®Planning appeal decision
Westwood Medical Centre, Winterbottom Street, Oldham, OL9 6TS
Outline application for 16 storey apartment building for 120 flats with associated on-site parking and private gated site access, following demolition of existing building. Approval of Access, Layout, and Scale are sought. All other matters reserved
- Authority
- Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Wraight G
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposed development on trees
- the effect of the proposed development on highway safety
- whether the proposed development would provide for open space and affordable housing
What decided it
The absence of a planning obligation to secure affordable housing and open space contributions, combined with the inability to demonstrate that the mature trees could be retained without harm to living conditions, meant the proposal failed to accord with the development plan and the adverse impacts outweighed the benefits even under the tilted balance.
The significant benefits of delivering 120 new homes on a previously developed site with good transport links and proximity to services were outweighed by the failure to secure affordable housing and open space contributions and the unresolved risk of harm to retained trees and living conditions, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply.
Framework references: 11
Plan policies cited: Policy 21 of the Oldham Joint Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Development Plan Document 2011, Saved Policy D1.5 of the Unitary Development Plan 2006, Policy 5 of the DPD, Policy 9 of the DPD, Policy 23 of the DPD, Policy 10 of the DPD
The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.