Controversial 234 homes plan approved again - despite concerns over mineshaft dangers and 'ugly' houses

Controversial plans for hundreds of homes in the Saddleworth countryside have been approved again – despite concerns over the dangers of a former mineshaft and ‘ugly’ houses.

Proposals to build a £3m road and up to 265 homes on land in Springhead were first refused in November 2018 by Oldham’s planning committee, but subsequently given approval in July 2019.

Local campaign group Save Our Valleys had raised more than £50,000 to launch a legal challenge against the decision, but a judge ruled against their bid for a judicial review.

The road was given full planning approval in 2019 and work has now commenced, but the homes element of the plan for the Knowls Lane site requires further detailed permission.

Developer Russell Homes had applied to the council for reserved matters permission for 234 homes to be built on the site in July last year, which had been approved.

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However a subsequent new reserved matters application was lodged in November for the same number of homes on the land.

Planning officer Graham Dickman said the committee had seen a number of previous applications come forward in relation to the site.

He explained the application councillors were now being asked to rule on was a variation of a July’s approved plan, but with changes to some of the house types in the earlier proposal.

These would be split between five, four, three and two bed houses, which would be a mix of detached and semi-detached and four-bedroom town-houses.

He said the more ‘traditional stone’ style properties would be nearer Knowls Lane and the edge of the site, with brick-based properties concentrated inside the