Decision delayed on 445-home estate in Castleton

The decision on whether 445 new homes can be built in Castleton has been delayed over health and safety concerns.

A plan has been tabled by developers, GLP Trows LLP and BDW Trading Ltd, to create ‘high quality family housing’ off Cowm Top Lane. The site, also known as ‘Trows Farm’, lies to the south of Cowm Top Business Park, close to the M62.

The homes would be a mix of terraced, detached and semi-detached houses, ranging from two-bed properties to four and five-bed executive homes. The housing estate would also include a linear park, open green space and playgrounds.

 

 

The 50-acre site has long formed part of a proposed Greater Manchester-wide development masterplan – now dubbed Places for Everyone (PfE).

For the numerous local objectors present at the latest planning committee meeting on 30 January, there were a number of worries.

Lee Herbert, representing objectors from Castleton, raised concerns about noise disruption during construction; the impact on hundreds of new homes on school, doctors and dentist places; and the impact of additional traffic on Manchester Road and Queensway.

The site only has one road in and out, Cowm Top Lane, which sparked health and safety concerns amongst committee members. The councillors wanted to know whether there were any other access routes to the homes in the event of an emergency.

Councillor Billy Sheerin, who lives next to the development site as well as being a ward representative, added: “The proposed development, in my opinion, is the wrong development in the wrong place. With the lay of the land how it is, this could prove to be a very expensive mistake.”

The agent representing the developer referenced the challenging terrain where the houses would be built and said they were confident they could deliver.

The agent said: “We have done the viability tests on this challenging site. We know the borough and we have built here before.

“We want to deliver quality homes.”

The developers went on to highlight the huge number of tree planting promised, the £10m of contributions towards affordable housing, and the eco-friendly approach they would bring to the plan.

The committee decided to defer the application until a later date so council officers could search for other access routes.

George Lythgoe, Local Democracy Reporter