Residents object to proposed development at Hollingworth Lake

Residents living along Lake Side – a street described as one of Littleborough’s most picturesque - have objected to plans to build two more homes there.

Developers are seeking planning permission from Rochdale Council for two detached three bedroom houses on Lake Side overlooking Hollingworth Lake.

Those living in the area are against the plans and have said that there are too many homes on the narrow lane and say that the street is already “massively over developed.”

Concerns have also been raised regarding increased traffic and damage to wildlife if the development is to go ahead.

The proposals have currently received 19 letters of objection.

In one of the letters of objection, one resident said: “I have been a resident of Lake Side for many years and the increase in residential developments and related traffic is a serious concern. The area is massively over developed, the single track lane/road was never intended to carry the volume of traffic or the weight of the massive plant associated with the huge building developments and consequently the road is in severe disrepair.

“The impact on the proposal to remove established natural habitats for a huge variety of birds and wildlife along with the visual impact on the area in general would be immense. This area is already greatly overdeveloped and losing more natural amenities would be a great loss to the whole feel of the environment.”

Another letter says: “If these buildings are allowed to be erected, it will decimate the natural area. The previous planning for this property shows a total disregard for the neighbourhood and this application is in the same league.”

A council report to the Pennine Township Planning Sub Committee, which meets on Wednesday, dismisses wildlife and access concerns and states that homes would “assimilate sympathetically with the surrounding development.”

The report concludes: “Taking the above into account it considers that the application would represent an appropriate form of development that would protect both visual and residential amenity and also result in no undue harm to highway safety or the local natural environment.”

A decision regarding the development will be made by the planning committee on Wednesday 24 September.