The location for 265 homes and a new link road in Saddleworth
Tweaks to controversial plans to build a new road and housing development in Oldham have been approved – despite part of the site now being classed as ‘ancient woodland’.
The borough’s planning committee has agreed to vary two conditions relating to the application to build a new multi-million pound link road and up to 265 homes on land off Knowls Lane.
The plans for the land in Springhead were initially refused in November 2018 but a second application was approved in July 2019.
A local campaign group Save Our Valleys raised more than £50,000 to launch a legal challenge against the decision, but a judge ruled against their bid for a judicial review in December last year.
Tweaks to controversial housing development approved despite ancient woodland status manchestereveningnews.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from manchestereveningnews.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Covid infection rate for Oldham has fallen again to 124 (per 100,000).
The figure has been continually declining since a peak this year in early January.
The Oldham figure remains 44% higher than the average rate for England, which stands at just 86.
Figures tend to be higher in metropolitan areas, as the population levels are higher than in other parts of the country.
Werneth is the ward with the highest rate (200) over the last 7 days, followed by Royton North (183), and Saddleworth West & Leeds (166).
The lowest rate is in Saddleworth South (49).
The number of positive Covid cases continues to fall across the UK, with the latest figures showing a 32% drop.
Public gets chance to help protect ancient woodlands Date published: 10 January 2021
Cllr Sam Al-Hamdani and Cllr Barbara Beeley at the Thornley Brook site in Springhead, where the ancient woodland site was identified
Oldham’s local development plan will look specifically at the importance of ancient woodlands in the borough, after a successful motion brought to Oldham Borough by local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani.
When a local resident identified that a major planning application in the Saddleworth West and Lees ward looked set to damage a previously unidentified area of ancient woodland, it became clear to some that not enough was being done to identify and protect these unique habitats in the borough.
Campaigners lose legal challenge against controversial approval of 265 homes and new £3m road
A judge has ruled that the permission granted by the councilâs planning committee last summer for the controversial Knowls Lane application will stand
10:51, 22 DEC 2020
The plans for a new road and 265 homes off Knowls Lane in Oldham (Image: Russell Homes)
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