Hundreds fight housing association plans for green space in Sholver

The community living near open land known as Hodge Clough and Pearly Bank in Sholver have rallied together to oppose applications by housing association First Choice Homes Oldham.

First Choice wants to build 64 homes spread across the two sites, which are currently used for dog walking, children’s kick-abouts and community activities including Bonfire Night fireworks.

But residents argue that the loss of the green areas, which are just a five minute walk apart, would cause irreparable damage to the local area and its sense of community.

So far there have been a total of 269 objections lodged over the two applications.

The mental health of residents, well-being and local wildlife would be impacted if they were lost, while house prices were already being affected by the proposed development, neighbours say.

However First Choice says that residents would still have access to green space and there was “no evidence” of an impact on property prices.

There are also fears that the development could hail a return to Sholver’s troubled past, where the 1960’s council estates were affected by crime and anti-social behaviour.

Tony Martin, who lives on Hodge Clough Road and is leading the campaign to save the land, said residents had “invested their futures” in the area.

He said: “People walk their dogs, kids play and sometimes a casual meeting becomes a friendship.

“People know each other from all over the estates because of this field.

“There will be hundreds of children with nowhere to play – there is a great community here and building on this land will destroy it.”

Resident Marlene Williamson said residents felt the two sites were being pitted against each other.

“It’s also a case of divide and conquer, if they can get us at each other’s throats,” she added.

Both Pearly Bank and Hodge Clough afford panoramic views across Oldham and Shaw to Rochdale and Greater Manchester, which would be blocked by the new developments.

Steve Harper, who lives on Higher Fold, said: “If you remove Hodge Clough and Pearly Bank you’re removing the land to the detriment of mental health.

“A lack of green space promotes an increased level of crime, and mental health issues in the community.”

Hodge Clough resident Gary Braddock added: “Since this happened people have been getting knock backs or not getting viewings of their houses. People aren’t interested any more.

“It would be an absolutely massive loss.

“I don’t think any of the children will be able to go out because of the speeding cars on the roads round here. If you lost it I have no idea where the children would go.

“There is a bigger piece of land in Royton town centre already that’s up for sale, it’s twice the size of this. Why don’t they build there?”

Tracey Thomas, aged 51, said she had lived in the area since she was six-years-old and dreaded seeing it regain its less than favourable reputation.

“Why knock the council houses down just to rebuild some more? There are lots of empty houses in the town centre,” she said.

“This is the best view in Oldham, they built these houses for the view. We feel betrayed, conned into buying a house here.

“I have seen this area go from really nice to really rough, to really nice again.

“I wouldn’t want it to go downhill again. In the 80s it was really bad. I wouldn’t want it to get back to that state.

“Why should we lose everything? To have more traffic where we are is going to cause chaos.”

She added: “It’s the only really flat bit we’ve got, and I’m disabled so I can’t do long walks anymore.

“To lose the space, it’s not fair on the children and it’s not fair on residents.”

Lynsey Clark, First Choice’s assistant director of development, said that both the sites had been identified as suitable for housing in the council’s strategic housing assessment.

“We understand that the local community has concerns about the new homes being built in the area,” she said.

“The proposed developments have been designed so that the existing community still have access to open green spaces close to their homes and accessibility to substantial views which we know are very important.

“An existing children’s play area, village green and nature reserve can be found in close proximity to the sites.”

Views of the green belt would still be available just a short walk from the sites, she added.

“The proposed development sites have had a previous housing use and are not designated as open space,” Ms Clark said.

“Concerns have been raised around existing property prices decreasing in the area due to the new developments.

“There is no evidence to suggest that existing property prices will de-value.

“The proposed new homes will give people chance to invest and climb the property ladder

“First Choice Homes Oldham supports investment and regeneration opportunities for the people in the borough and these developments continue this work.”

The proposed developments will include a mix of outright sale, shared ownership and rent-to-buy properties.

In the proposed Hodge Clough development, 26 homes would be affordable and six for sale.

These properties would be split between two, three and four bedroom family houses and two, two bedroom apartments.

At Pearly Bank, 26 of the units would be for shared ownership, made up of two, three and four bedroom properties, some which would be three storeys tall.

First Choice Homes Oldham is the largest landlord in Oldham providing over 60pc of all socially rented homes.

In 2011, Oldham council transferred 11,867 of its dwellings to First Choice which resulted in the organisation being responsible for both the management and ownership of the council’s homes.