New affordable housing plan set to be scrapped

Plans for a new housing development in between two industrial sites in Tameside are set to be thrown out.

A new scheme which sought to bring 36 affordable homes to Mossley would ‘result in a poor standard of living for future occupiers’, according to the council’s planning officers.

The proposal has been tabled by Bridgewater Land and Developments Ltd, who say it would bring ‘high-quality, affordable housing that complements the existing character of the area’.

The land, which has become overgrown with shrubbery and trees, would see the 36 one-bedroom apartments built across two three-storey blocks.

The new homes would sit just a stone’s throw from both the Egmont Street Playing Fields and Mossley Railway Station.

All the homes would be available at an affordable rate (up to 80 per cent of market value). 

Planning papers read: “The buildings will be designed to achieve high energy efficiency standards, incorporating insulation, efficient heating systems and renewable energy sources where feasible. 

“Green spaces and landscaping have also been incorporated into the proposals to promote biodiversity and enhance the development’s environmental performance.”

But the site off Egmont Street is sandwiched between two industrial buildings and is land formerly industrial itself.

A failure to justify the loss of employment land; the close proximity to industrial buildings; a lack of outdoor space; and a poor standard of living for occupiers are all reasons planning officers gave for recommending refusal of the plan. 

Tameside Council’s planning panel will meet in Droylsden’s Guardsman Tony Downes House on July 23 to make a final decision on the plan.

Aerial image of the site off Egmont Street, Mossley earmarked for development. Credit: Rochdale Council