Plans for housing developments on Hollin Lane and Langley Lane to be considered on 2 September

Planning applications for housing developments on land off of Hollin Lane and Langley Lane, Middleton will be considered by councillors at a planning meeting on Wednesday 2 September. Councillors sitting on the Middleton Township Planning Sub Committee will decide if the plans for 355 dwellings should go ahead.

The application was submitted to Rochdale Council in July 2014 by Taylor Wimpey for up to 150 dwellings on Land off of Langley Lane and for 205 dwellings on land off of Hollin Lane. Local residents have launched an opposition campaign.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/91204/protest-against-proposed-housing-development-at-hollin-lane-and-langley-lane

So far the plans have received almost 400 public comments on the council website, with many of those comments stating their objections against the plans.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/88429/residents-present-their-objections-to-councillors-regarding-proposed-middleton-development

Commenting on the Langley Lane plans, Mark Bridge said; “I am completely opposed to the plan to build houses on both the Langley Lane and Hollin Lane sites. The plans are unsustainable and will in my opinion put too much pressure on the already stretched education system alone. How will local surgeries, schools, hospitals, etc. cope with the ever growing number of residents? Recently a number of plans have been approved for the Middleton area to build new homes. Surely common sense will prevail and a limit will be placed on the number of new homes that can be built.”

Stuart Renfrew said: “It's a crying shame that this breath of fresh air between Middleton and Heywood would be blighted with new housing. I'm sure the properties would be priced out of reach of most local people, so that would mean more people coming from out of the area, which will impact on all services and schools.

"I grew up on Langley and because of the location I found a love of the countryside, and the wildlife.

"I want RMBC to back their rate payers and community to block this application. There are many other sites throughout the borough which can be used for new builds.”

Heather Robinson said: “I have grown up in the Middleton area and commute daily to Manchester to work. Why? Because I like living in a semi-rural location - Middleton. This is virtually the last of the town's greenbelt. Are we being asked to give this up to build houses for the homeless or refugees who are less fortunate? No. Are we being asked to give this up to build a pioneering new hospital to cure diseases? No. Merely just to line the pockets of a bunch of greedy people who have managed to pull together about 50 individuals and convinced them to say they may show an interest in a new property.

"There are multiple properties already available in Middleton, estate agents windows are full. There is ample alternative land/space available. The Warwick Mill is almost empty. There is a half-hearted development that has never reached completion at the back of my house. Leave the greenbelt alone please.”

Commenting on the Hollin Lane plans, Lesley Bridgwater said: “Middleton is in danger of losing all of its green spaces and turning into one large housing estate.

"I object to the planning because of the impact on the local environment and wildlife and the increased traffic from all of the new houses. Unfortunately there is no such thing as one car, one house, most have two and some four and five. Travelling around Middleton is already bad. This will create a nightmare.”

Graham Morrissey said: “The amount of traffic already using Heywood Old Road (particularly heavy goods vehicles) is already excessive. With the proposed building of over two hundred dwellings, the road would become even more populated, increasing the risk of a severe accident at rush hour; morning and night is already hazardous and the speed of cars using this route is already dangerous.”

Middleton Councillors have stated that they are against the plans.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/87691/middleton-councillors-oppose-proposed-housing-development

Taylor Wimpey did not respond to our request for comment.