Landfill plan reduced to rubble by council

Relief: Birks Quarry.

DELIGHTED householders and locals who have lived in fear of a disused quarry being turned into a landfill are celebrating Oldham Council's decision to allow housing on the site.

Residents in Austerlands welcomed the approval of a development at Birks Quarry on the main A62 Oldham-Huddersfield Road.

Despite most of the site being in the green belt, the council decided that special circumstances needed to approve a housing development in the green belt have been met.

Homes in the area have been blighted by the threat of a large-scale tipping operation dating back to the late 1980s.

Once the housing development starts the tipping approval will expire.

Robert Knotts, chairman of the Birks Quarry Action group, said: "It's extremely welcome news.

"With this in place we understand that the current quarry owner will now relinquish the planning permission granted many years ago for tipping operations in the quarry."

"This is equally - if not better news," he declared.

"The potential of tipping has hung over the community for many years.

"This planning application approval removes that threat."

The council granted outline planning approval for residential development following clearance from the government.

Improved

The indicative scheme submitted with the application provided for 36 family houses with a new and improved access on to Huddersfield Road where unused traffic lights are situated.

The houses will be built in the bowl of the quarry and will be not readily visible from Huddersfield Road or the surrounding area due to the shape of the terrain.

Final details of the scheme will depend on the developers and a further detailed application will be made covering the design layout, appearance and landscaping of the housing scheme in the near future.

The approval also requires a detailed design of the junction layout, which will include traffic signals, to be submitted before development commences.

Heathland above the quarry face will be largely untouched but public footpath access will be improved for the benefit of everyone.

Work to the tress and any scrubland will not take place between March and July to respect the bird breeding season.

A full ecological appraisal of the site will need to be carried out in order to protect and enhance the wildlife habitat, including a lighting plan to ensuring the feeding and commuting behaviour of bats is not unduly compromised.

And any invasive plant species will need to be cleared from the site.

The developer is also advised that care should be taken within the construction period to ensure upset to surrounding residents is not caused by noise or by vibration.

Suitable

The council would aim to agree the method of operation for the construction site including the hours of operation, the use of quiet working methods, the use of the most suitable plant and the general control of noise and vibration at source.

Residents overwhelmingly supported the plan to build homes in the quarry in the belief that the blight would be removed from their homes which they have been unable to sell because of the possibility of the site becoming a landfill operation.

Alan Chorlton of Chorlton Planning Ltd, agents for the application, told the Chronicle: "We are pleased Oldham Council has approved the application following clearance from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

"Very special circumstances need to be demonstrated to justify development in the green belt.

"In this case, the approval of the application has removed the spectre of tipping in the former quarry and its use for housing will be of great benefit to the local community."

Mr Chorlton added: "In my view, this is an example of good town planning with the government, Oldham Council, Saddleworth Parish Council, the local community and the land owners working together to secure the right development for the site."