The Old Rectory Hotel
Irwell Valley Homes and Collaborate Living Ltd have jointly applied to the council to build homes on land that previously housed the Old Rectory Hotel in Haughton Green in Denton.
It was originally built as the Rectory for St Mary’s Church, with the first buildings occupying the site from 1867.
Converted into a hotel in the 20th century, it was extended throughout the 1970s to 1990 but was mostly demolished aside from some hard-standing in 2011.
There had been previously approved plans to build a 54-bed care home on the site, but this was never completed.
The Affordable Housing Crisis
The new proposed development would be made up of 24 apartments, all of which would be for affordable rent and managed by Irwell Valley Homes.
They would address a ‘chronic shortage’ of affordable housing locally, a supporting letter says.
“The scheme also offers the chance to respond to pressing affordable housing needs at the authority level,” it states, adding that analysis showed that there was a shortfall of 828 affordable homes each year in the borough.
The apartments would be split between 14 one-beds and ten two-beds, spread over the apartment block across two storeys, arranged in an ‘L’ shape.
Anti-social behaviour deterrents
A design and access statement on behalf of the developer says that the Meadow Lane site ‘regularly attracts anti-social behaviour’.
“The proposal seeks the redevelopment of a redundant site which has the potential to contribute towards the delivery of
sizeable homes within a sustainable location,” the report adds.
It is proposed to introduce ‘slow’ carriageway markings on Meadow Lane on the approach to the site access from both directions ‘to assist in keeping traffic speeds low’ the planning documents state.
There would be 25 parking spaces provided with an additional four disabled parking spaces on the site, and a secure cycle store for 12 bicycles.
There have been 25 public objections lodged over the plans since being validated by the local authority earlier this month.
A decision is expected to be made by mid-September.