Browse Sections

• Education
• Roadworks
• Shipman
• Special reports

Fears on safety of build site

Tom Rowley
14/ 2/2007

FEARS about the stability of a site in Mossley on which a developer proposes to build 68 new homes have been raised.

Councillor Ann Etchells said part of the site off Micklehurst Road lies in a clough that goes through to Carrbrook.

"The ground here is unstable," she said. "There was subsidence on Richmond Crescent about 25 years ago which affected houses there."

Countryside Properties wants to build apartments, detached and semi-detached houses on the site of the former Springbank and Hollins mills and part of the valley of Staley Brook, which runs parallel to Staley Road.

The site slopes steeply from Richmond Crescent to the north and west, but flattens out towards the Micklehurst Road frontage.

Most of the homes will be two or two-and-a-half storeys high, but because of the nature of the site, 10 dwellings back on to the hillside and will be three or three-and-a-half storeys high.

Planning permission for 75 dwellings was granted on 11 January, subject to developer contributions to off-site leisure, education and highway improvements, plus measures to protect the local ecology, as well as the maintenance of public open spaces.

The latest application was due to be considered by Tameside Council's speakers panel yesterday (Weds).

Councillor Roy Etchells remembers battling against the original scheme four-and-a-half years ago, when Wiggett Construction wanted to build 115 flats on the site.

"We've done well to fight to get it down to 68, which is quite a drop down," he said. "But when the government is adamant about building on brownfield sites, we can't do much about it. And there are still the same 21 conditions Wiggett had to comply with, which this developer has to agree to. Safety aspects for the residents must be paramount."