Housing development opposition request environmental impact assessment screening opinion from Secretary of State

The extent of flooding on the application site

Following Rochdale Council Planning Department’s recent decision not to request a full Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) to evaluate the impact of the proposed New Road housing development, residents opposing the plans have requested a screening opinion from the Secretary of State (Department for Communities & Local Government) to determine whether a full EIA should be undertaken.

Local resident Rosie Eastwood said: “We were disappointed that the Council did not request a full EIA to be completed. Under the National Planning Policy Guidelines (NPPG), in our opinion, the criteria requiring an EIA to be completed was certainly met.”

The EIA screening opinion will consider the impact of the development on drainage and flood risk, transport and highways, noise and air pollution, ecology and the environment, built heritage, the landscape, and visual amenity.

Resident James Rothwell said: “Concerns of local residents about the impact of the development on environment and ecology are clearly evident from the many objection letters that have been submitted to the Council.

"There is deep concern within the local community that should the planning application be granted that there will be permanent harm and damage to the environment.

"Furthermore recent flooding in, and adjacent to, the application site have compounded residents’ fears that development of the site will increase the flood risk to neighbouring properties.”