The key developments planned for Greater Manchester this week

A bold vision to change the face of a Greater Manchester town and a homeless hostel worrying the elderly are just some of the key developments planned for the city-region this week.

Oldham has an ambitious plan to deliver thousands of new homes to it’s town centre alongside a plethora of regenerative benefits for local residents. Their masterplan would see iconic sites in the area repurposed and brought back to life.

The scheme is now out for consultation so that those living in the area can have insight into the plans and give their thoughts on the ideas.

Over in Wigan the idea to convert an old pub into accommodation for the homeless has raised eyebrows. Local residents and their councillor fear this could exacerbate an existing problem with antisocial behaviour.

Here is a breakdown of each borough’s submitted planning applications this week

Bury
Floodgates to be installed by River Irwell close to where 700 homes were damaged

Huge floodgates are to be installed to better protect hundreds of homes and businesses.

The steel structures at Hardy’s Bridge, Radcliffe will help reduce flood risk along a six kilometre stretch of the river in the Radcliffe and Redvales area where more than 700 homes flooded in 2015. A planning application lodged in the past week by the Environment Agency states the bridge, which carries Dumers Lane over the River Irwell, will form the next phase of flood defences. 

Radcliffe and Redvales Flood Risk Management Scheme (FRMS) aims to reduce the flood risk from the river south of Bury and west of Radcliffe.
Owner of new five-bed house ordered to reduce its height and remove balconies concedes ‘it’s not anywhere close to what was approved.’

A man who ignored planning permission and built his house too big and too tall is appealing to planners to let him keep some of his ‘misjudgement.’

The owners of the newly built detached, five-bedroom home on Cockey Moor Road, Starling, to the west of Bury, admit ‘what is built is not anywhere close to what was approved.’

Bury council ordered Saeed Postchi to make extensive alterations to the building after it was ‘not built in accordance with the plans’.

But after lowering the roof by 1.3 metres and removing a rear window to comply with the original plans Mr Postchi has applied to the council to let him keep some of the other modifications including an out building, three patio style windows and first floor balconies.

Oldham
The bold vision that may change the face of one Greater Manchester town forever.

The vision for 2,000 new homes, a hotel and a linear park could see Oldham’s urban landscape completely transformed.

Iconic landmarks in the town have been eyed for regeneration, with a ‘retail core’, ‘cultural quarter’ and ‘education quarter’ all being created. The

Civic Tower, Civic Centre, and Prince’s Gate as well as the former magistrates’ court, leisure centre and Manchester Chamber are all in line for seismic changes.

Muse, the company behind the council’s plans, have just launched a public consultation on the overarching project.

Rochdale
Rejection of plan for new SEN school on greenbelt land appealed.

The rejection of a plan for a new school for children with special educational needs on Rochdale’s greenbelt is being appealed.

The proposal would have seen Rainshore House in Norden transformed into a school for young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The Aurora Group wanted to convert the building to provide eight classrooms; therapy rooms; a 27-space car park; an allotment; and a playground.

In November 2024, the planning committee rejected the proposal because it didn’t meet the ‘very special circumstances’ required to build on greenbelt land. That decision has been appealed by the Aurora Group.

New homes planned for ‘overgrown land’ in Rochdale
A total of six new houses could be built on land previously used for grazing horses.
The land off Marland Fold is now vacant and has become overgrown, according to applicant Marland Mill Farm Limited. The 0.55 hectare site would contain six houses, all with four bedrooms and private driveways. 
The new homes, if approved, would be accessed by a road in between houses no.83 and no.85 on the existing Marland Fold street.

Salford
Schools hopes for more classroom space to meet ‘growing demand’

A Salford primary school could get more classroom space to help meet ‘growing demand’ for places. 

Primrose Hill Primary School on Phoebe Street in Ordsall has space for 495 pupils aged between four and 11 according to planning reports, but needs more room to meet the need for local school places in the community. An extension is being planned in two phases to build a single-storey modular teaching block with four new classrooms along with kitchen facilities, and a ‘multi-functional learning street’ for dining and informal group teaching. 

The second phase of work would see a first floor extension to the site with an extra four classrooms and other group learning spaces.

Tameside
War memorial to get more names added to it.

The Stalybridge War Memorial could soon see more names added to a new section.

The planned additional section to the commemorative statue on Trinity Street would include 286 names who were missed originally. According to applicants, the Friends of Stalybridge War Memorial, people being missed off the original statue was due to the ‘onerous’ registration process.

Trafford
Man Utd to install bat and bird boxes in ‘green’ push at training ground

Manchester United have applied to planners for permission to install bat and bird boxes at its Carrington training ground as part of the redevelopment of its first team building.

Permission had already been granted for the first-floor extension and new entrances and the relocation of doors as well as cladding, glazing and rooflights at the Isherwood Road site.

However, following discussions with the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit, the football club was advised on how to achieve ‘net gains for biodiversity’ by planning consultants Paul Butler Associates on how to support ‘protected notable species’.
Wigan

‘We’re terrified’: Elderly residents don’t want homeless hostel on their doorstep
Scores of elderly residents in a sheltered housing complex are protesting a charity’s bid to convert a disused pub on their doorstep into temporary accommodation for homeless people.

The Brick wants to take over the Queens Arms, close to Wigan town centre, in order to house up to 14 people transitioning out of rough sleeping, often those with drug and alcohol addiction problems. But residents of Saddle Court, opposite the pub and people in terraced housing on adjacent Bridgewater Street in the Newtown area and local councillor Pat Draper, are against the application.

They say they are already experiencing high levels of anti-social behaviour and fear that it will be made worse.