Major housing site on Wigan green belt clears another planning hurdle

Designs for more than 150 homes at Parr Bridge Works near Mosley Common have been approved by the council this week.

The site is the home of Maxilead Metals with the firm planning to relocate to a new location in nearby Atherton, which has also been granted planning permission.

Because of the development’s encroachment onto green belt, the council’s decision had to be referred to central government last year.

The secretary of state opted not call it in and officers have now given the green light to the detailed residential plans.

The entire site, incorporating Maxilead’s old base and the adjacent Worsley Business Park, has outline permission for housing, retail and community facilities, including a children’s nursery and health centre.

Only the residential aspect of the plans, for up to 154 houses, is covered by the approved reserved matters application from Bellway Homes.

The developers have previously said permission for the housing and the start of works on site will ‘bring about confidence to facilitate the development of the further phases across the wider site.’

The 7.4 hectare site is just south of the Leigh guided busway with 3.7h within the green belt, according to planning documents.

Officers had previously said the benefits of Maxilead’s move to a new site and the resulting ‘safeguarding of employment’ outweighed the ‘relatively small’ impact caused by development on protected land.

And planning committee members approved the outline plans last year, stating it was ‘very special circumstances.’

The reserved matters application has been decided through delegated decision.

The housing will be a mix of three and four bedroom properties