21 homes approved for ‘untidy’ land in New Mills

Members of High Peak Borough Council’s development control committee voted in favour of the proposal, submitted by Treville Properties of Manchester in October, at a meeting in Chapel-en-le-Frith on Monday.

The site is currently used for the storage of a number of builder items, which give the land a visually poor and untidy appearance resulting in an unattractive parcel of land.

Sixteen of the homes will be semi-detached three-bed houses and the remaining five would be affordable, two-bed terraced houses, with a single storey appearance to the front and three storeys in the rear.

Access will be taken from the existing track at the junction of Church Lane and a new road will be created. Each dwelling will have private outdoor amenity areas and car parking with a number of plots featuring garages.

The council received one letter of support in relation to providing affordable housing and 17 letters of objection, which cited reasons such as the fact the site forms part of a green wedge, the potential loss of residential amenity and noise pollution.

Members heard that the proposal would not cause significant or demonstrable harm to outweigh the benefits of the scheme.

Officers recommended councillors grant planning permission subject to the completion of a section 106 planning obligation to secure 24 per cent affordable housing on site, a financial contribution towards off site affordable housing, an education contribution and a management scheme for the on site open space and roads.

Resident Pam Cohen described the plans as “ludricrous” adding that neighbours had been plagued by noise from the site for 12 years.

Cllr Bob McKeown said: “I’m in favour of this, provided it’s done properly. It will actually improve the landscape.”

Cllr Lance Dowson pointed out that the site wasn’t always “visually poor and unsightly”.

The committee voted unanimously in favour of approving the application.