‘Major concern’ over impact on services
PETER Hook, chair of Littleborough Civic Trust, said that the group had ‘major concerns’ over the impact the spatial framework proposals would have on the town.
Under the proposals 300 homes could be built near the River Roch off Smithy Bridge Road and land near Hollingworth Lake, off Hollingworth Road has also been earmarked for another 300 houses.
But Mr Hook said Littleborough’s population could rise by 10 per cent over the next few years if all the planned housing developments in the town go ahead.
He said: “When houses are added to existing proposals for sites such as the former Akzo Nobel site, Durn, Proofings Technology and other planned developments, it is highly likely that Littleborough’s population would increase by more than 10per cent in the next few years.
“In turn, this would put unsustainable pressure on the existing infrastructure. Schools and GP surgeries are already functioning at capacity and both the A58 and the B6225 are beyond capacity during the rush hour periods.
“Mention is made in the framework of improving access to both Smithy Bridge and Littleborough stations but, as commuters well know, the rush hour trains are already running at or beyond their capacity.
“We would want any development to properly address the capacity of the local infrastructure. The framework also talks about wanting to ‘attract and retain higher income households within Greater Manchester’ and we accept that Littleborough may be an excellent place to achieve this, but as a consequence, it will further increase house prices in the area. Littleborough urgently needs affordable and social rented housing so that our younger population don’t have to move away when they reach adulthood as is currently the case.”
Flooding, which has blighted Littleborough and Rochdale in recent years, is also a worry for residents, added Mr Hook.
“We have concerns about the likelihood of increasing flood risk both to Littleborough and Rochdale as some of the planned development is in a sink area for the River Roch and there is a possibility that there could be an increase in the volume of flood water carrying on downstream to the centre of Rochdale,” he said.
“Any development needs to take account of both the flood issues that may be caused by additional housing and better flood management higher up on both sides of the valley.
“Finally, much of the land identified is classed as ‘protected open land’ and we would want to see a careful examination of any potential danger to the rich variety of wildlife in the local area.”