Proposals for an additional 42 homes to be built at the rear of Maltby Court are being brought forward by developers, and local Liberal Democrat Councillor Mark Kenyon is encouraging as many local residents to respond to the current consultation as possible.
At the moment, no formal application to the Council has been brought forward, but a planning application from Wiggett Group is expected in September.
Councillor Kenyon said: “It is vital that as many people as possible have the opportunity to respond on the application, and have their voices heard.
“We should not wait for this to come to the planning committee, which can only consider the legalities of an application. The earlier that people can respond and ensure that their concerns are put across, the better. If we can get peoples’ concerns addressed before it even comes to the Council, that would be great.”
Councillor Kenyon has already written to all the nearby residents to inform them of the application, as well as helping residents to know the process for responding. The 42 homes are intended to be sited between Maltby Court and Holts Estate, with access solely through Maltby Court on to Rhodes Hill.
Councillor Kenyon added: “As well as the specifics of the application, this emphasises again the pressure on local GPs, schools and roads. While it is vital that that is considered, we have all seen the problems that there have been getting that across in a planning decision.
“It is crucial that Oldham Council make decisions which fix those problems, regardless of any one planning application. That’s why the Liberal Democrats have campaigned for a new health centre for Saddleworth. That’s why we need to fix the chronic traffic problems not only on Hartshead Street, but particularly around the local schools. And that’s why we need to be planning ahead to provide more schools places, with the next generation of schools giving our children the quality education we need in the best locations.
“350 residents affected by the application should have received a consultation letter from the developers. Anyone who hasn’t, please get in touch with me, and I will make sure you get the details of the application, and how to respond. You have till June 30th. I’m here to help anyone who needs it.”