Plans for new homes given the green light

SET TO GO . . . Plans for housing development on land Werneth Cricket Club were approved.

PLANS to pull down a scoreboard and build 11 houses at Werneth Cricket Club have been approved by Oldham Council.

A lengthy debate ensued at a planning meeting last night over the development of the 0.36-hectare site to the northwest of the cricket pitch.

Some councillors raised concerns over anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping that have plagued the pitch while others fought to save the green space.

The outcome was 10 votes in favour of approval, no votes against and two abstentions.

Councillor John Hudson said: "Isn't it better to retain the basic cricket club than waiting for it to die a death and then have lots of houses built on it?

"What would be worse is if the whole club fell apart and we ended up building houses all over it."

Councillor Javid Iqbal said: "I know the area well and we were recently contacted by the club about what we could do to help stop vandalism.

"My only concern is the access to Wellington Road."

An application was submitted to the council's planning department to transform the "unkempt vegetation" and "hardstanding" space which was previously used as tennis courts.

Councillor Sean Fielding said: "The unused vegetation is not open to the public. It has been disused for nearly 30 years so I don't have reservations about letting this land be built on."

The land in question is bordered by houses to the north and east sides, in Wellington Road, Kingsway Close and Hilton Close, and separated from the cricket club by a brick wall. Following approval, applicant Wiggett Construction will build 11 properties including three terrace groups and one semi-detached pair with traditional brick and tiled roofing.

Each house would also have an enclosed rear private garden and a new access road will be created to link with Wellington Road, adding to the existing access from Hilton Close.

To make way for the houses, the traditional scoreboard ­- a two-storey-high brick structure which sits in the northern corner of the pitch ­- will be demolished.

Councillor Rod Blyth said: "If the applicant has let the club fall into such disrepair that it is dangerous, then selling the land off is not the way to deal with it.

"This is a heavily densely populated area so I cannot believe that we are considering using this green space for more houses.

"The benefit of keeping the club outweighs the impact of building houses on it."

While Sport England originally objected to the plans, they have since removed their objection providing that conditions are added, requiring the applicant to construct an area of netting and a storage unit.