A fourth attempt to build homes on land in Tameside has failed after plans for new flats were thrown out over ‘nuisance’ concerns for future residents.

Planning officers had recommended that an application for 18 apartments in a three-storey building in Denton be refused.

The proposal had received objections from Denton and Reddish MP Andrew Gwynne, jointly with ward Councillors Brenda Warrington, Michael Smith and George Jones, and 15 objections from members of the public.

The application submitted by Real Estate Aventor Ltd proposed to demolish the existing collection of single-storey buildings on the site.

Officers said that while the site off Emerald and Pearl Street was not allocated for ‘any particular purpose’ it was currently being used for employment, with a car repair garage, car repair shop, and a ventilation engineering company operating there.

The flats would have been split between 12 one bedroom and six two-beds, with access provided off Pearl Street.

Two previous plans for flats and houses on the same site in 2005 had been refused, An application for a sheltered housing development of 18 apartments was also rejected in 2015.

Speaking at the meeting, principal planning officer Ben Sandover said: “Officers are concerned about the amenity of future occupiers and the impact the development would have on the operations of the existing businesses.

“The very close proximity of the adjoining businesses and their general industrial operations would likely lead to future noise or other nuisance to future occupiers of the apartments.”

He added this could also ‘hamper’ the operations of those businesses and lead to ‘unreasonable restrictions on their possible future expansion’.

Mr Sandover told councillors that Tameside currently has a shortage of employment sites.

Richard Pike, the agent for the application said they were ‘bewildered’ by the report as they had worked with the local authority on the plans for the ‘best part of two years’ and the proposed use ‘would be welcomed’.

He told councillors there were several units to let, indicating a ‘lack of demand’ for employment uses in the area, and there was just one business operating there currently.

“The fact is that the vast majority of buildings in there are derelict and beyond repair,” he added. “This site is ripe for redevelopment.”

Mr Pike said there had been no objections from the environmental health department over the co-existing of both residential and employment use on the site.

Councillor Doreen Dickinson said: “It’s been refused three times this site. What’s different about this application?”

Mr Pike replied that the ‘planning situation has changed considerably’ as well as an increase in housing demand since that time.

Coun Adrian Pearce said: “We should be approving high quality residential development, it’s not residential development at any price.

“I can only see it creating issues and problems in the future to the residents who live there and also possibly to the adjacent land uses in terms of them carrying on their businesses. I can’t see much merit in it.”