A crunch meeting to decide the fate of a 199-home development will take place next week. The 12 hectare site between Smithy Bridge and Littleborough has long been earmarked for housing.
If approved, this latest development would almost merge the hamlet of Smithy Bridge with the larger town of Littleborough, something objectors fear could impinge on the identity of the area. The roads in the northern region of Rochdale have become synonymous with horrendous traffic, but this development could kickstart the solution to that problem for locals.
According to planning papers, it is anticipated that the main access to the site would also provide the start of a new primary relief road that would link Smithy Bridge Road with Albert Royd Street.
In addition to the homes and the potential relief road, the land west of Smithy Bridge Road will also host greenspace; cycle and pedestrian paths; a wildflower meadow; and an allotment for locals.
More than 300 objectors have raised concerns over the plans tabled by developer Taylor Wimpey. The concerns relate to ‘unacceptable traffic increases’, local infrastructure already being at capacity, a loss of wildlife, flood risk fears.
Traffic problems are the main concern for locals. It has been the reason for fervent objections to other housing schemes in the area.
The 309-home scheme next to Hollingworth Road that was approved two months ago, objectors fear potential traffic impact this could bring to an already congested road network on the A58, Hollingworth Road and Lake Bank. This scheme will be set around a kilometre away from the 199 homes earmarked for the land west of Smith Bridge Road.
Planning papers read: “The submitted assessment outlines that the development would deliver the eastern section of the council’s proposed residential relief road, representing the delivery of circa one third of the length of the new route.
“This would offer relief to the A58 Halifax Road corridor and reduce the development traffic flows passing through the A58 / Smithy Bridge Road junction once the route is complete.”
The highways assessment in the planning papers continued: “Delivery of the proposed relief road to alleviate traffic along the A58 is vital to achieving a long-term traffic solution to the congestion along the A58 and to mitigate the traffic generated by the proposal.”
Rochdale council’s planning committee are set to meet at Number One Riverside on Thursday, January 22 to make a decision on the matter.
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