Hundreds of objections to 'open land' housing applications

Two housing schemes on ‘open space’ have received hundreds of objections from neighbours, councillors and an MP. The separate schemes - one close to Springside Road, Bury, and the other for land off Brownhills Close and Bury Road, Tottington - are due to be decided by the council's planning committee at a meeting next week.

Along the southern boundary of the Springside Road site is a hedgerow and road which leads to Bank Top Farm that carries a bridleway and land designated as green belt, a special landscape area and a river valley. The site is not in the green belt, but is designated as protected open land.

Access would be from Springside Road and works would include widening the road and providing footpaths. The land has recently been refused planning permission for five homes and a previous application in 1998 was also refused.

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Ward councillor Liam Dean has objected to the plan, claiming it violates town hall policy ']seeking] to protect, conserve and improve the landscape of quality of the borough'. He added: “The increase in traffic from both sides of the junction will have intolerable effects on road and public safety that have no easily rectifiable solution.

“There are serious concerns about the volume of traffic that will come from the Tetrosyl development, not least more houses off Springside Road.” He said public views of Peel Tower and Holcombe Hill would also be affected.

Bury North MP James Daly, said: “Bury council has recently submitted their local plan as part of the Places for Everyone submission. Since submitting the original plan to the planning inspector, Bury council has submitted amendments to the plan, requesting the removal of