Controversial plans for hundreds of homes in the Saddleworth countryside have been approved again – despite concerns over the dangers of a former mineshaft and ‘ugly’ houses.
Proposals to build a £3m road and up to 265 homes on land in Springhead were first refused in November 2018 by Oldham’s planning committee, but subsequently given approval in July 2019.
Local campaign group Save Our Valleys had raised more than £50,000 to launch a legal challenge against the decision, but a judge ruled against their bid for a judicial review.
The road was given full planning approval in 2019 and work has now commenced, but the homes element of the plan for the Knowls Lane site requires further detailed permission.
Developer Russell Homes had applied to the council for reserved matters permission for 234 homes to be built on the site in July last year, which had been approved.
However a subsequent new reserved matters application was lodged in November for the same number of homes on the land.
Planning officer Graham Dickman said the committee had seen a number of previous applications come forward in relation to the site.
He explained the application councillors were now being asked to rule on was a variation of a July’s approved plan, but with changes to some of the house types in the earlier proposal.
These would be split between five, four, three and two bed houses, which would be a mix of detached and semi-detached and four-bedroom town-houses.
He said the more ‘traditional stone’ style properties would be nearer Knowls Lane and the edge of the site, with brick-based properties concentrated inside the estate.
However Conservative Councillors Luke Lancaster and Max Woodvine raised concerns about the type of houses that were being built, arguing they should be more sympathetic with the wider ‘traditional’ Saddleworth village style and built in natural stone.
“The problem is over the last 30, 40 years, the council has approved all bits and pieces, random applications, and nothing looks alike – well they should have been saying 40 years ago that they should be built in a historically sympathetic way,” Coun Woodvine said.
“We should be saying it has to be built in a traditional style – which it isn’t. I think it’s a shame that the council is, once again, working to the lowest common denominator – build ugly buildings, and that’s fine.
“They’re going to be there for a long time and it’s a shame that we can’t demand the best standard.”
In response, Mr Dickman told the meeting that Springhead wasn’t ‘defined by stone properties’ and there was a ‘vast mix’ of different houses in the area.
Head of planning Peter Richards said he believed some of the terms were ‘unfair. “We’re not talking about ugly buildings, various people have different desires of what they want a house to look like,” he added.
“And we do hold developments to standards of design. It may not be all historic character but not every development can or should be that way.”
Of the total development, 53 properties would be designated as ‘affordable’.
There had been five objections received over the plans, and Saddleworth Parish Council had raised concerns over some of the house types proposed.
Objector Jane Barker said there were ‘many reasons’ why the application should be refused, including that some proposed houses were still in the ‘zone of influence’ of a mineshaft.
She added: “17 properties are affected, and if there is a collapse the financial liabilities could amount to millions of pounds.
“Have you considered that if any of the houses in the area of instability do collapse people may get injured or die? Have you considered the potential of any corporate manslaughter charges that might occur in that situation.”
She told the meeting the residents had ‘no confidence’ in the planning department or members of the committee who had ‘blindly nodded’ the application through.
“We should ask for and expect better for all our communities,” Ms Barker concluded.
Ward councillor Mark Kenyon, a Lib Dem, also spoke against the application, telling the meeting that ‘Oldham will accept lower standards’.
Mr Dickman said that concerns about a mineshaft raised at the last planning meeting had led to the council directly consulting with the Coal Authority on this current application.
“They have come back…indicating that they are satisfied there is a methodology which can be put in place and this development can be created in a safe manner,” he added.
Committee chair Coun Dean said that coal mining was common in Oldham and this was not a ‘unique’ situation.
Thomas Relph, the planning and land manager from applicant Russell Homes said: “The Coal Authority, since previous permission was granted in July, have since confirmed the foundation solutions proposed are an acceptable solution for any property built in the zone of influence.
“The Coal Authority have removed any objection to the application. This is a historic note on a record of a mineshaft. Investigations have been ongoing and we don’t even know if the mineshaft is there, it could be concluded that it is not there and that zone of influence could be removed by the Coal Authority.
“Any occupier of those properties would have to get a Coal Authority permit, which have to be satisfied that the buildings have been built in accordance with what they needed to be before any occupier of that building.”
Liberal Democrat Coun Alicia Marland for Saddleworth West and Lees said that there was demand locally for one and two-bedroom properties, which the 234-home plan was ‘not addressing in any way’.
“Singles and couples are highly unlikely to want three, four, five-bed houses – they won’t have the need for it and they certainly won’t be able to afford them,” she said.
In response Mr Richards said that the housing market was’very fluid’. “The reality is if you’re talking about a couple they may be planning a family in their future, they want to invest in a property that’s a bit larger so their family can grow,” he said.
Mr Relph added: “The proposals still deliver a range of new family housing including two, three, four and five-bedroom homes in a traditional style suited to the character of the area.”
A recommendation by Coun Woodvine to reject the application was defeated. It was approved by nine votes in favour to four against.
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