More than 100 new homes are to be built on the vacant former Carcraft site in Rochdale.
Planners have given the go-ahead for residential development on a lot on Nixon Street in Castleton that was last occupied in 2015.
The 20-acre property will house 102 three and four bedroom homes, with properties representing a mix of single family and semi-detached homes.
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As part of the program, applicant Hive Homes will also give an adjacent lot to the community for a new elementary school.
A separate developer’s plan to build 250 houses on the two sites was signed in 2016, but it proved too costly to rehabilitate the land now earmarked for a new school.
However, this new proposal was unanimously welcomed by the Council’s planning committee at its meeting on Thursday evening.
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Councilor Shah Wazir said: “This brownfield site has a history that we wanted to develop it specifically for housing and it didn’t come about.
“I think this application isn’t over-engineered like previous cases have been, it’s just the right amount.”
Coun Shah added: “I think what we as councilors are looking for in our district is sort of an ideal situation to develop and offer quality homes – and the diversity is there. Personally, I am pleased that this application will go through.”
Castleton Councilor Billy Sheerin said he was “absolutely thrilled” with the plans.
This is what new homes could look like on the former Carcraft site in Rochdale.
(Image: MCK Associates Ltd.)
He said: “This site has been in despair for years – it’s a brownfield site, we are committed to building on brownfield sites and I will give my full support.”
Access to the new property is via a continuation of Nixon Street and the developer will pay for traffic calming measures both here and on nearby streets.
Trees will also be planted along the roads within the development to create a more comfortable ‘feel’ for residents. In addition, every household will have a charging station for electric cars.
But the developer will not make the usual financial contributions to open spaces, formal sports and education, as the council has accepted that doing so would make the program financially unviable.
For the same reason, there will be no affordable or social housing under the program either.
However Ed Milner, Managing Director of Hive Homes, explained that Hive Homes is owned and funded by the top 10 social housing providers in Greater Manchester and the combined authority.
He added: “The profit we make from house sales is returned to investing members and channeled back into social housing projects.
“Even if the location is under pressure from a contribution law perspective in the short term, in the long term funds will ultimately flow into the public sector for social housing services.”
Mr Milner added that the plans would also provide “much needed new housing” in the district and free up land for a new elementary school.
Rochdale Council’s Planning and Licensing Committee met on Thursday evening (21st January).
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