Decision delayed on whether to build 445-home estate with only one road in near M62

The decision on whether 445 new homes should be built in Castleton has been delayed over health and safety concerns.

A plan has been tabled by developers, GLP Trows LLP and BDW Trading Ltd, to create ‘high quality family housing' off Cowm Top Lane. The site, also known as 'Trows Farm', lies to the south of Cowm Top Business Park, close to the M62.

The homes would be a mix of terraced, detached and semi-detached houses, ranging from two-bed properties to four and five-bed executive homes. The housing estate would also include a linear park, open green space and playgrounds.

The 50-acre site has long formed part of a proposed Greater Manchester-wide development masterplan - now dubbed Places for Everyone (PfE).

For the numerous local objectors present at the latest planning committee meeting on January 30, there were a number of worries.

Lee Herbert, representing objectors from Castleton, raised concerns about noise disruption during construction; the impact on hundreds of new homes on school, doctors and dentist places; and the lack of access roads on the site.

Coun Billy Sheerin, who lives next to the development site as well as being a ward representative, added: “The proposed development, in my opinion, is the wrong development in the wrong place. With the lay of the land how it is, this could prove to be a very expensive mistake.”

The agent representing the developer referenced the challenging terrain where the houses would be built and said they were confident they could deliver.

The agent said: “We have done the viability tests on this challenging site. We know the borough and we have built here before.

“We want to deliver quality homes.”

The developers went on to highlight the huge number of tree planting promised,