Planners have given the go-ahead to a revised housing scheme on what was once the site of Tameside’s biggest employer.
At its peak the Senior Service factory on Ashton Road in Hyde was producing 10,000 cigarettes a day. But 39 years of tobacco making stopped in 1999 when production was moved to Northern Ireland and the 103-year-old ex-textile mill was demolished towards the end of last year.
A slump in the housing market led to Countryside Properties pulling the plug on a scheme for 130 houses and 59 apartments, although an office block was completed and is occupied.
Taylor Wimpey applied for permission to revive the Countryside scheme – which had been approved in May 2008 – but dropped the apartments.
Instead it sought permission for 143 two, three and four-bedroom homes.
But Coun Barrie Holland – who also chairs Tameside Council’s carbon reduction panel – said he was "bitterly disappointed" at the developer’s ‘sustainability’ statement. He said the houses would be built under the 2006 Building Regulations and not tougher regulations which came into force on October 7.
The government agreed a transitional period to enable developers to fully comply with the new regulations.
"For a scheme of up to 200 dwellings developers should be coming up with better than this," said Coun Holland. "This is the age of the environment. I hope in the new year that we as a council come up with stretch targets – like Stockport, Rochdale and Bury Councils have done – so developers have not got a way through the regulations."
But Mark Calvert, of Taylor Wimpey, maintained the heating and low energy lighting systems in the new houses would be more efficient than in the 2008 scheme. Each house would also have a water butt and water efficient fixtures.
"There would also be enough space in the kitchens for recycling bins and the houses will be five percent below the CO2 emission limits in the 2006 Regulations," he added.
Members of the council’s speakers panel agreed with an officer’s recommendation to approve the scheme. Manchester Evening News
2 comments:
A positive development. I might buy up some properties here to rent out.
Yes it's positive to massively overpopulate the Borough and simultaneously provide zero extra infrastructure. Hyde Newton in particular has had one large residential development after the other adversely affecting existing residents. Still as long as you make few quid.
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