Action group gives blessing for homes

A RESIDENTS’ action group will offer its support when plans to build quality property on the site of a controversial tip are revealed tomorrow.

Group members will be attending a public exhibition which will show draft plans for the development at Birks Quarry, Austerlands.

Locals believed the community would be blighted when planning permission was granted for tipping operations at the six-acre site off the main A62 Oldham-Huddersfield Road.

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 on Huddersfield Road but subsequently they were never used.

Although the site could be the subject of tipping operations, the current owners now wish to offer the site for quality housing development.

Draft plans being finalised by architects Nicol Thomas 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: “We would ask all locals and other interested parties to call in and talk to us.

“The architects and representatives of Chorlton Planning will be in attendance to explain and discuss the proposals.

“We look forward to a good attendance at the exhibition,” he added.

Saddleworth parish councillor Robert Knotts, chairman of the Birks Quarry Action Group, said the group met last week.

He said: “We agreed that we very much favour having houses in the quarry as an alternative is to having the ‘Permit to Tip’ constantly hanging over our heads.

“We also viewed that the housing scheme will forever remove the nuisance we have to suffer from motorcycle scramblers using the quarry.

“The noise generated is extremely aggravating and intrusive.

“We intend attending the consultation event to offer support for the housing.”

The exhibition takes place between 4-7pm at the Three Crowns, Huddersfield Road, Scouthead.