26 April).

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/127/council-watch/79293/council-about-face-on-broad-lane-planning-appeal

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news/69259/planning-application-to-build-close-to-accident-blackspot