Impact of new housing move not analysed, says detractor

FIGHTING the plans . . . some of the Keep Cowlishaw Green campaigners

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PROPOSALS to build thousands of homes on Oldham's greenbelt will have a severe impact on the local infrastructure and services which needs to be better considered, residents have argued.

Ken Watson, of campaign group "Keep Cowlishaw Green" argued that the draft Greater Manchester Framework Plan has not been publicised enough, claiming many residents in the area are unaware of the proposals across Oldham and how they will impact the local area.

The group is campaigning against the proposals to deliver around 640 new homes in Cowlishaw, just off Shaw Road, and have launched a website to keep people up to date with the plans.

Mr Watson said: "It is frustrating to see that this plan has selected greenbelt areas as sites for development when there are lots of brownfield sites which are available in Oldham.

"We have former mills, demolished schools and empty buildings but these have been ignored.

"Developers want the 'attractive sites', such as the green space of Cowlishaw, because of what they can offer in terms of views, amenities and location.

"They are particularly attractive when compared with the costs of demolishing or re-generating damaged mills or other sites that are available.

"But when I have visited the drop-in sessions, the planners are not willing to engage with residents about the possibility of using brownfield sites."

Although the GMSF states that developments will be "required to provide, as appropriate, the necessary supporting highway and social infrastructure", Mr Watson raised concerns about the impact proposals would have in Oldham.

He said: "All these local services will be affected if there are more than 600 new homes created.

Detail

"But these plans do not go into detail about how the infrastructure will cope or where new facilities will be created.

"It can already take weeks to get an appointment to see a doctor and it will become worse if more people need to access the same surgeries.

"Residents should know that there are plans in place to create more health centres and schools where they will be needed.

"The roads around Shaw are already very congested and, due to Oldham's industrial past, there are a lot of Victorian terrace streets that could not be widened to improve the flow of traffic."

The group is also concerned about publicity surrounding the proposals in Oldham.

"A lot of people simply aren't aware that there is a Greater Manchester Spatial Framework plan," he said.

"From my own experience of speaking to people in Shaw I believe that only two or three people in a hundred know about the proposals.

"More should be done to ensure they are aware of the plans and are given the chance to comment. It will affect everyone in some way."

Ambitious
He added that the group have also set up a petition, which has over 700 signatures, to object to the proposed housing in Cowlishaw and are urging people to have their say during the consultation period.

Mr Watson said: "It is a very ambitious project to look 20 years into the future and make a plan.

"The 10 local authorities should be applauded for coming together for this.

"However, I do not think they have taken into account the impact these proposals will have on the local community and the infrastructure."

To sign the petition visit www.keepcowlishawgreen.co.uk.