Planning permission granted for 84 new homes

Wigan Council’s planning committee unanimously passed the proposal for 84 houses in Hindley Green.

The committee heard the triangular site between Alder Lane and Green Lane was originally supposed to be turned into 124 homes but the developer had agreed to scale the construction work back in discussion with town hall officers.

Instead the properties will be shielded from the adjoining industrial work by a large green mound, which will eventually become covered in dense planting, topped with an acoustic fence.

Council officers admit the development will radically change the nature of the area and make it far more residential as some of the properties will have drives directly accessed from the road.

Developers Persimmon Homes will also have to make section 106 contributions on a range of local issues, including introducing traffic calming measures on Green Lane and addressing a shortfall in school places.

Independent ward councillor Bob Brierley, who represents Hindley Green in the chamber, raised a number of issues including concerns about asbestos, drainage, access to the site and construction vehicles using Swan Lane despite there being weight limits on that.

However, once officers had said the issues could be addressed through the conditions imposed and assured the chamber the council and developer were both aware of asbestos being present he said he saw no reason it could not gain approval.

His fellow ward representatives, Labour councillors Keir Stitt and Frank Carmichael, had asked for the committee to look at the plans.

The council received 28 letters of objection and resident Lorraine Bradshaw spoke against the development, asking for reassurance on dealing with drains, Japanese knotweed and contaminants.

All 10 councillors sitting on the committee passed approval but some expressed unhappiness employment land was being used for houses even though reports said there was no prospect of businesses using it.

Coun Jeannette Prescott praised the addition of the bund and hoped it could be used elsewhere in Wigan.

Coun Fred Walker said: “Reluctantly I am going to support this. I am never completely comfortable converting industrial land to housing land. I don’t want this to become the norm.”