"It's a sham" - furious residents' spokesman hits out at 'flawed' planning process after huge warehouses get go ahead

A furious residents’ spokesman has hit out at the ‘flawed’ process that resulted in two huge warehouses being granted planning permission - calling it a ‘sham’ and a ‘show trial’. Proposals for two industrial units - standing at 12.5 and 10 metres tall respectively - at Kingsway Business Park were passed by a majority vote of Rochdale council’s planning committee last month.The application - from developer Wilson Bowden - was ultimately given the nod, despite pleas from people living nearby, who said their lives were already being made a misery by noise pollution from the site. Simon Goldstone, of Lower Lane, represented locals at the meeting, telling the panel about their ‘very grave concerns about noise, vibrations, light pollution, loss of sleep and impact on our health’.

The committee criticised Wilson Bowden for failing to engage widely with residents after the application was deferred for that very reason back in February. The developer cited GDPR resrictions - representative Gary Lees saying they had been unable to get everyone's name and address but met with Mr Goldstone to 'take on board those concerns from local residents'.

Join our WhatsApp Top Stories and Breaking News group by clicking this link.

However, councillors were unconvinced, with Coun Peter Winkler labelling it a 'poor excuse' and Coun Peter Malcolm questioning why the firm did not hire a room and leaflet residents. But despite several members expressing their sympathy with residents, 10 of the 12-strong panel ultimately voted the scheme through, citing an absence of ‘material planning reasons’ to refuse the application.

The council says a detailed report was presented to the committee and determined in line with planning law, national and local