Controversial housing plan for former Old Rectory Hotel in Haughton Green is back before council

Developers have made another bid to build apartments on the derelict site of the former Old Rectory Hotel in Haughton Green.

In February an application to build 24 homes was ditched following huge opposition from local residents and local MP Andrew Gwynne.

However, now a developerhas applied to continue the scheme but this time, building 18 apartments instead.

The strength of feeling around the secluded Meadow Lane area became apparent when the scheme was submitted to Tameside planners last summer.

Objectors put up painted boards and banners with one of the most prominent claiming that the potential increase in traffic would turn the village into ‘Gridlock Green’.

They argued that the scale of the development and the number of apartments needing vehicle access from Meadow Lane would completely overwhelm the main artery through the historic hamlet of Haughton Dale and gateway to the Tame Valley.

On hearing that the application had been withdrawn, Mr Gwynne, Cllrs George Newton, Jack Naylor and Clare Reid issued a joint statement: “It is right that this brownfield site should be brought back into sustainable use to provide much needed family homes in Haughton Green, however development must be sympathetic to the locality and be in line with the Haughton Dale SPD.”

They considered the Irwell Valley Homes plan to be “completely inappropriate”, adding that “we will always work tirelessly with residents to ensure that future development provides a benefit to the area by bringing a derelict site back into use.”

They stressed that “we will never support any development which goes against the character of Haughton Dale”. 

The new application is due to be discussed by Tameside Council's Speakers Panel on Wednesday, July 24.

Anyone wishing to speak at the meeting should contact Benjamin Hopkins at the council on 0161 342 2798 before 5pm on July 23.