Plans to build 303 homes in Middleton get the go ahead

Plans to build 303 new homes in Middleton have been approved by Rochdale Council Licensing and Regulatory Committee despite opposition from Middleton residents and councillors.

The Middleton Township Planning Sub Committee rejected the bid to build 303 new houses and a link road between Hilton Fold Road on land at the back of British Vita in early August, but the final decision lay with councillors on the Licensing and Regulatory committee and gave the plans the go ahead.

It is understood that the committee followed advice from the council’s in-house planning experts who said the scheme “should be approved because the planned link road would cut congestion at an existing bottle neck and would meet the boroughs growing need for houses”.

Rock Co Asset Managers, the firm behind the scheme, has not yet revealed its final plans for the 13.5 hectare site but have given the go ahead to construct a 950 metre road between Oldham Road and Hilton Fold Lane to access the proposed estate.

The developers will have to submit a second and more detailed planning application before any work can begin.

Under council rules the Licensing and Regulatory committee is responsible for deciding any major planning applications. Local planning committees, such as Middleton, are only asked to make a recommendation on plans rather than have the final say.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/88772/councillors-throw-out-plans-for-303-new-homes-in-middleton