Dan Whelan
The developer has acquired the 12-acre Kirkmanshulme Road site from Crown Oil Pension Fund for an undisclosed sum, enabling it to demolish the greyhound track and build 247 homes.
Campaigners had been hoping to pull together a bid to buy site in Gorton, Manchester, to save the stadium from being knocked down, but were ultimately unsuccessful.
Countryside Properties was granted conditional planning approval to redevelop the stadium in December 2019, but construction work could not start until the housebuilder had acquired the site. The sale was delayed due to a moratorium that was implemented at the time the stadium was designated as an asset of community value.
Neil Tague
The housebuilder is to progress more than 500 homes at its North Leigh Park development, in a phase that also includes a link road and a local centre.
Wigan Council’s planning committee yesterday gave unanimous approval to a reserved matters application for 257 homes at the 178-acre site, which Countryside acquired in 2018 and has earmarked for up to 1,800 homes.
On an adjoining plot, committee also resolved to approve a hybrid application, consisting of full consent for 250 homes and a link road between Leigh Road and Atherleigh Way; and an outline application for a 20,000 sq ft local centre.
Lichfields advises Countryside on planning at what is now billed as Lindley Village within North Leigh Park. These applications represent phase 1b, following an initial tranche of 199 homes approved in 2019.
Traders delight as developer pulls controversial housing plans for busy industrial estate
Property firm Countryside has withdrawn its proposals for Fieldhouse Industrial Estate, in Rochdale, following fierce opposition to the scheme.
L- R, Paul, Bob and Yvonne Barlow from Pressed Parts, Daid McCann from Pioneer Gas Ltd, Coleen Skeldon from Pressed Parts, Rodney Aspden from Accumac Ltd, John Horne from Dale Event Hire, Neil Fagan from Protec Boxing Rings Ltd, Beverly Horne from Dale Event Hire and Jenny and Ken Lynch from Serious Brewing Company (Image: ABNM Photography)
Don t miss a thing by getting the latest from the Manchester Evening News sent
Fieldhouse Industrial Estate
Traders are celebrating after a developer pulled controversial plans to demolish a busy industrial estate and build more than 200 homes on the site.
Property firm Countryside has withdrawn its proposals for Fieldhouse Industrial Estate, in Rochdale, following fierce opposition to the scheme.
Around 70 firms operate from the site and businesses claimed that up to 1,000 jobs could be lost should the project go ahead.
Residents also feared the already congested Whitworth Road would not be able to cope with the additional traffic that would be generated.
Council leader Allen Brett had warned Countryside the scheme would not be granted planning permission, as the 13-acre site is earmarked for business and industrial use under council policies.