Jones Homes’ Woodhouses scheme returns to Oldham committee

Deferred in January, the developer has declared its intent to appeal if further delays ensue on the allocated Failsworth site. Members will also consider plans for 101 homes at Foxdenton, Chadderton.

A two-hour meeting in January saw members vote unanimously to defer a decision on Jones’ 41-home application in the village of Woodhouses, close to Failsworth. Members cited the need for better transport planning information and wider consideration of the impact of adding more cars to the area’s roads.

Officers had recommended approval ahead of January’s meeting: the 3.84-acre site has long been allocated for housing and the proposals for 37 market homes and four affordable dwellings were considered acceptable.

Committee is asked too approve the homes, with access from Ashton Road. Credit: planning documents

However, the site, on the south side of Ashton Road, is close to a primary school and village hall, and residents have raised concerns over the impact on road safety in general. In addition, the proposed access from Ashton Road has raised some ire, due to the loss of some on-street parking spaces to create access to the development site.

One possibility had been raised: that an alternative access point is pursued, using a neighbouring development. However, this is in a third party ownership.

Despite being under no obligation to do so, the applicant has met with ward councillors and the chair of a residents’ association to go through how the alternative access idea is a non-starter.

Officers confirm in planning documents that an entirely fresh application would need to be made were access to change, due to this being a fundamental alteration.

Committee members are reminded, in effect, that an applicant cannot be obligated to come up with alternatives involving third parties. Officers further state that is outside the scope of the planning authority to broker commercial negotiations between third parties.

In short, Jones Homes is by now close to running out of patience. The firm has communicated to Oldham that is prepared to go over their heads.

Addressing the access issue, the firm’s team said: “If committee members refuse the application on this basis, the Applicant will appeal and seek a claim for costs on the basis of the decision being unrelated to planning matters.

“The site has been allocated for housing for nearly 20 years and the planning application under consideration is policy-compliant, has support from the highway officers of the council and is recommended for approval by Oldham Council officers.”

In Chadderton meanwhile, FO Developments and Essex-registered Stonebond Properties (Manchester) are seeking full permission for 101 homes accessed from Horton Close, with cycle and emergency access onto Horseshoe Lane.

Chadkirk Consulting is advising.

Approval is recommended, subject to agreement on a contribution of £150,000 in two tranches towards education. There is also a spending commitment to a linear park.

The site amounts to 6.5 acres. The land is made up of Foxdenton Farm Riding School and presently undeveloped land located centrally within the Broadway Green strategic development site, which has hybrid planning permission dating from 2015 for a mix of residential and commercial uses – this is residential plot R3 as shown on the indicative development zone plan from that application.

The already developed plot R2 adjoins the western side of the site, through which vehicular access will be obtained via Horton Close, Cavalier Square, and onto Lydia Becker Way.

The proposed site is one of those marked out for residential development in a 2015 masterplan. Credit: planning documents

Twenty two-bedroom homes are proposed, along with 52 three-beds and 29 four-beds. All homes are to be offered through shared ownership by Great Places Housing.

A total of 28 objections have been submitted.

Plans for the Chadderton project can be viewed on Oldham’s planning portal with the reference FUL/353689/24. The Jones Homes documents can be seen with the reference FUL/352724/24