A planning inspector has thrown out a bid to build 72 new homes near the centre of Ramsbottom. Last year, Bury Council’s planning committee rejected Eccleston Homes’ plans for the new estate at the ‘gateway’ Mondi Mill site on Bridge Street.
The developer then appealed the decision and now the Planning Inspectorate has also knocked back the proposals. However, even though the appeal was denied, Bury Council will have been ordered to foot the bill for both theirs and Eccleston Homes costs for the appeal.
The inspector ruled that in turning down the plans the council displayed ‘unreasonable behaviour’ and ‘relied on generalised assertions about the proposal’s impacts which were unsupported by objective analysis’.
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Bury planning officers had originally recommended approval of the scheme but the decision committee rejected the plans citing concerns about potential flooding and effects on the roads. In the appeal decision, the inspector overseeing the hearing, Mr R Hitchcock addressed the issue of flood risk at the site.
He said: “Having regard to the inconclusive representations of both parties, I find there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that there would be no residual potential risk from the combined sewer as a possible source of flooding in the locality of the site. “I find that the totality of the level of flood risks associated with groundwater, foul drainage, fluvial and surface water sources to be insufficiently clear.
“It is not therefore possible to determine that the benefits of the scheme would outweigh the flood risks.” Addressing the issue of roads impact cited in the original decision to turn down the scheme, the inspector found in favour of Eccleston Homes.
He ruled that there was little to demonstrate that the scheme would cause an unacceptable impact on highway safety or result in a severe impact on the road network. The plans would have kept the mill chimney intact.
22 letters of objection and three letters of support were originally received by Bury Council with Ramsbottom Heritage Society also against the plans.
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