‘If they close me down, that’ll be it.’

Locals are opposing plans by an out-of-town developer to transform a site in Hollinwood into an ‘affordable an beautiful eco oasis’ with 32 new homes.

The plot off Pretoria Road is mostly ‘derelict’, but is still home to one business whose owner claims he’s been ‘misrepresented’ in the planning application. 

Les Brierley, 67, of L&J Brierley Motors, has rented the space for his business for around 28 years, but says he has ‘hardly’ been involved in the consultation for the development which would see his business closed down. 

Brierley said: “I’m 68 next year. It’d push me over the edge.

"I just can’t start again and move into a new premises with my equipment.

"If they close me down, that’ll be it.” 

He says the closure would affect his five employees, including his grandson, who is in the second year of his apprenticeship under the Brierley business. 

“He’ll have to stand on his own two feet. There’ll be nothing I can do for him,” he said.  

Wherever developments involve the closure of viable businesses, developers have to give evidence that the benefits of new housing outweigh the economic loss.

In planning documents submitted by Max Kohanzad, the London-based developer suggested the site would be ‘better suited’ as a residential area and claimed that J&L Brierley ‘are retiring later this year’.

Brierley disputes that he has ever agreed to retire but suggested he would have ‘no choice’ if he was thrown off the site. 

“It all seems very underhanded,” Brierley (pictured below) said.

“It’s their land, I’ve no qualms about that. If they want to throw me off, they can.

"It’s just the way they’ve gone about it.

“And [Oldham Council] didn’t even know I existed here.

"That’s disgraceful when I’ve been paying the [business rates] for 28 years. 

“I’m very disappointed that [considering] the number of years we’ve been there, we haven’t been consulted and sat down around the table.” 

Responding to the situation, Oldham Council suggested they were looking into the case already. 

Councillor Elaine Taylor, who leads on housing, explained that local authorities did not need to ‘check the ownership of every site’ before an application is validated in their planning portal.

She went on: “However, if it comes to light that any details of a planning application could be incorrect our planning team will look to clarify things.

“And that’s what we’ve done in this case.

"The case officer met Mr Brierley whilst visiting the site. Following that visit we’ve now raised the issue with the applicant.”

The plans include two semi-detached homes off Collier Hill Avenue that would mark the start of the ‘eco village’.

But three low-rise buildings would form the bulk of the housing complex, arranged around a large shared green space with a pond and a community space or cafe.

Each building would have private gardens, and ‘greened roofs’ alongside solar panels and thermal heat pumps.

Residents in the little community would have access to 18 car parking spaces with EV charging points, which are relegated to the edge of the complex.

Mr Kohanzad told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Everyone who wanted to be involved have been all the way through the entire process.

"Local charities, housing groups, councillors, interested parties have all been coming to our regular meetings.

"We spent a lot of time and effort integrating an incredible amount of feedback and worked tirelessly to create something incredibly special for the community.

“Potential Residents will have almost zero energy running costs and community facilities and areas to grow their own food.

"It’s going to be an affordable and beautiful eco oasis.”

Yet a number of neighbours to the complex have raised concerns.

A number of objections on the planning portal fearing the height of the buildings could block out light and the number of homes and limited parking spaces could result in traffic congestion in surrounding streets. 

The planning application is due to be decided before the end of the year.

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