So Hurstwoods have revealed their hand and submitted plans for the Holly Mount site to build 25 apartments, 12 town-houses and 6 semi-detached houses in a gated complex. This is four weeks after the felling of the trees around this area and catagorically stating that they ‘had no plans to develop this site’. In an article in the Free Press the chairman of Hurstwoods, Stephen Ashworth, expresses his desire to return the site to its former Victorian glory. ‘Our research shows’ he claims, ‘we are putting back broadly what was there before’. Did their research show a large, white, steel superstore next to the site? Probably not. So who submitted plans for such an out-of-place building, which is certainly not in keeping with Mr Ashworth’s vision of restoring the area to its former glory. Oh, that’s right, it was Mr Ashworth.
At the risk of being cynical, it appears that Hurstwoods are now keen to develop the remaining area for housing as they know that this will effectively triple the value of the land and property on it. In addition, the trees which they felled, directly behind the site would surely have created a more pleasing aspect for the residents and a natural barrier between them and the houses of Haslingden Old Road, further up the slope. Again, at the risk of being cynical, could it be that Hurstwoods removed the trees before submitting the plans to prevent the Council placing a TPO on these trees as a condition of the plans. It now leaves this land clear to extend the housing development should this plan be approved.
HORRA urges everyone living in the vicinity of this site to go and look at the plans and decide whether you are happy to have these three-story buildings developed on this site. HORRA believe the plan should not be approved by the Council on the grounds that:
The site is classified under the UDP as an Employment Zone and is therefore not suitable for housing.
The additional traffic (which will have to access the site via the road leading up to ASDA) is unacceptable.
The building of the planned underground car-park to service these houses will make the area less stable, particularly now the trees on the slope, which may have helped hold the ground together, have been removed.
The loss of privacy for surrounding properties (again particulary no the surrounding tree barrier has been removed) is unacceptable
If you feel the same regarding this development, please email your objections to Neil Birtles, Rossendale Planning department at neilbirtles@rossendalebc.gov.uk . The Ref. for these plans are 2006/320. All objections need to be submitted by the 7th July 2006.
Thank you
