Unauthorised developments must stop
Councillor Brian Lord, Saddleworth Parish Council Liberal Democrat Group Leader, has hit out at what he says are a rash of unapproved developments in Saddleworth.
Cllr Brian Lord.
In a letter to Saddleworth News he said: “Oldham Council is seen as a soft touch by developers and many householders. So many people get away with unauthorised developments. There are currently over 100 enforcement actions pending across the borough many stretching back years and countless others that Oldham Council is not even aware of.”
He claims some of the many examples in Saddleworth include:
- A large conservatory without permission in a historic Conservation Area.
- New house built too high on the site of a former bungalow.
- Protected trees felled without permission
- Unauthorised signs on shops and pavements
- Sloping dormer roofs and velux windows on the front of houses
He added: “Oldham Council needs to give much greater priority to enforcement action instead of hiding its head in the sand.
“Residents are also furious that housing developers have become used to gaining retrospective changes to planning permission on controversial sites throughout Saddleworth.”
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor
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The council shoud sart by stopping widget from building on every bit of green land.
Spot on Katy! It’s funny how Mr Lord cares about this now. His party have been systematically incapable and/or unwilling to tackle the problem that Katy refers to.
As a result, a small number of people, myself included, are coming forward to stand as Independents, with over-development and removing party politics from the area as top-priorities. We are sick to the back teeth of watching our environment being dumped on from a great height without so much as a dicky-bird from our representatives.
Our greenbelt is being destroyed and no-one bats an eyelid. The hacking down of a large forested area in Grasscroft is unforgiveable.I contacted the civic centre to enquire as to whether the trees had protection orders attached to them……..THEY DID! How did this get through planning??? Mr Lord, you’ve had long enough to deal with this problem. Its now time to step aside and let those who will remove planning powers from Oldham to take over.
That is exactly what the 3 Independents elected to the parish last year (and the late Ken Hulme) have been working on (devolutionof power to the parish), and what I will be battling for regardless of whether I am successful in the Delph/Denshaw by-election. People living in Saddleworth North will have the option to vote for an Independent, Nicola Kirkham for the borough seat. We are only sorry that we haven’t yet enough candidates to stand in Saddleworth South or Saddleworth West and Lees wards as well, but watch this space!!! It is early days.
We intend, over the next few years to encourage concerned members of the community, who have the skills and determination,to stand as an Independent, to give voters the chance to vote for someone they know cares about the area but more importantly, who isn’t scared to put their head above the parapit and say what everyone in Saddleworth thinks and knows about this situation.
I am applying, under the Freedom of Information Act, for minutes from the planning meeting which allowed for the trees in Grasscroft to be removed to try and identify how this was allowed to happen. One party has held the balance of power in this area for the last couple of decades, during which time Saddleworth has doubled in size. Enough is Enough! It seems extremely coincidental that Mr Lord suddenly cares so much now given the formation of a group of Independents who have this as one of their main reasons for standing. Too late, no point closing the gate once the horse has bolted.
If anyone would like more information about supporting the Independents, or even possibly standing in future elections please contact us (www.voiceofsaddleworth.com). We are not precious and would really welcome support and new candidates.
Also, I’m getting a little sick of this news website being used as a platform for a certain party to pump out their transparent electioneering. You don’t submit or comment on stories at any other point during the year so where do you get off doing it mow? If you continue to do so, I will continue to comment on them as I do not think it is acceptable. If you’d done what you’re supposed to be doing you wouldn’t have to pump your propaganda out.
(A sentence has been removed by the editor for legal reasons).
Tree’s where probably “diseased” according to a tree surgeon report.
Think about it.