Plans for residential development in Castleton approved

Reporter: Laura Wild
Date online: 15 February 2011

Outline planning permission for a residential development housing 154 dwellings in Castleton has been approved.

Councillors granted the permission, subject to conditions, at a planning meeting held tonight (Tuesday 15 February 2011).

The application relates to the former Whipp and Bourne site on Manchester Road.

The site occupies four hectares of land immediately to the south of Castleton centre. It is bounded by Manchester Road to the east, the Rochdale Canal to the west and a recently constructed access road to the south.

Access to the site remains from the north end of the Manchester Road frontage and much of the site is located behind terraced housing and a few businesses along Manchester Road. The southern portion of the site, fronting the recent access road and a 30 metre frontage to Manchester Road is disused land.

The proposal is for 154 dwellings. Access, layout and scale of development are indicated for approval at this stage.

The layout indicates a mix of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom houses, arranged as detached, semi-detached and in short rows.

The application indicates that development would be in two storeys.

Nineteen of the units would be apartments contained in a two storey block with an ‘L’ shaped footprint.

Dwellings would have two in cartilage spaces per unit with parking of 1.5 spaces for each of the smaller units and apartments provided in parking courts.

A public open space area with canal frontage of around 85 metres would be provided centred on the locks and canal bridge. The intention is that part of this would be allocated for the provision of a local area for play. The layout indicates that development would be set well back from the canal frontage.

A new pedestrian access would be provided at a point approximately midway between the canal bridge and the southern towpath access to the site.

Six letters of objection were received from occupiers of Manchester Road properties.

Reasons for the objections include increased traffic to Castleton, and an increase in air pollution.

Comments regarding transport, ecology, noise and drainage were received from Corus Plc.

The report submitted to planning reads: “In summary this outline proposal is for an appropriate residential redevelopment of an obsolete industrial site in accordance with its UDP allocation as an 'Area of Opportunity'.

“The layout indicates an appropriate mix of residential units, with adequate car parking, local open space play area and satisfactorily related to existing housing off Manchester Road. The proposals demonstrate, subject to planning conditions, satisfactory protection of the canal environment and enhancement to its recreational potential.

“Approval of this outline application is recommended subject to the conditions set out as an early enabling stage supporting the future regeneration of Castleton local centre.”

Councillors also agreed to support an application to the Secretary of State for an Order under Section 247 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to close Montrose Street from its junction with the southern site access road to its junction to the north with Ronald Street, closing Bridge Street from its junction with Manchester Road to its junction with Raglan Street to the east and then from this junction southwards for 31 metres along Raglan Street.