It was only a few weeks ago that, following a shambolic Salford Council planning panel meeting, Peel Holdings was refused outline planning permission to build 350 houses on the green field Burgess Farm site in Walkden/Little Hulton (see here).
Yesterday, Salford councillors were told that Peel Holdings is not only planning to appeal against the democratic decision of the planning committee but is demanding full costs from the Council (ie Salford tax payers) to pay for that appeal.
Even Councillor Derek Antrobus, the Lead Member for Planning who was actually in favour of the Peel Holdings development at that planning meeting, hinted at indignation when he tweeted on Twitter yesterday afternoon…
"Peel appeal against Burgess Farm and demand full costs claiming Council unreasonable. Council to defend refusal. Up to Govt now."
A more restrained quote by the councillor was issued by Salford Council later in the day…
"Peel has exercised its legal right to appeal and this will be a matter for the Planning Inspectorate to consider. The council will resist the appeal and defend its decision to refuse the planning application."
While Salford tax payers pick up Peel's bill for the costs of its appeal, it has come to light that, not only does Peel want to build 350 houses on the Burgess Farm green field site, there are plans for a further 200 houses on the site, making a total of 550 houses.
Salford Council's Development Plan (Core Strategy) lists all the city's housing needs and the sites that will be built on between 2010-2030. There's currently a draft 66 page `pre-publication' consultation document on the Council's website which residents can comment on until August 1st (click here). Accompanying the Development Plan is another `changes in housing supply' document which lists every site in the city where houses could be built.
Within this latter document (page 34) (click here) it states quite clearly that the `Site to the south west of Hilton Lane and north of Waverley Road (Burgess Farm)' will have 350 houses on it. And in another section, it states equally clearly `Burgess Farm 2 – land off Hilton Lane' 200 houses.
That's 550 houses in total in a green field area that has protected great crested newts, where traffic congestion would be horrific, and where Salford Council's own planning report stated that there was no need for housing.
Campaigners against the proposed Burgess Farm development are urging residents to object to the plans before August 1st by…
• e-mail plans.consultation@salford.gov.uk
• by post to: Core Strategy Consultation, Spatial Planning, Salford Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton M27 5BY.
There should be printed copies of the Development Plan and `housing supply list' in all of the city's libraries.
The Development Plan can also be viewed by clicking here
The list of sites for housing can be viewed by clicking here
* The Salford Star will be covering other housing issues thrown up by the Development Plan over the coming days…
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