The Town Council has lodged a robust objection to the planning application for proposed residential development comprising 21 family homes and associated works – amended plan to create temporary construction access from Stamford Road.
the wording of the objection is set out below:
“Mossley Town Council considered the amended plans to create a temporary construction access from Stamford Road at the Town Council meeting on 21 October 2020.
At the meeting, local residents voiced strong concerns about the original application and about the revised access proposal.
After carefully considering the case put forward by residents to the revision, the Town Council objects on the following grounds:
– The construction of an additional access onto Stamford Road even on a temporary basis will result in serious traffic problems on an extremely busy road resulting in additional danger to both pedestrians and other road users;
– The proposed access is inadequate for the types of construction vehicles visiting the site and is likely to result in construction vehicles parking on Stamford Road awaiting access or even unloading from Stamford Road and adding to traffic danger with vehicles accelerating downhill on Stamford Road having to give-way;
– The temporary access will involve the demolition of an existing historic dry-stone wall which is an important part of the street scene and even if rebuilt at the end of the temporary period, there will have a detrimental effect on the visual amenity of the locality;
Whilst focussing on the proposed amendment, residents voiced additional concerns about the main application which the Town Council fully supports. These include:
– A strong objection from the Milton St John’s Primary School in view of the close proximity to the school;
– The proposed development will result in an overdevelopment of the site;
– Recent issues involving heavy vehicles in the locality becoming stranded highlight the traffic issues and unsuitability of roads in the area for development of this type.
In summary, the Town Council considered the original planning application on 4 September 2019 and strongly opposed the development on the following grounds:
(1) the access to the proposed development via Mill Lane and Archer St is inappropriate, in particular due to its narrow width and close proximity to the nearby Milton St John’s School; and
(2) the proposed development will have a detrimental effect on the rich amount of wildlife in the immediate locality which contributes to the wellbeing and amenity of the local community.
The Town Council subsequently, on 26 February 2020 considered issues raised by members of the Town Council about the ecological survey of the site which had been conducted by Dunelm Ecology, Environmental Consultants on behalf of the applicant and commented as follows:
– The descriptions about existing trees on the site were unrealistic;
– The comments about wildlife on the site were inadequate, making reference to parts of the site being inaccessible to survey. These are likely to be the very areas inhabited by wildlife; and
– Overall, the ecological aspects of the site had been largely overlooked in the report.
In addition it was noted by the Council that the recent appeal for residential development on land nearby at Greaves Street has been dismissed.
The decision to dismiss this appeal makes particular mention of the lack of open space and makes the point that though that site had no status as open space, it made an important contribution to that local amenity factor. The Town Council submits that this space at Brookfields should be treated in the same manner and although there is a small park on Carrhill Rd, that is a formal space and this offers a complementary and valuable amenity not only for local people, but as a wildlife habitat.
The site at Brookfields is also cut off from the wider space amenity by Stockport Road and Manchester Road. The Inspector in the appeal case also referred to the public opinion on its value and use over many years. The public opinion here has been expressed extensively through social media.
The Town Council reaffirms the original objections to the development and urges Tameside MBC to closely examine the submitted ecological survey to adequately assess whether it accurately reflects the ecological environment of the site. The Town Council would like confirmation that Tameside MBC has assessed the accuracy of the ecological statement before proceeding to determine the application.
I should be glad if you would ensure that the Town Council’s objections are carefully considered prior to the applications being determined.”