Relief at proposal for housing at quarry tip

Relief: Birks Quarry.

A public consultation is to be staged over proposals to turn a controversial tip into a residential development.

Several years ago planning permission was granted for extensive tipping operations at Birks Quarry at Austerlands, which locals feared would blight the community.

And despite vigorous opposition by Oldham Council and residents, the application was granted on appeal and a subsequent appeal gave approval for access to heavy tipping traffic.

A set of traffic lights were installed at the site entrance in Huddersfield Road, part of the A62 route linking Oldham to Huddersfield. However, subsequently they were never used.

And although the six-acre site could be the subject of tipping operations, the current owners now wish to offer the site for housing development.

Draft plans propose building a variety of 40 properties ranging from two to five-bedroomed luxury homes in the bottom of the disused quarry.

Alan Chorlton, of Chorlton Planning, who is handling the application, said: “This site could provide aspirational and local-needs housing in an attractive setting for the benefit of the community.

“It will also remove, once and for all, the spectre of large scale long-term tipping on the site and the noise, dust, fumes, HGV traffic and danger this brings with it.

“We want to give local residents, everyone from the wider community and other interested parties, the opportunity to see and comment on the housing proposal before its submitted to the council. “

Robert Knotts, chair of the Birks Quarry Action Group and a Saddleworth parish councillor, said: “The worry of the quarry being used for tipping has hung over the local community for a long time. The news that the plans for the site now focus on houses removes that worry and is welcomed.”

The consultation will be at The Three Crowns Inn, Huddersfield Road, Scouthead, on Thursday, November 19. It will be open from 4 till 7pm.

BIRKS Quarry . . . tipping plan could be replaced by a proposal for housing