The campaigners fighting incoming housing development

It is considered a wildlife haven locally, but one beloved patch of land in Mossley is about to have 175 new homes plonked on it.

Last month, Wain Homes successfully gained planning permission for their ‘executive’ homes on the land off Huddersfield Road. When a contentious scheme like this comes about, the decision of the council’s planning panel is the end of the matter.

But campaigners are fighting on.

Protect Mossley’s Wildlife is the group of objectors wanting this scheme kicked into the long grass. As their name suggests, they want to defend the plethora of animals that inhabit the land on the edge of Mossley.

The group says the planned development would wipe out the wetlands, shrubbery, grasslands and the vast amount of the inhabiting wildlife that go with it.

One of the campaigners, Jessica Mawdesley, admits their latest petition is a ‘last ditch effort’ to get the scheme scrapped. When the plan was put before Tameside council’s planning panel last month, councillors were more worried about the flooding and roads impact risks than the wildlife concerns.

Wain Homes’ planning agent Gareth Salthouse explained that the scheme had not caused concern for the authorities that look after highways or flooding issues. Mr Salthouse’s promise of a play area; footpaths linking to surrounding green space; and ‘linear open green space’ was convincing enough.

Following a split vote of five to four, the panel approved the scheme.

This sparked anger in the public gallery in Droylsden’s Guardsman Tony Downes House on July 22. But since the planning approval decision, the Protect Mossley’s Wildlife (PMW) group has been out onto the land to gain evidence of the valued critters on the site.

Amongst lapwings, a barn owl, deer and other protected birds, they claim to have found a great crested newt. This is significant because the great crested newt is a protected species.

Jessica suggested that if construction work started with the great crested newt on site it would be a criminal act. Wain Homes has disputed the evidence of the newts, but said if any are found, proper measures will be taken during construction.

The developer claims the last record of the great crested newt on the site was in 1990. The campaigners have called for an independent environmental and ecological survey to be done to challenge the one paid for by Wain Homes.

Jessica said: “There has been more recent evidence of protected species. We are trying to make people aware of that and get public backing. Our campaign petition already has more than 1,400 signatures.

“These wildlife surveys done by Wain Homes, it is in their interest not to find anything. There is a vested interest there.

“The developer’s own environmental survey has shown that this development will have an irreversible impact on one of Mossley’s few remaining sites of biological interest. The development contains the Site of Biological Importance of Puddle Clay Pits and the Site of Special Scientific Interest Impact Zones of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and yet it has been signed off against the public’s wishes after a decade of opposition.

“We know the agenda is to build more homes with Labour. But these are not affordable homes – these are four to five bedroom executive homes.”

Potential for floods and the impact on local traffic was the main concern of the panel itself. A number of panel members felt that Huddersfield Road was already a bad traffic hotspot – which this scheme could worsen.

Cllr Allan Hopwood said: “We are building all over the borough but we are not improving the infrastructure. It’s a really bad place for traffic and we are just adding to that.”

The PMW group is mainly made up of residents of the Hey Farm Estate, wildlife enthusiasts and nearby residents. They also believe Huddersfield Road is far too busy as it is and that the local school is oversubscribed.

However, they accept the application has already been approved despite the concerns raised over highways and local infrastructure arrangements. This is why they are now fighting on environmental and ecological grounds.

A spokesperson for Wain Homes said: “Recent surveys have not identified any evidence of great crested newts and there is only one historic record from 1990 approximately one mile from the site, so we do not believe great crested newts are present. However, an Ecological Clerk of Works will be appointed to monitor works on site throughout construction.

“If great crested newts are identified, appropriate measures will be implemented in accordance with all relevant legislation and guidance.”

Beyond the site’s ecological value, campaigners feel these fields provide recreational areas for families, mental health benefits, and an intrinsic community identity.

PMW strongly believe the potential impact the development could have on the green space could justify the high court overturning the decision.

Jessica added: “We are also trying to raise money for a legal challenge. We expect it would cost around £5,500 to fund that.

“The group is willing to go down that route if necessary.”

The group has also called on local councillors and other concerned Mossley residents to get involved and threw their support behind the campaign.

A spokesperson from Wain Homes added: “We plan to start construction soon, although a start date has not yet been confirmed.

“The scheme has been carefully designed to protect habitats of ecological value, while also creating and enhancing new areas of habitat. Planning conditions require measures such as protecting retained habitats and watercourses during construction, ecological supervision, appropriate lighting controls, invasive species management, and the long-term management and monitoring of retained and newly created habitats for 30 years.”

Around £400,000 would also be provided by the developer for the council to spend on improving local infrastructure. The planning panel was told last month that an estimated 200 jobs would be created by the development during the construction phase as well.

Some 26 of the houses would be affordable (priced up to 80 percent of market rate) – which is just under 15 percent of the total number of homes. The minimum threshold for new housing developments, set by Tameside council, is 15 percent.

The next steps for the campaign group would be to mount a legal challenge to stop the development going ahead. They are currently in contact with the council to raise their concerns over ecological surveys before they decide on whether to take further action.