Planning permission deferred for religious cross sculpture on greenbelt land

Planning permission was deferred for a religious cross sculpture on greenbelt land in Norden at the Planning and Licensing Committee on Wednesday (30 May).

A similar cross lies on the hills above Oldham, which inspired the proposed timber sculpture near Edenfield Road, submitted as part of a local ‘Churches Together’ project.

Designed to celebrate Christianity, the plans would also have included a landscaped area and stone wall boundary, plus creating an additional pathway from the existing public footpath. 

After a long debate by the committee, the application, which had support from councillors Jane Howard and Sameena Zaheer, who proposed granting permission, was ultimately deferred against the applicant’s will due to a lack of ‘very special circumstances’ by the applicant.

Planning applications put forward on the greenbelt require ‘very special circumstances’ to offset the detriment to the land in order to be granted.

Councillor Phil Burke said: “It’s a unique idea, but we need clarification on the special circumstances. There is nothing in planning law to support this.”

Councillor Shakil Ahmed agreed, adding: “We need a reason to support this.”

Councillor Faisal Rana, who seconded a proposal to refuse the application, said: “I believe this is for publicity only and not for religious reasons.”

Seven councillors voted to defer the application to a later date, although others expressed support for the project with circumstances to justify building on the greenbelt.

The application for the seven metre cross had been referred to the committee after it was called in by former ward councillor Jim Gartside due to ‘very special circumstances’ to ‘justify this very modest structure, viz. its design, the requirement for a site which is visible but not dominating, and its relationship to other much larger structures nearby which are also in greenbelt’.

Mr Gartside also submitted a letter of representation, outlining that compared to nearby windmills, the cross was a small structure, “designed to be visible but not to dominate the landscape”.

He also pointed out the sculpture would cause no hazard to birds or wildlife or noise or shadowing, and would encourage walking groups to visit the destination.

The application will be heard again on 9 July.